Created in Birmingham

This may be appealing to those of you with a keen interest in games design or development. Gamer Camp begins in November and is backed by several major industry bodies, including Rare, Blitz Games, Sony and Codemasters, to provide exclusive courses which will leave participants fully equipped for a career in the games industry.

Set up as three intensive courses, Nano, Mini and Pro, the camps are staggered in terms of skill level, duration and start date. The first of which is the Nano Camp, running from 3 Novemeber – 3 December, and will provide the skills needed to produce games for the iPhone/ iPod Touch/ iPad.

The closing date for applications on the Nano Camp is 8 October.

Applications for the next set of camps are due to open in 2011, with the Mini starting in March and the Pro in September 2011. Keep an eye on the Gamer Camp website for further information and to apply for a course.

A bit more news in the follow-up of Artsfest, this time on the musical front. Over the weekend BBC Radio 3 recorded two homegrown jazz performances for the Jazz Line Up programme, which was broadcast last weekend, on Sunday 26 September.

Recorded at the Symphony Hall, Birmingham bands led by Ben Markland and Percy Pursglove played at the special edition of Rush Hour Blues. The show is currently still available to listen to on BBC iPlayer.

Take a look at this post on the Birmingham Jazz blog to read a bit more about it.

The folks putting together the We Are Bimingham shop have put out calls for staff, volunteers and suppliers. Here are the important links:

• Work in the shop
• Be a volunteer
• Sell your work there

Get involved, they’re working very hard and doing a very good thing. Or help them out by passing the information on to others or donating some cash.

The next version of the Big City Plan has been announced. Download the plan and, if you see fit, leave a big city comment on the site. There’s a lot more to get your teeth into than there was the last time it was put out for discussion.

There’s a Big City Video too:

A few new exhibitions opened in Digbeth over the weekend, we missed a mention of the launch but luckily they all run until November, so there’s still plenty of time to take a look.

Jennifer Tee: Local Myths at Eastside Projects
Exhibition continues to 6 November 2010

Eastside Projects presents the first UK solo show by Amsterdam-based artist Jennifer Tee, including existing sculptures, and a 3.5 metre tall carved marble column that will be a long-term work in the gallery, eventually to be located in a permanent site in the Eastside area.

AVPD: Hitchcock Hallway at Ikon Eastside
Exhibition continues to 14 November 2010

Ikon Eastside presents Hitchcock Hallway, an installation by Danish artist duo AVPD, whose work typically consists of complex spatial and perceptual experiments that analyse the ways in which people respond to their environments.

Jamie Shovlin: Hiker Meat at Grand Union
Exhibition continues to 13 November 2010

Grand Union is proud to present an exhibition of new work by London-based artist Jamie Shovlin. His latest project Hiker Meat examines the degree to which a film director (or artist) has control over their works’ intended message, exploring the inherent tension within any creative endeavour.

An artist’s talk with Jamie Shovlin will take place on 12 November.

While I’m at it, I may as well give a mention to the other exhibitions which have recently opened at Ikon Brindley Place, Kitagawa Utamaro, Donald Judd and Anthony Goicolea, which are also running until 14 November.

Led by Sampad, Radiu5 is calling for youth volunteers, aged 16 – 24, to take part in a digital mapping project which will celebrate and promote the creative activity of young people within a 5 mile radius of mac.

On 5 October, from 5 – 7pm at mac, Sampad are inviting anyone interested in this project to join them at mac, for an evening containing food, hands-on digital experience, and dance, music and spoken word performances.

Volunteers are welcome to give as much or as little time as they can afford to the project, plus part-time volunteers will receive bus passes and travel expenses.

For more information and to register your interest for the induction event, visit the Sampad website and fill in the form by 30 September.

