Black Country closure of Round Oak Steel Works, giving it one of the worst unemployment rates of any town in Britain. The Merry Hill development between 1985 and 1990 managed to reduce the local area's unemployment dramatically, however. The Black Country Living Museum in Dudley recreates life in the Black Country in the early 20th century, and is a popular tourist attraction. On 17 February 2012 the museum's collection in its entirety was awarded Designation by Arts Council England (ACE). Designation is a mark of distinction that celebrates unique collections of national and international importance. The four metropolitan boroughs of the Black
The Living Art Museum space each year, Nýló also promotes artistic expressions in various forms such as [[performance art|performance]], screenings, school visits and workshops to increase program variability. In this way, the museum promotes a critical approach to visual art, while opting to question and reflect on its own current direction and activities at all times. The Living Art Museum does not represent individual artists, but throughout the years has been indisputably important to promoting artists within a nurturing, supportive and non-hierarchical relationship. Nýló is a small institution with an inherent flexibility, which allows the museum to constantly reconsider and revise existing ideas and