Babylon Gamelan is a series of joyful sound sculptures and interactive installations, taking place at Bedworth Miners’ Welfare Park in Bedworth from 26-28 September 2024. 

 For three days, Bedworth’s Miners’ Welfare Park will come alive with interactive sound installations, partly created in collaboration with local schools and community groups. The experience begins with an art trail designed by local artist Julia Snowdin, followed by a series of interactive sculptures and noise-making machines designed for hands-on exploration.  

 The playful art trail will lead audiences to four interactive sculptures. Three of these are designed by Nuneaton artist Spencer Jenkins in collaboration with local community groups.  

Babylon Gamelan by Rag & Bone, created by artist Dave Young is a fantastical, 4-metre-high art installation was inspired by depictions of the Tower of Babel, rough music and random engineering. It is built from recycled objects and materials including old instruments, used metal, and junkyard treasures. Visitors are encouraged to pull, push, strum and drum to make as much noise as possible!

Produced by Artichoke, Babylon Gamelan is pilot project in partnership with Creative Explorers to gauge the appetite for a regular biennial arts festival by Artichoke that celebrates local industrial heritage and culture.   

Babylon Gamelan’s Community workshops were sponsored by Everyone Active. 

Babylon Gamelan will take place from 26 – 28 September 2024 at the Miners’ Welfare Park, Bedworth, Warwickshire. 

Babylon Gamelan opens from 12:00 – 19:00 each day. 

The Finale Event, ‘Goodbye Babylon Gamelan!’, will take place on Saturday 28 September from 19:00 – 19:30. 

The event is completely free for the public to attend and is not ticketed for entry. 

Follow the art trail and pull, push, strum and drum, and activate sensors to make as much noise as possible!  

We encourage the public to interact with Babylon Gamelan and see what noises they can make. If you touch it, it responds. If you wave, it waves back! It will also mark each hour on the hour with a synchronised display of mechanical joy like a giant clock. 

Join us on Saturday 28 September from 19:00 to 19:30 as Babylon Gamelan takes its final bow with an unforgettable final fanfare.  

This is your chance to say goodbye to Gamelan with a final, playful showcase from the noise-making sculpture.   

Following a live processional performance from the Heavy Beat Brass Band, Babylon Gamelan will illuminate, crackle, pop, and whistle its way into the sunset – culminating in an electrifying, surprise bang! Gather with friends and family and say goodbye to this quirky spectacle of Bedworth’s industrial spirit*.  

*Noise warning for people who may be sensitive to noise. The event will include theatrical smoke effects, bright lights and loud noises. Ear defenders are available from the First Aid Point. 

An accessible viewing area will be available for ‘Goodbye Babylon Gamelan!’, though space is limited. Please follow the signs or ask one of our friendly Volunteers if you need assistance. Our Volunteers can be identified by their light blue Babylon Gamelan t-shirts.  

 Please contact us at Gamelan24@Artichoke.uk.com if you have any questions.  

Yes!  

Visitors are encouraged to touch and play with the installations. This is not your usual sedate art exhibition, and you won’t find any signs saying, ‘please don’t touch’. Instead, visitors will be urged to pull, push, strum and drum to make as much noise as possible. 

Find your way around Babylon Gamelan event at Bedworth Miners’ Welfare Park using this simple map. Navigate through the artworks and locate essential amenities like the First Aid station.

Open the map in a new tab

We would recommend using the three entrances that are closest to Babylon Gamelan. You can enter the park via the following pathways. Please also refer to the Event Map:   

• Entrance 1: Mayors Cafe / Car Park Entrance (corner of Sergeant Simon Valentine Way and Miners Welfare Car Park entrance)  
   

• Entrance 2: Miners Welfare Park Entrance (corner of Coventry Rd and Sergeant Simon Valentine Way, opposite the high street and small roundabout)  
   
• Entrance 3: Entrance to Bedworth Leisure Centre (off Coventry Rd)  

Please note, the park area in front of Bedworth Leisure Centre is closed off due to construction. We do not advise using the Black Bank Road entrance as the normal path has been re-routed, and involves walking through some tree coverage. It is not an accessible route nor is it well-lit in the evenings.   

