Urban Hax

Are you a budding creative with a great business idea or have a creative business and want to take it to the next level?

Urban Hax, the creative industries agency based in Walsall, is about to launch an exciting programme of support in preparation for the opening of The Creative Industries Enterprise Centre which will be located in The Guildhall, the amazing Grade II* listed building, in Walsall town centre in 2025.

The Creative Up-Start Programme (CUSP) will provide a package of support including - Rent-free studio/workshop space for twelve months. A business development programme featuring coaching and mentoring support. Use of our specialist production/making equipment and design software.

Worth over £5,000, we expect demand for the programme to be high, so if you’re interested, please complete a CUSP application form by following the QR code.

The deadline for submission of the first round is Monday 8th July 2024 and we will then shortlist and assess applications. We will notify those who will be offered a place shortly thereafter or will contact you if we require any clarification on your application. We intend to commence the CUSP programme (the date when you can occupy your creative space) in August 2024.

NB – Priority will be given to Walsall residents or enterprises but we are also open to
applications from neighbouring areas.

If you have any queries in connection with the CUSP programme please contact Geoff
Henderson, Urban Hax Director on 07977 069433 or at [email protected].

Fancy a AI tipple? Then use our bar controlled by Robotics and AI sensing your personal drink preference!

For the first post of our 10 year anniversary 10 by 10 series, we’re going back to the early days of Urban hax where we made this robot bar! Using artificial intelligence , a tablet attached to the bar would “scan your face” and make you a drink based on your perceived personality 🤖 This was originally designed for a BBC conference in London, to discuss potential uses for AI in the future…

To celebrate our 10th year, our next 10 posts will each showcase a different creative project that we’re proud of working on since we opened our doors. From robot bars to potential land-speed record breaking cars! Keep your eyes peeled over the next few days to see the first post in our 10 by 10 project series 🤖🦾

Swipe to see Deta 10 years ago, when we first took space at The Stables .

Wearing its finest winter coat The Guildhall in Walsall looking splendid. Just a quick sneak preview of the new Creative Industries Enterprise Centre hatched from the great minds at Urban Hax and Walsall Council. Just five more seasons until it opens! Happy Christmas to all our friends and followers! 🎄🎅

To mark the launch of the Urban Hax Makernet project its directors Deta Ward and Geoff Henderson were privileged to have the company of Councillor Chris Towe, Mayor of Walsall accompanied by the Mayoress Louisa Hughes along with the Walsall North MP Eddie Hughes for the official cheque handover. The grant, from the National Lottery Communities Fund, will see the establishment of three ‘mini-makerspaces in community locations in the borough to provide design & make facilities to local residents.

Why buy when you can borrow ? is launching November 20th 🛠️ keep your eyes peeled !

Time marches on...well it does now after the Urban Hax crew helped the St. Matthew's Church building manager John Edland get the church clock back in action and saving the £2,500 repair bill!

Very exciting news from the team at urban hax today. 🤖🦾 Have a scroll through and tell us what you think! A huge thankyou to and national lottery players everywhere! we can’t wait for you to see what we have in store! 🤞🤞🤞

We’re so pleased to announce we’ve hit our SpaceHive crowdfunding target for the Walsall Tool Shack!
Here’s what Crowdfund Walsall had to say :

“Congratulations to Urban Hax who have raised £11,237 to deliver their Tool Shack project in Walsall. The tool hire service is a convenient & cost effective solution for local residents carrying out DIY projects.”

A big thank you to everybody who shared and pledged! We can’t wait to get the project up and running for the local community.

Hey everyone,

Great news – Walsall Tool Shack's community tool hire is almost funded! But we're not there yet, and we need your pledge to hit the goal.

💪 Why Pledge?

Community Impact: Your support powers a local hub for DIY-ers.
Cool Perks: Get discounts, workshops, and more with your pledge.
Go Green: Join us in building an eco-friendly sustainable community.

🌟 How You Can Help:

Pledge Now: Every contribution matters.
Spread the Word: Let friends know about Walsall Tool Shack.
Engage: Like, comment, and share!

https://www.spacehive.com/walsall-tool-shack #/

Let's make Walsall Tool Shack a reality, together!

