Two weeks ago Ikon Youth Programme (IYP) were given the opportunity to construct Mahtab Hussain’s installation, Mitti Ka Ghar – a scaled replica of a traditional Pakistani clay house.

Edmund Clark in conversation with Jonathan Watkins.

Read more about Mahtab Hussain, the lead artist for the Ikon’s Black Country Voyages 2016, converting Ikon’s canal boat into a vehicle for The Auspicious Journey.

The latest post from Mahtab Mahtab Hussain, The Auspicious Journey.    

The latest post from Mahtab Mahtab Hussain, The Auspicious Journey.

The latest post from Mahtab Mahtab Hussain, The Auspicious Journey.  

Read more about Mahtab Hussain, the lead artist for the Ikon’s Black Country Voyages 2016, converting Ikon’s canal boat into a vehicle for The Auspicious Journey.

Read more about the event which celebrated the start of the plan to re-open the Bradley Locks and allowed non boaters to sign up and join boat owners on their trip.

Jacques Nimki’s final weekend on the boat.

12 artworks by prisoners from HMP Grendon have received the Koestler Trust annual arts awards or commendations. This includes 8 commendations, 1 first-time entrant award (£25 cash prize), 1 Bronze Award (£20 cash prize), 1 Silver Award (£40 cash prize) and 1 Sir Hugh Casson Gold Award (£60 cash prize) for a painted portrait Love and Life (pictured above). Congratulations to the artists!

Art at HMP Grendon was the first exhibition of the prisoners’ artwork supervised by Edmund Clark held at the conference centre of the prison. It was a unique opportunity for the inmates to present their work to a number of invited artists, curators, writers etc.

The Slow Boat were very kindly invited to moor up at the Black Country Living Museum to be part of their Half term Myths and Fables event.

Last month the Slow Boat visited the Bonded Warehouse, Stourbridge for the annual Open Weekend.

The Slow Boat was brought back to Birmingham. Moored up underneath Brewmaster Bridge in Brindley Place, this is the closest event the Slowboat have held to Ikon Gallery.

This weekend the Slow Boat returned to one of their regular locations, Bumblehole Nature Reserve for a number of activities.

In August 2015 the Slow Boat was taken back to Stourbridge, returning to the Red House Glass Cone for a week of workshops.

Since mid August IYP have been running boat trips with Kick Ash; a programme where young people get involved in projects using drama, music, sculpture and loads of other art forms to explore all aspects of smoking and related issues.

For the last two days we have been running boat trips for the retired painting groups at Wednesbury Museum and Art Gallery.

Last weekend, Black Country Voyages made its way to Pelsall North Common in Walsall. It started out as a bright summer day full of painting, drawing and clay making.

This summer for the Bronze Arts Awards, we had the privilege of working with a fantastic group of students at the Winterbourne House and Gardens.

Last month the Slow Boat returned to Netherton to take part in the Bumblehole Family Fun Day. This was a one off event organised by the very welcoming volunteers of the Bumblehole Conservation Group Visitor Centre.

On Saturday Black Country Voyages made a short journey from Brindley Place, Birmingham to Kings Norton Junction to take part in the 2015 festival to celebrate 200 years of the completion of the Birmingham to Worcester Canal.

On Sunday, the boat went to its second year at Brownhills Canal Festival.

Tuesday 26 & Wednesday 27 May at the International Festival of Glass- The Redhouse Glass Cone, Stourbridge