Babylon Gamelan visitors are strongly encouraged to use public transport to get to the Babylon Gamelan site. Entrances 1 – 3 are walkable from the High Street, bus station and Bedworth train station.  

Limited public parking is available at Miners’ Welfare Car Park until 17:00 on Saturday 28 September 2024. Visitors will need to find alternative parking or use public transport if attending the Finale Event on the evening of Saturday 28 September.  

However, several Blue Badge holders only car parking spaces will be made available at Miners’ Welfare Car Park. Please contact Gamelan24@Artichoke.uk.com if you have any questions.  

There are no public toilets in Miners’ Welfare Park.

For the Finale Event, where we expect a significant gathering, there will be a limited number of public portable toilets available on Saturday 28 September evening from 18:00 – 20:00 only.  

From Thursday 26 – Saturday 28 September 2024, there will be one accessible toilet available upon request. Please note it is not available for general public use. Please ask a Babylon Gamelan volunteer to assist you.   

There will be security on site at all times.  

Babylon Gamelan is outside and open to the elements. Make sure that you are dressed appropriately for the weather.  

Dogs are welcome at Babylon Gamelan, but please be aware that the event will feature bright lights and loud noises from the art installations, which may not be suitable for your pet.  

Please note, your dog must be kept on a lead at all times.  

There will official photography and filming taking place on Friday 27 September and Saturday 28 September, during the Finale Event, for promotional and archival use.  

Please speak to a volunteer if you do not want to be photographed or filmed. 

Babylon Gamelan is accessible to wheelchair users via two entry points (see map above for reference). All three of the main entry points are on a tarmac path, however Entrance 3 (Leisure Centre) is inaccessible to wheelchair users due to steep inclines.  

Please note that, while the routes to the installations are paved and accessible, the art installations themselves are installed on grass. Should the weather be wet and the grounds become muddy, wheelchair users may not be able to get close to the installations.   

Several Blue Badge holders only car parking spaces will be made available at Miners’ Welfare Car Park. Please contact Gamelan24@Artichoke.uk.com about your needs. 

The artworks are made to create a wonderful cacophony of noise. Some people may find the sound overwhelming. We would recommend bringing ear plugs or noise-cancelling headphones if this may be a concern for you.  

Ear defenders will be available to borrow on request from the First Aid Point. Please refer to the Event Map for the location. You can find the exact location via What3Words: ///rainy.gravel.goes.  

Sunflower lanyards will be available on request from the First Aid Point. Our Babylon Gamelan Volunteers and stewards will be aware that the wearer has a hidden disability and may need additional support. 

The Finale Event, on Saturday 28 September from 19:00 – 19:30, will include  theatrical smoke effects, bright lights and loud noises that may not be suitable for individuals with sensory sensitivities.

Please contact us at Gamelan24@Artichoke.uk.com if you have any questions. 

An accessible viewing area will be available for ‘Goodbye Babylon Gamelan!’, though space is limited. Please follow the signs or ask one of our friendly Volunteers (dressed in a light blue Babylon Gamelan t-shirt) if you need assistance. 

An accessible toilet will be available for use next to the First Aid Point for the duration of Babylon Gamelan. Please ask a Babylon Gamelan volunteer to assist you. 

The First Aid Point is referred to on the Event Map. You can find the exact location via What3Words: ///rainy.gravel.goes. 

You are welcome to bring a camping chair to Babylon Gamelan if you need one for accessibility reasons. Please be mindful when setting up your chair and ensure it does not obstruct pathways or block the view of other attendees.  

 Our friendly volunteers will be available on-site to help with any access-related questions or needs. They will be wearing light blue Babylon Gamelan t-shirts.  

We welcome feedback from disabled visitors to assess their experience and gather suggestions for improvements. We use the information to refine the accessibility plans for future exhibitions and projects.  

