Multistory
Charity 1116214
Overview
Summary
Multistory appears to operate as a place-based community arts organisation whose core role is to turn local experience into publicly visible cultural work. Rather than primarily providing arts participation as an end in itself, it seems to use commissioned creative practice—especially photography, film and writing—to build representation, conversation and an evolving record of Sandwell. Its charitable objects give this work a broad social purpose, connecting creative education, leisure and public health, while its stated approach suggests that local people are participants in shaping the work rather than only audiences for it.
Operational geography
Coverage: District
Operational areas:
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Remaining uncertainties
- No current evidence was found that Multistory directly delivers services, runs a physical site, or operates a current project within any of the supplied Birmingham wards or the City Centre.
- Multistory has historical Birmingham activity, including a project in Stirchley in 2011–12 and Birmingham elements within the 2008–10 Beyond Bricks programme. This does not establish current Birmingham operations.
- Multistory works with Birmingham-based and Birmingham-named partners, including Birmingham and Black Country Wildlife Trust and Birmingham Opera Company, but the current activities evidenced through these partnerships take place in Sandwell rather than Birmingham.
- The organisation's current artist-development offer reaches artists across the wider Black Country; available evidence does not show whether this produces regular delivery activity at Birmingham venues.
Additional evidence needed
- A current programme, annual report or impact report identifying any 2025–26 or 2026 activities delivered at Birmingham venues, in Birmingham public spaces, or with Birmingham communities.
- Confirmation from Multistory of whether BCN artist-development events, residencies or commissions are currently delivered in Birmingham, rather than only being open to Birmingham-based participants.
- A current list of operational venues or project locations, distinguishing Sandwell delivery sites from any Birmingham sites.
Areas of work
- Arts/culture/heritage/science
Who they help
- The General Public/mankind
How they help
- Other Charitable Activities
- Provides Services
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
Local stories appear to be its main civic infrastructure
The available evidence suggests Multistory uses creative commissions to make everyday local experience visible and shared. Its outputs may function both as artworks and as a public memory of Sandwell.
Why it matters
This distinguishes Multistory from an arts presenter or venue: its value may lie in helping a place recognise, narrate and retain its own experiences.
Show evidence
“Multistory commissions photographers, film-makers and writers to work with local people to tell their stories of everyday life.”
Source:Organisation“We produce photographic work, films, exhibitions, publications, digital stories and archives that speak to Sandwell.”
Source:Organisation
It appears to connect local participation with wider cultural reach
Multistory may act as a bridge between Sandwell residents and national or wider cultural audiences by pairing local people with acclaimed creative practitioners and producing work intended to travel beyond the borough.
Why it matters
This suggests a role in cultural representation: local knowledge is not treated as peripheral, but as material with wider public relevance.
Show evidence
“Multistory commissions acclaimed photographers, film-makers and writers to work with local people.”
Source:Organisation“We produce work that speaks to Sandwell and to the whole country and beyond.”
Source:Organisation
Its charitable purpose frames arts as a social and health resource
The charity's objects indicate that Multistory sees creative media as contributing not only to education and cultural appreciation, but also to recreation, social welfare and public health.
Why it matters
This broad framing may make Multistory a potential partner beyond the arts sector, including for wellbeing, community development and local participation initiatives.
Show evidence
“The charity promotes education in music, drama, media, multimedia and the creative visual arts.”
Source:Charity Commission“The charity promotes and preserves the health of the general public through music, drama, media, multimedia and the creative visual arts.”
Source:Charity Commission
- Which communities in Sandwell participate most, and which are less visible in the organisation's work.
- Whether commissioned work creates sustained relationships, skills, income or wellbeing outcomes for local participants.
- How archives, exhibitions and digital stories are accessed and used by residents, schools or other organisations.
Remaining uncertainties
- Project-level participant, audience and partnership information over time.
- Evaluation or annual-report evidence on social, educational and health-related outcomes.
- Examples of how local people influence commissioning, authorship and long-term stewardship of archives.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
Multistory commissions acclaimed photographers, film-makers and writers to work with local people to tell their stories of everyday life to create art that people want to be part of, see and talk about. We produce photographic work, films, exhibitions, publications, digital stories and archives that speak to Sandwell and to the whole country and beyond.
Charity objects
A. TO PROMOTE EDUCATION IN MUSIC, DRAMA, MEDIA, MULTIMEDIA, THE CREATIVE VISUAL ARTS AND TO PROMOTE THE APPRECIATION OF THE ARTS AND CREATIVE MEDIA AMONGST MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY; B. TO PROVIDE FACILITIES IN THE INTERESTS OF SOCIAL WELFARE FOR RECREATION AND OTHER LEISURE-TIME OCCUPATION WITH THE OBJECT OF IMPROVING THE CONDITIONS OF LIFE FOR THE PERSONS FOR WHOM SUCH FACILITIES ARE PRIMARILY INTENDED; AND C. TO PROMOTE AND PRESERVE THE HEALTH OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC THROUGH MUSIC, DRAMA, MEDIA, MULTIMEDIA AND THE CREATIVE VISUAL ARTS.