Residencies 2025
Martin McNally: Baskerville School
Martin McNally (aka Mixed Milk) is an artist, filmmaker, and community arts facilitator whose work includes illustration, animation, sculpture, and more. As the founder of Mixed Milk Media, Martin takes a collaborative and playful approach to exploring themes of change, movement, perception, and how people make sense of the world, often drawing on everyday experiences and shared stories.
With a background in fine art and a deep interest in how creativity can bring people together, Martin works across disciplines to explore ideas independently and with others. His practice balances solo work and collaboration, shifting between personal exploration and creating space for others to make and connect.
Instagram: @mixed_milk
Website: www.mixedmilk.org
Sarah Taylor-Silverwood: Dame Ellen
Sarah’s drawing practice works across animation, textiles, ceramics, sculpture and print. Combining her interests in making, storytelling and working with other people, she creates artwork for exhibitions, the public realm and the home.
Instagram: @sarahtaylorsilverwood
Website: www.sarahsilverwood.com
Joe Clixby: Fox Hollies
Joe Clixby is a musician and facilitator who has had the pleasure of working with SEN schools, and adults and young people with additional needs, in a variety of different ways, for the past 6 years.
Enjoying improvisation and musical chaos, he loves to create spaces for freedom of expression, believing that everyone can make music and that music can be made with anything. He draws inspiration from a wide variety of genres and approaches to making music. He loves to challenge the expectations of what the music made for and with people with additional needs should sound like.
Instagram: @weareloum
Nikki Elsner-Gummery: Hamilton School
Nikki graduated from Birmingham University and has worked in schools and the community dance sector, leading on dance curriculum development, examinations and training.
Nikki is the Learning & Participation Manager for The Black Country Dance Hub CIC.
Her work involves planning and delivering school participation projects at all key stages.
Delivering CPD for teachers and managing professional training for Emerging Dance Artists.
Nikki has worked in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community alongside Mark Smith, Artistic Director of Deaf Men Dancing since 2022.
Nikki currently supports the work and training of 2 emerging deaf / hard of hearing artists, and coordinates the team of staff, including BSL interpreters working with Funky Kids, a weekly dance workshop for deaf and hard of hearing young people in Walsall.
Black Country Dance Hub
The Black Country Dance Hub is a Project Funded Dance Organisation based at Walsall Arena & Arts Centre.
We provide a rich, diverse, accessible and inclusive programme of dance for children and young people, across the Black Country & wider West Midlands.
We aim to inspire, inform, engage, empower, consult, guide and signpost children and young people to wider opportunities across the arts and cultural sector.
We raise aspirations and support young people's personal growth and development as active participants and new audiences.
Website: www.blackcountrydance.com
Ben Randall: Longwill
Ben is a hard of hearing dance artist, graduating from Elmhurst Ballet School in 2021. Ben has worked with companies such as Deaf Men Dancing, New English Ballet Theatre & Def Motion, performing at The Royal Opera House, The Paralympic homecoming Ceremony and the Commonwealth games live sites.
In 2024 Ben was Assistant Choreographer and performer in 'Synergy', an inclusive dance project which toured the UK and South Africa.
Ben works as a workshop Facilitator/Dance teacher and Choreographer across the West Midlands and the UK.
Ben is the Lead Artist for Funky Kids, a weekly dance workshop for deaf and hard of hearing young people in Walsall.
Niall Singh: The Pines
Niall Singh is a mixed media artist who utilises collage, assemblage, printmaking, textile, discussion, poetry and music.
Niall has experience of delivering workshops throughout Birmingham with participants from a range of ages, abilities and backgrounds. Niall believes strongly in breaking down social barriers that prevent access to art and education.
Niall currently focuses on ongoing poetry and collage projects, small zine publications and re-writing and re-sighting traditional Folk songs.
Instagram: @niall_singh
Poonam Maher: Wilson Stuart
Poonam Maher is a performance artist known for her blend of the weird and silly. She crafts outfits from found or repurposed materials and embodies characters that both amuse and confuse.
Poonam has performed at prominent events such as Fierce Festival, Glastonbury and Boomtown Festivals, as well as various local stage performances.
With a diverse background that includes managing a volunteer-run swap shop and several years in the NHS, she brings a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective to her artistic endeavors.
Her passion for connecting with others and fostering a sense of community is evident in everything she does.
Instagram: @powpowpoonam