A place once known around the world for making cars is welcoming a new kind of creativity. The Allsee Innovation Centre in Longbridge celebrated a successful opening weekend for Birmingham Open Studios, bringing artists, photographers and the local community together in a setting that connects the area’s industrial heritage with its growing cultural life.
Hosted by Allsee, the joint exhibition by Vieunite and the Royal Photographic Society (RPS) Central Region marked its opening with a reception on Saturday 26 September. Guests included Vice Lord-Lieutenant of the West Midlands Simon Topman MBE; the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Zaker Choudhry; and local councillors Anthony Ward and Dr Charlie Latchford, who joined artists, organisers and visitors to explore the exhibition.
Birmingham Open Studios founder Owen de Visser visited on Saturday afternoon and returned for the evening reception, praising the Centre’s first exhibition of this kind. The enthusiastic response offered an encouraging start for a new exhibition venue in Longbridge.
The exhibition combines printed photography by RPS regional members with world-class photographic work presented through Vieunite’s digital canvases, alongside expressive, thought-provoking artwork by Jo Vincent and Beth Alexandra exploring wellbeing, identity, cultural memory and the natural world.
For many local residents, Longbridge’s manufacturing history remains a source of pride, as well as a reminder of the jobs and opportunities lost when car production declined. Opened in April, the Allsee Innovation Centre forms part of the regeneration of the former car plant site, bringing fresh investment, technology and employment to the area. Opening its doors to art and photography adds another dimension to that renewal: a place where people can discover something new, meet creative people and share in Longbridge’s future.
Birmingham has long been a city of makers, with a rich artistic tradition alongside its achievements in engineering and manufacturing. That relationship is captured in the city’s coat of arms, where a blacksmith representing industry stands opposite a female figure holding a book and painter’s palette representing art. In Longbridge, the exhibition gives that historic connection a contemporary setting.
Thomas Fraser-Bacon, Marketing Director at Allsee Technologies and Vieunite, said: “We’ve been delighted by the response to our first Birmingham Open Studios weekend. A huge thank you to the featured artists, our colleagues at RPS and Vieunite, and everyone who came along and made it such a success.
“Longbridge means a great deal to the people who live here, myself included. There’s enormous pride in what this area achieved, and we want to play our part in giving people more to look forward to. Alongside the investment in technology and jobs, it’s important to create opportunities for people to come together and enjoy art and culture. Having been involved in exhibitions and art shows over the past four years, it’s particularly rewarding to do that in our own new home. We’d love to welcome even more people this coming weekend.”
The exhibition reopens on Saturday 3 and Sunday 4 October, 11am–5pm, at the Allsee Innovation Centre, 1 West Works Way, Longbridge Business Park, Birmingham, B31 2JP. Admission is free and no booking is required. Artists Jo Vincent and Beth Alexandra will be present, alongside representatives from RPS and Vieunite.
More information can be found here: https://vieunite.com/news/vieunite-joins-birmingham-open-studios-2026-discover-local-and-international-art/
About Allsee Technologies
Founded in 2007, Allsee Technologies is a leading UK-based manufacturer and end-to-end provider of commercial display and digital signage solutions. With a deep focus on the professional AV market, Allsee combines in-house R&D engineering, manufacturing, and software development to deliver robust, high-performance solutions trusted by global brands and SMEs alike. From indoor and outdoor displays to interactive touch screen kiosks and DV-LED solutions, Allsee offers one of the broadest digital signage portfolios in the industry – backed by expert technical support, installation services, and a commitment to long-term reliability. For more information, visit www.allsee-tech.com
About Vieunite
Vieunite is a UK-based digital art platform and manufacturer of the premium digital canvas, the Textura. Combining texture-accurate display technology with expertly curated art content, Vieunite enables businesses and individuals to enrich their spaces with a wide variety of dynamic artwork. Vieunite Home brings the beauty of gallery-grade art into everyday living spaces, creating an ever-changing visual experience at home. Vieunite Pro allows businesses to enhance ambiance with exquisite artwork, then also convert this audience engagement by delivering promotional and internal communication messages to more receptive viewers. For more information, visit www.vieunite.com