Light House Media Centre facts for kids

Light House Media Centre, often called Light House, is a special place in Wolverhampton. It's like a cool community hub where you can watch movies, see amazing art, and learn all about media. Light House is located inside an old, historic building that used to be the Chubb Locks Factory in the city centre.

Light House is a non-profit organisation. This means it doesn't try to make money for owners. Instead, it's supported by different groups that care about media and arts. Some of its main supporters include Arts Council West Midlands, Wolverhampton City Council, and the University of Wolverhampton. They also get help from The National Lottery through the UK Film Council to teach people about media.

History of Light House

Light House officially opened its doors on March 16, 1987. The Mayor of Wolverhampton, Councillor Bishan Dass, was there for the big day. However, activities at Light House actually started a bit earlier, in August 1986, when it was first created.

Back then, Light House shared a building with Wolverhampton's Central Art Gallery. It was a small team with only three staff members. It was a joint project between Wolverhampton Council and Wolverhampton Polytechnic (which is now the University of Wolverhampton). In those early days, you could find courses on making videos, special showings of science fiction films, and even an exhibition about India's freedom.

Today, Light House has grown a lot! It's now an independent company and has its own bigger building. It employs 10 full-time staff members, plus a small team of part-time staff and volunteers. They still offer many of the same great things, like production courses, new art exhibitions, films, and educational activities. They also host two major festivals each year and help support creative businesses in the area.

Cinema and Art Gallery

Light House is home to both a cinema and an art gallery, offering different ways to enjoy creative works.

The Cinema Screens

Light House has two cinema screens. They show a mix of films, including new movies, older classics, and independent films. You can also catch short films and documentaries. While they do show some popular mainstream movies, they focus more on unique and independent cinema.

The cinema also hosts various film festivals, like the popular Flip Animation Festival. They often have special film education events too. If you're looking for a place to host your own event, you can even rent out their screens for private parties, educational sessions, or charity fundraisers.

The Art Galleries

Light House features two main art galleries where you can explore different types of photography.

The main gallery usually shows powerful documentary photography. This kind of photography often tells a story or explores important social topics. The balcony gallery, on the other hand, is a great place to see work from new and upcoming photographers. It's a chance for them to show their amazing talent.

Light House as a Media Hub

Light House calls itself a 'media hub' for Wolverhampton and the wider West Midlands area. This means it's a central place where people can learn and create different types of media.

They offer many courses and workshops. You can learn about things like video production, animation, and other forms of multimedia. They share their media knowledge through hands-on workshops, personal advice, and special training courses. These are open to everyone, whether you're a professional, a student, or just someone interested in learning something new.

Light House also has its own company that has been making films since 1988. They've created short films, documentaries, and animated movies. They even work with schools to help students make their own films. For example, they recently helped Redhill School in Stourbridge create a film called ‘'Shadow Play'’, which was shown at the London Short Film Festival!

Lock Works Cafe Bar

The Lock Works cafe bar is part of Light House. It's designed to be a "family friendly environment" where you can relax away from the busy city centre.

Besides being a cafe, Lock Works also hosts small, informal art exhibitions. Artists can display their work in special cases here. It also acts as a third, smaller gallery space. This gallery is often used for smaller or very specific photography exhibitions.

FLIP Animation Festival

FLIP is an exciting animation festival that is mostly hosted by Light House. It brings together many talented animators and has attracted support from big names in the industry. Some of its high-profile supporters include BAFTA, UK Film Council, Channel 4, and the BBC Big Screen. It's a fantastic event for anyone who loves animation!

Deaffest Film Festival

Deaffest is a very special film and television festival. It's the only one in the UK that is led by deaf people. Deaffest celebrates the amazing talents of deaf filmmakers and media artists from all over the world. It's a wonderful way to showcase their creativity and unique perspectives.