Centrala x Reimagine Redditch 2024

From January to July 2024, Centrala was commissioned by Reimagine Redditch to produce and deliver a programme of cultural events and activities, including two large community events and five workshops.

Workshops

New Year’s Traditions: Exploring family customs and creating decorations for the Malanka Event

Carnival Celebrations: Mask making and traditional dancing

International Women’s Day: Learning Slavic dance and jewellery making

Easter Traditions: Crafting and sharing diverse Easter customs

Spring Rituals (Marzanna): Exploring Slavic mythology and textile crafts

These sessions were very well attended, with most reaching full capacity, and in some cases, demand exceeded available spaces. Women expressed how valuable the workshops were in combatting isolation, supporting wellbeing, and providing a sense of community rooted in shared experience and cultural pride.


Community Events

Malanka

The programme launched with a winter celebration centred around the Ukrainian New Year tradition of Malanka. Held at Oakenshaw Community Centre, the event brought together over 140 participants for a vibrant afternoon of craft workshops, live performances by local dance and music groups, Eastern European food, and community conversation. The event introduced the programme to the community and helped establish a welcoming, family-friendly space for cultural participation.

Eastern European Family Day (Summer 2024)

To close the initial phase of the project, a second large-scale event invited families to celebrate CEE cultures in a relaxed, open environment. Activities included traditional flower crown making (Kupala Day), willow rattle crafts, and mug decoration, alongside family games and informal discussions. The event welcomed over 50 participants and provided a platform for reflection, evaluation, and future planning.

  • Malanka
  • Malanka
  • Malanka
  • Malanka
  • Malanka


Feedback

Feedback collected throughout the programme has been overwhelmingly positive. Participants emphasised how rare and valuable it was to see their own culture represented, and how much they appreciated the chance to connect with others in similar situations.

“Workshops for women keep giving motivation to go out and I really need this.”
“Thank you for bringing the Eastern European community together through crafts and dances. I am so grateful.”
“I have been looking for something to do with my daughter for a long time. Since January, this has been a miracle. It gives me motivation to teach her about our culture.”

We also heard strong calls for more: more workshops, more opportunities to gather, more creative spaces for underrepresented voices. The work has shown just how important it is to embed CEE culture into the wider cultural life of Redditch, not just through one-off events, but through sustained and supported creative engagement.

Evolving Work and Ongoing Collaboration

Building on the success of the 2024 activities, the partnership between Centrala and Reimagine Redditch has expanded into a second phase (September 2024 – March 2025), with a new set of artist-led workshops and events focusing on memory, identity, storytelling, and contemporary cultural expression. These sessions continue to spotlight migrant voices and deepen community connections.

This is a long-term relationship, built on mutual trust, lived experience, and a shared commitment to cultural inclusion. It’s about more than access to the arts, it’s about belonging, visibility, and empowerment. Together, we are creating spaces where migrant communities feel seen, celebrated, and supported.

Funded by Arts Council England