Creative Upstarts — now open to the public at The New Art Gallery Walsall from 1 August to 16 November — is an unapologetically bold showcase of emerging local talent. As part of this year’s MarkFest Fringe Festival, the exhibition celebrates the energy, ideas and ambitions of a new generation of diverse creatives nurtured through the Creative Upstarts Programme (CUSP).
Developed by Urban Hax and supported by Arts Council England through the Creative Development Fund 3, CUSP is more than an exhibition — it’s a launchpad for potential and a catalyst for fresh thinking in Walsall’s creative community. Bringing together an eclectic mix of disciplines — from art and jewellery to floristry, engineering, stage design and special effects — Creative Upstarts invites visitors to encounter works that defy convention and champion experimentation and risk-taking.
Among the voices shaping this dynamic show is Sauda Motara — an artist, educator and advocate for women in industry. Sauda’s striking piece in the exhibition is a testament to her pioneering approach: merging metalwork and floristry into a powerful expression of alternative engineering. A recent participant in the Higher Level Skills Welding course, Sauda harnessed her newly honed skills to realise her vision — a metal sculpture interwoven with natural floral elements, pushing the boundaries of what engineering and art can be when they come together.
Her work challenges traditional perceptions of welding and heavy industry as masculine domains. “There are a lot of industrious women working in metal for art — this is for them,” Sauda says. “I want to show that women can weld, forge and fabricate, and they can do it in ways that tell new stories.”
Sauda’s journey reflects the very spirit of Creative Upstarts. With a Master’s degree in Museum Studies, she has worked around the world — from curating exhibitions in New Zealand and Newcastle to returning to the Black Country in 2008, where she took on many roles at the Black Country Living Museum: blacksmith, canal boat worker, educator. More recently, she’s brought her passion for heritage and craft into the classroom, inspiring new generations to find power in skills and making.
Through her practice, Sauda is forging a new narrative — one that reimagines engineering as a space for creativity, innovation and inclusion. Her piece is not only a fusion of metal and flora but a symbol of what happens when barriers break down and ideas cross-pollinate.
Creative Upstarts is exactly that kind of space — where untold stories can take root, where new ideas are not only possible but necessary. Together, we are reimagining Walsall as a place where creativity thrives, new voices are heard, and the next generation of cultural change-makers emerges — just like Sauda Motara.
Creative Upstarts runs until 16 November at The New Art Gallery Walsall as part of MarkFest Fringe Festival.