In 2023, BCVA director and artist Anand Chhabra was invited to attend the Dudley Mayor’s Ball after being nominated by members of the public for the Cedric Hardwicke Award for Arts. The evening brought together artists, performers and community representatives from across the borough for a celebration of culture and civic life.
The event itself was full of entertainment and atmosphere, with music, performances and plenty of celebratory energy. A highlight of the evening was a lively tribute performance by a local Elvis impersonator, adding a memorable touch to the occasion.
For Anand, it was also a personal milestone — attending his first ever black-tie event. With several well-known local figures nominated for the award, including community champion Billy Spakeman, he did not expect to win. It therefore came as a genuine surprise when the public vote was announced and Anand was named the recipient of the Cedric Hardwicke Arts Award for 2023.
The nomination recognised a number of community-focused arts projects delivered through BCVA. These included workshops developed with Dudley College, the Heroes of the High Street project, and collaborative work with the Black Country Living Museum exploring the experiences of Punjabi workers in the region through the project Forging Ahead.
The work culminated in an exhibition presented at Dudley Archives, attracting significant interest from the local community. The exhibition launch, held at the Black Country Living Museum, welcomed close to 300 members of the Punjabi community, reflecting the strong connection between the project and the people whose histories it documented.
Through collaboration with Historic England, the project also created opportunities for local photographers to exhibit their work, with selected pieces included in a national touring exhibition.
The award was a wonderful recognition of the collective work carried out with communities, partners and participants. BCVA would like to thank everyone who supported the projects and those who nominated Anand for the award.
BCVA director pictured (top) with the Cedric Hardwicke Award for the Arts at the Mayors Ball 2023. Below with Phil Brooks Photography lecturer at reception at The Copthorne Hotel Dudley.