Walsall Tool Shack-Tool Hire Service The Walsall Tool Shack tool hire service is a convenient and cost-effective solution for local residents to access a wide range of tools for DIY projects, home improvement & for hobby and leisure.

🛠️ Help Build Walsall's Tool Hire Service! 🏗️

Dear Walsall residents,

Imagine a Walsall where everyone has access to essential tools and equipment without breaking the bank! 🤝 We have an exciting opportunity to make this dream a reality by supporting our crowd-funded project for a Walsall Tool Shack-Tool Hire Service!

🌟 How can you help? Pledge your support today! Every contribution, big or small, makes a huge difference in bringing this valuable service to life. Here's how you can contribute:

🔹 Click the link below to visit our Spacehive crowdfunding page.
🔹 Choose a pledge level that fits your budget and preferences.
🔹 Share this post with your fellow Walsall friends and neighbors who care about our community's growth.

🎯 Our goal is to create a well-stocked tool library in Walsall that offers a wide range of tools for DIY projects, gardening, repairs, and more. This not only saves money for individuals but also fosters a sense of collaboration and empowerment within our town. 💪

💡 Why support our project?
1️⃣ Affordable access: Not everyone can afford to purchase expensive tools for occasional use. Our tool hire service ensures everyone can access the right tools without financial strain.

2️⃣ Sustainability: By sharing resources, we reduce waste and promote sustainability within Walsall.

3️⃣ Skill development: Empowering Walsall residents with the right tools also encourages skill development and creativity.

4️⃣ Building a stronger community: Together, we can create a thriving, connected, and supportive community right here in Walsall.

Let's take this opportunity to invest in Walsall's future! 🏡 Your pledge, no matter how small, will leave a lasting impact on countless projects and people in our town.

🌐 Crowdfunding Link: https://www.spacehive.com/walsall-tool-shack #/idea

Thank you for being part of this transformative initiative. Let's build a better, stronger Walsall together! 🙌

Walsall Tool Shack-Tool Hire Service The Walsall Tool Shack tool hire service is a convenient and cost-effective solution for local residents to access a wide range of tools for DIY projects, home improvement & for hobby and leisure.

Crowdfund Walsall - Discover Projects Discover projects in Crowdfund Walsall

A not-for-profit creative hub which provides Walsall residents with the opportunity to upskill and gain employment in the creative industries has been awarded a £15,000 grant from Walsall Business Support to grow its services.

Urban Hax operates a creative makerspace, providing Walsall residents a place to learn new skills, share ideas and take advantage of its tools and equipment to help their businesses to grow.

Read more: https://walsallbusinesssupport.co.uk/walsall-creative-hub-awarded-15000-to-grow-services-for-local-community/

We are thrilled to announce that Urban Hax is partnering with Walsall Council to lead on a groundbreaking project to develop the creative industries in the region! With the council securing a whopping £3.7 million towards the redevelopment of the Guildhall, we are excited to work together to drive economic growth and create more opportunities for creative professionals in the area. This is a huge step forward for the local creative community, and we are proud to be a part of it!

Walsall Council secures £3.7million towards its creative industries | Walsall Council Walsall Council secures £3.7million towards its creative industries

Had a great trip down to the Workshop grand opening yesterday. The new workshop is built from donated shipping containers and provides space to train individuals who face real and significant challenges in finding work to create new products from reclaimed wood.

A great day out yesterday getting some behind the scenes pics of the filming for some of the final shots for an upcoming Bloxwich heritage project, detailing the history of the town and it’s residents post World War Two 🪖

Big thanks to Expressions café and for involving us in the project 🖤🤍

Meet our newest resident and see what she has to say about her work and the space:

“I am a fashion designer specialising in leather - creating bespoke, artisanal pieces made from repurposed saddlery waste. Determined to inject modernity into Walsall’s renowned leather trade, i mix traditional leather working techniques with contemporary craft to create unique, one-of-a-kind pieces.”

