Crafting Community was  formed  by Handsworth based creative producer  and artist Scylla Magda ,  & nature artist / community gardener / forest school leader Eleanor Hoad to develop folk arts &  craft based activities  in our local community. A not for profit organisation, Crafting-Community has developed out of our regular activities  in Handsworth Park since 2015, including producing Autumn lantern parades ,  Handsworth Park Illuminations.,  Forest School  sessions for home ed families & running the yearly crafts tent for Simmer Down Festival. We love our local park ,  Scylla has  even have written a Handsworth Park Song in its honour &  created a permanent public artwork by the lake  ‘Circle of The Year’ displaying the changing of the seasons  solstices & equinoxes. We now work with a range of talented artists & can also work with your organisation to  produce light festivals, lantern parades, workshops and events in other localities – time allowing!
Image 1 below : Autumn Lantern Walk 2022. Photograph by Hayley Salter More images here

Above: Handsworth Park Illuminations 2021 More images here

In October 2021 we were commissioned by Gallery 37 / Punch records to deliver  Birchfield Light festival in partnership with Birchfield Big Local. Crafting Community member Sophie Handy lead on crafts workshops &  parade, and Scylla Magda on lighting & projections.Punch made a great short docu vid of the event below,  plus more images on their website here

Below:  Circle of The Year  by Scylla Magda . An engraved design on a slate slab showing the seasons, equinoxes and solstices, with the center left open for chalk drawings and nature art by members of the public.
Commissioned by Crafting Community funded by Arts Council England. A mosaic was created around the plinth before the circle was installed, based on the grasses & plants around the lakeside.

Below: Temporary artworks commissioned by Handsworth Creative  : Autumn Reflections & Winter Snowman mosaic by Scylla Magda, ‘Handsworth Park Beautiful All Year Round” vinyl print by Karoline Rerrie.

Above: Willow owl by Ildiko Wu Wei Nagy , nest by Alex

Dr Zeus Flower + reading / drawing workshops by Scylla Magda

Simmer Down Festival Craft Tent 2018 -19
Workshops delivered by Crafting-Community recycled tin can shakers/drums, harmonograph drawing, mask making and jangles& bangles , +s Hattie (flag making) , & Claudette & Alex (potato printed bags), &face painting by Sarah’s Parlour.