MLA

West Midlands

Potteries Museum Stoke on TrentThe West Midlands region is situated in the heart of England and includes the major urban centres of Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Coventry. It has a population of 5.27 million (9% of the UK total), 11.3% of whom come from ethnic minorities. Over half the regional population lives in the large conurbations, while over 2 million reside in the region's rural counties, which cover three-quarters of the region's area.

Manufacturing remains an important element in the economy and as the centre of the country's road and rail network the region is a major exporter of goods and services, accounting for approximately 8% of the national total by value.

  • There are 214 museums in the region attracting over 4 million visits a year.
  • 14 local authorities run 307 static and 51 mobile libraries employing 4,000 staff and receiving 32 million visits per year. Over 50% of the region's population are library members.
  • There are 24 archives in the region employing some 532 staff and attendance at archives in the West Midlands is the highest of any English region.

Staffordshire Hoard campaign

A host of prominent public figures are supporting the campaign, launched today by The Art Fund charity, to raise the £3.3m needed

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Staffordshire village's new £1.1m library

The new library's services now include activities for all ages, free computer and internet access and meeting rooms available...

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Jaguar Land Rover Awards

The MLA Arts & Business Museums, Libraries and Archives Award will celebrate and showcase the best examples of business

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MLA supports adult learning

Worthy winners of MLA West Midlands award are honoured at ceremony.

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£193m Birmingham library

MLA Chief Executive Roy Clare has hailed plans for a new central library in Birmingham as "a flagship among libraries serving the

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Work starts on West Midlands 'Lotto' library

£2.2m library building will be funded by Wolverhampton City Council and the Big Lottery Fund.

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Library is 'the greenest building in Stoke'

Stoke Local Service Centre, which includes a library, one-stop shop and training and conference facilities, has doubled visitor

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Unique landmark library planned in Worcester

The £60m joint project between Worcestershire County Council and the University of Worcester is believed to be the first of its...

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BMAG showcases Muslim cultures

Exhibitions and events at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery leads to new relationships with diverse communities in the West

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New Black Country standards

The Black Country Libraries Partnership has developed a new set of standards to ensure families receive a warm welcome and...

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Sandwell libraries go local

Developing a new management process has seen Sandwell libraries engage with all of their local community, whatever their ethnic

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Wolverhampton’s Sensing Sculpture Gallery

A gallery enabling people to experience art using senses other than sight has been welcomed by blind and partially sighted...

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Walsall libraries regenerate

Residents, local organisations and businesses take an active role in the modernisation of the new Bentley library

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Latest News

Defence of Renaissance must be forward looking

"I am optimistic that that we are winning the argument for sustained Renaissance funding, because we can point to museum services that have used the cash to become more outgoing - forming partnerships, spreading new ideas, and exciting the public –and we can therefore legitimately promise to do more with less.” Continue reading

  • Related links

  • contact us west mids

    Details to find out more about the region and to contact the MLA field team for the West Midlands

  • entrepreneurial museum

    A major research project for looking at options for museums to develop new revenue streams.

  • regional plans

    Four agencies that report to DCMS (the MLA, Sport England, English Heritage and Arts Council) work together at a regional level to produce shared strategies for culture and sport.

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Sector Statistics

Museums, libraries and archives website use statistics graphicVolunteering Numbers statisticsNo. of Public Libraries in England (2008-09)Stats widget