Buzzing Black Country Business Festival continues

Corin Crane, chief executive of the Black Country Chamber of Commerce, which had the idea of staging the fortnight-long business showcase, said: "It's been amazing, absolutely brilliant. The feedback we are getting from businesses and sponsors has been second to none.

"We are only half way through but there is a genuine buzz around the business community, from people wanting to engage with the festival. A lot of people are desperate to get involved next year."

The festival, which runs to May 4, is the first of a confirmed three-year run of events, with the hope of continuing beyond that.

"We have a lot of events this week and there are still tickets available so we want people to sign up as quick as they can. There is a great diversity of events, which means there is something for everyone every day.

"We are trying to establish this as a national business festival and we are already getting a lot of interest from outside the area," said Mr Crane, who was last night attending a skills summit in The Hub at Walsall College addressing the challenges Black Country businesses face in finding suitably qualified staff.

Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton hosted a Federation of Small Businesses conference offering advice on staying in business.

Black Country business owners were also able to find out how art can enhance their operation at an event in Darlaston yesterday.

The Old Bank Business Centre in Church Street yesterday played host to Birmingham-based Okk Arts who presented A Goldfish with Shark Fin.

Okk Arts director Jaanika Okk said the aim of the event was to explain the benefits of having art featured in office spaces, including creating a good working environment, and showcase some local artists

Work by artists from across the region was featured including Birmingham painters Paul Hirst, Antonio Roberts and Peter Allen.

Jaanika, a trained print maker, said the Okk Arts, which has been going for two years and is located in the Jewellery Quarter was able to help firms find the kind of art they wanted and purchase it.

"There is so much talent here in Birmingham and the Black Country and we are a link between the artists and business," she explained.

"We were getting the message over that good art is affordable and we are here to find that good art for our clients."

The newly-opened business centre, which offers a range of meetings rooms and training facilities will be hosting two more festival events. Today sees Minerva Growth present a two-hour session exploring how hypnosis can help achieve the right mindset to grow a business and sales an marketing strategies to assist that.

On Friday AJ Vehicle Solutions will lead a session at 11am on how businesses can make the switch to electric vehicles.

Tonight the Light House Media Centre in Wolverhampton hosts an event focusing on the role of the creative industries in shaping the Black Country.

Tomorrow's events include SWEDA (Skills, Work and Enterprise Development Agency) hosting a Be Your Own Boss seminar at its business centre in Church Street, West Bromwich, from 10am to 2pm.

The guest speaker is Dawn Davis-Lawrence and the event includes networking and a lunch.

The Black Country Business Festival has its own afternoon race meeting at Wolverhampton Racecourse from 11.50am tomorrow. Seven races will be staged during the meeting.

Tickets can still be booked for many of the remaining events from www.bcbf.ticketleap.com