Please contact Gamelan24@artichoke.uk.com with any feedback. 

There is still time to apply to get involved as part of our Focus Group on Saturday 28 September.

If you’re passionate about the arts and culture in Nuneaton & Bedworth, we encourage you to express your interest by completing the online form below. Enjoy a cuppa with us and share your thoughts about cultural events in the area!

You will receive a voucher as a token of appreciation for your time and contribution.  

The Focus Group will be a small group of 6-8 having a relaxed discussion with a facilitator. All opinions are welcome and no special insight is needed. 

After the session, there will be an optional guided tour of the Babylon Gamelan sound sculptures at Miners’ Welfare Park. 

Location: Bedworth Ex-servicemen’s Club
Date: Saturday, 28 September
Time: 15:00 to 16:30

Sign up to join the Focus Group

Community has been at the heart of this project, with local businesses, community and young people engaging in the project and through the Learning and Participation programme.

Babylon Gamelan has brought together local artists and facilitators, created paid training opportunities for young people, involved local businesses in the art-making process, offered volunteer opportunities and ran a successful participation programme with local schools and community groups, making it truly a collaborative effort. 

More than 350 local people and school children have been involved in the creation of many of the colourful noise-making artworks, which use an array of scrap metals, found materials and recycled objects, and together have highlighted past and present industries from the Nuneaton and Bedworth area.  

Three interactive, sound-making artworks designed by Nuneaton artist Spencer Jenkins were inspired by a series of workshops with local community groups Aspire in Arts (young people aged 11-18 years), Khair in the Community (supports the needs of elders in the Muslim community) and Year 5 pupils from Race Leys Junior. 

The colourful trail pieces designed by Julia Snowdin, were made from recycled cans donated by the community and created by over 300 local people through a series of summer workshops.  

Babylon Gamelan Workshops were sponsored by Everyone Active. 

Materials were donated by MPL Fabrications, and signage was provided by social enterprise Nuneaton Signs. 

Babylon Gamelan is produced by Artichoke as part of Creative Explorers, a cultural programme led by Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council in partnership with Imagineer UK and Warwickshire County Council.  

Thank you to all of our supporters Arts Council England, Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council, Warwickshire County Council, National Lottery Community Fund, The Alan Edward Higgs Charity,  Everyone Active, Nuneaton Signs, MPL Fabrications, and Philip Bates Trust. 

 Babylon Gamelan is dedicated to the memory of George Kessler CBE.  

We’re committed to addressing climate injustice and reducing the environmental impact of our own activities. For Babylon Gamelan, several local groups, including the council and nearby schools, have shown interest in acquiring the art installations from the project.  

If these groups do not take the artworks, the cans will be recycled, and the wood components will be donated to the The JERICHO Wood Shack charity, which Artichoke has previously worked with.  

We will return the event signs used to Nuneaton Signs to recycle. 

We’re committed to addressing climate injustice and reducing the environmental impact of our own activities.

We worked with our artists to minimise landfill waste and operate within the circular economy, which redefines the economy around principles of designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use for as long as possible and using limited to no plastic materials. A majority of the installations are made from recycled materials sourced locally to minimise transport times as much as possible.  

Babylon Gamelan is powered by Lithium batteries. We aim to use mains-powered electricity where possible, and for this event will also make use of solar panels as we continue to explore sustainable power sources for our events. A small generator will be required to recharge batteries which is powered using bio-diesel fuel and will run for short durations at maximum efficiency.  

 After the event, we’ll work with local waste disposal companies to clear the site, recycling as much as possible.  

We will be encouraging audiences to use public transport or walk or cycle to the site, as there will be no parking at the site, excepted for limited accessible parking. Our audiences will be asked to respect the site and not to litter.  

Babylon Gamelan is part of Creative Explorers, a 21-month arts and culture programme for Nuneaton and Bedworth funded by an Arts Council England Place Partnership award and  forms part of NBBC’s long-term strategy for sustainable regeneration in the Borough.