“Urban Hax has been instrumental to my development asa a business owner - providing a supportive and collaborative space, an extensive creative network and access to a wide range of facilities. The residency programme has allowed me to keep my initial costs low by providing adequate space at very reasonable prices that is unrivalled by other makerspaces in the area. Connection with other creative businesses allows for collaboration and shared knowledge that make the process of starting up a little less intimidating and a little more possible. “

Be sure to check out some of Lauren’s amazing work below ⬇️



📸 Candace Thornton

📸 Mia Stroud

We’re at ! Come and say hello and make a badge 🤖

☀️CREATIVE SUMMER SCHOOL FOR OVER 50’s ☀️

Are you over 50 and not in work ? Looking to spend your summer honing your creative skills? Come along to one of our FREE courses and dive into a creative topic you never thought you would! Sessions are running through the rest of July and August so GET IN TOUCH ! 🤖Contact details in the flyer attached 📲

Last but not least, the final six hippos in the exhibition . Again, please take a moment to go see the full pieces in person, plenty of hard work has gone into this project. Once again a huge thank you to everybody involved especially the very talented artists :

1)
2) Harman Singh Jheeta
3) Shani Clarke
4)
5) David Ormsby
6) Maxine Houslin

Remember the Hippo trail doesn’t end here, have a look through Walsall and see how many of the artists (hidden) hippos you can find!

Here’s the next six hippos that are dotted around . Some really amazing creatives have taken part in this project and we’re thankful to everyone involved.

Artists shown:

1) .ince
2)
3) Jessica Kirby
4)
5) The pupils from Rushall Primary School
6) Joanne Abdullah, Johira Tania and Paige Haile from Walsall Studio School.

Happy to say that following on from our work on Walsall's ‘Hidden hippo trail’ that our wonderful artist’s now have their second hippos up on display in .

These second hippos are the artists own interpretations of their allocated buildings on the trail and really gave them a chance to showcase their artistic flair. There are 18 scattered around the around the gallery in total and we highly recommend you go on your own hippo hunt!

Here’s a snippet of the first six hippos in the gallery…

Featuring the very talented

1) /
2)
3)
4) Alex Fawson
5) Riane Bradnock, Sadi Rani Akhtar, Aliya Fatima, Keeley Walker and Khalid Ashton from West Walsall E-ACT Academy
6)

Pleasure to laser-etch a batch of these menu holders for
Came out amazingly 🎉
Always open for any of your laser cutting needs.

Look out for that hippo!
The Walsall hippo trail is almost live!
We’ve been working on this project for a while now so it was nice to see we had a mention in an Express & Star Article about the event. Keep your eyes peeled 🦛 Read more here : https://www.expressandstar.com/entertainment/attractions/2021/12/29/get-your-mobile-phones-out-and-follow-that-hippo/

ATTENTION BLACK COUNTRY MAKERS AND CREATIVES !DESKS AND WORKSPACES AVAILABLE AT URBAN HAX!

Get in touch for more info 🤖🛠

Thanks to everyone that came out to the Maker Fayre in Walsall market today to coincide with the 2nd stage of the Womens tour of Great Britain and to all of our stall holders.

The weather wasn't great but the atmosphere and community was amazing.

CALLOUT FOR MAKERS & CREATIVES

The Womens cycling tour of Great Britain is hosting its 2nd stage in Walsall on the 5th Oct. To go along with this event Urban Hax is partnering to host a cultural Fringe in Walsall Market place to showcase the creative talent of the town.

We're currently looking for creatives who would like a FREE stall on the day to display or sell their works.

Please get in contact by emailing [email protected] if you would like a stall.

Urban Hax CIC – A Black Country Makerspace

Did you know we offer a full graphic design & print bureau service?

This includes:
- Large format Printing
- Indoor & Outdoor Signage
- Vinyl window decals
- Stickers
- Digital embroidery

& much much more.

Get in touch for a quote today on 01922 628 126 or email [email protected]

Tired of working from home?

Spaces are now available in our COVID Friendly co-working space. Based in the centre of Walsall, with great transport links, get access to a dedicated workspace with superfast WiFi and a whole host of professional equipment from large format printing to laser cutters and CNC machining.

Prices starting from £130pcm inclusive of all utilities.

Give us a call on 01922 628126 or email [email protected] for more info

Christmas is fast approaching and the team at Urban Hax CIC have got into the festive spirit and designed some laser cut ornaments ready for the big day.

Get yourself a set of 15 laser cut ornaments for your tree only £12 for the set.

All sets are made to order with a 7 day turnaround time, ornaments can be collected from the makerspace or posted to you for a small postage fee.

DM us to place your order or contact [email protected]