• We Could Be Heroes Clothing
  “This is We Could Be Heroes Clothing, an independant clothing company set up in the UK.” And this is their blog
• IdeasTap | Forums: CASTING – Actors needed for UK Film Council funded short film.
  “We are currently looking to fill a number of primary roles for a new project, ‘Fifty’, a short film to be made in association with Screen West Midlands as part of the UK Film Council’s Digishorts scheme.” I happen to know they’re after a bus too – can anyone help?
• The Birmingham Press
  I’d not spotted that they have a website
• Birminghamsalon’s Blog
  Audio from Birmingham Salon’s ‘What are libraries for?’ debate is up online
• Twitter / Deluka: On stage at #newtwitter launch party
  Nice…
• Twitter / Mostly Jazz Festival: News News. Mark Ronson AND …
  “News News. Mark Ronson AND Duran Duran in Swordfish Records on Tuesday 28th from 4pm. Head down to meet them!” Sorry for the late notice on this one
• Media Archive for Central England to release The Black Country 1969 DVD on 1st November – Switchboard
  “Media Archive for Central England are preparing to release the first of a number of retail DVDs that will be released in the coming months and years, and our first DVD release is The Black Country 1969″
• Son Of The Public Meeting | We Are Birmingham – The Shop
  Details of the shop emerge – a new logo, potential premises, company directors…
• Popular Music History – So What? – Discussing the political economy of popular music history
  Rob Horrock’s “PhD research scrapbook”. He’s the manager of Einstellung too
• Opportunity for filmmakers to screen their films as part of Hello Digital 2010
  Producers’ Forum have “a space at The Custard Factory Theatre, which seats 100 people on 21st and 22nd October from noon -18:30″. Give them a shout if you want to submit a film or two
• Digbeth is Good » Getgood Link: Art Stalking: 48 Sheet
  Nice vid about the 48 Sheets project with a link to Ana Milgram’s take on it/response
• Sister Tree
  “Established in 1997 by Sharon Jones and Margaret Polack, Sister Tree is a Theatre Production Company which concentrates on leading workshops in all branches of the art”
• Midland Actors Theatre
  “MAT is a leading touring theatre company. We are dedicated to telling stories. Our aim is to take stories, myths and legends from different cultures and traditions, and retell them in new ways”
• Mind Your Language – jon bounds
  Worth bearing in mind – “I’ve worked out over a few years that “private view” means two things: if a show is big and important it means “no entry unless you’re invited”, if a show is small or not that well known it means “please come, there’ll be free wine and nibbles”. It’s developed as art-jargon for some reason, and people who know know and those that don’t don’t. But it does put off people who might otherwise have liked to have attended—and the smaller shows could do with that, in fact they want it.” Now to decide if your show is big and important or if it’s smaller
• Black Country Creative Advantage
  “Black Country Creative Advantage is a 2-year project of the Centre for Art, Design, Research and Experimentation at the University of Wolverhampton and Longhouse/Multistory in West Bromwich”. They have a conference coming up on 9 Oct
• 2011 submissions call : Flatpack Festival
  “Lengthening nights and falling leaves mean it’s time to start cranking up for Flatpack”. Click the link for details on how to send your stuff in
• Birmingham Post – Galaxy radio puts Capital into Birmingham
  “A spokesman for the firm said no jobs would be lost in Birmingham as a result of the rebrand and that breakfast and drive-time shows would be locally made”

Tonight Birmingham International Film Society will be celebrating 50 years of Nigerian Independence with a double bill of Nollywood films.

At 6.15pm Welcome to Nollywood will be screened, followed by a Q&A with special guest, Nollywood actress Chinelo Ndigwe. Then screening at 8pm is Thunderbolt, directed by Tunde Kelani.

Coming up there are more international film treats in the Sept/Oct programme;

Thursday 30 September: The Girl on the Train (Dir. André Téchiné, France) at 6pm / Storm (Dir. Hans-Christian Schmid, Germany) at 8pm.

Monday 4 October: Ivul (Dir. Andrew Kötting, France) at 6pm / A Room and a Half (Dir. Andrey Khrzhanovskiy, Russia) at 8pm.

Birmingham International Film Society screenings are held at Library Theatre. Tickets for all screenings are £3.50/ £2.50 (concessions), and for double bill screenings are £6/ £4 (concessions). Book online and by calling 0121 303 2323

‘An evening of barely organised theatrical chaos!’

The next PILOT Light takes place on 14 October at 7.30pm, The Victoria, and is on the hunt for untested, unpolised and unfinished ideas from theatre artists. This is great chance to meet and share your thoughts with like-minded people, where mistakes are welcomed so long as you bring your passion along too.

It’s an opportunity for theatre artists from the West Midlands to test out 5-10 minutes of work that is right at the beginning of its developmental process in front of a curious, confused and courageous audience. It’s also a chance to find out who else is doing what in the area, and make new creative connections.

If this sounds like your kinda thing, email your proposals to PILOTlight@mail.com by 2 October, with the following information:

Contact/Company Name:
Description of idea (max 200 words):
Length of performance (10 minutes max):
Number and names of all people involved:
Estimate of travel expenses (we have a small budget for travel expenses that will be shared between participants).

Successful applicants will receive email confirmation by 5th October.

The Creative Alliance apprentices are holding an exhibition, Some Utopia, at the Custard Factory from 30 September – 8 October.

The apprentices were given the opportunity to transform a unit in Zellig into a space that expresses their own ideas and interpretations of utopia. With artists all from different creative backgrounds, the exhibition will feature fine art, photography and visual arts.

This is a unique opportunity to see the talents of emerging artists from the work done by Creative Alliance. Opening times for the exhibition are as follows;

30 September: 11am – 3pm
1 October: 8.30am – 2pm
4 – 8 October: 11am – 3pm

As part of this year’s Supersonic festival, Capsule have decided to get the kids involved in exploring experimental music. The Kids Gigs take place on Saturday 23 October at 11am and 2.30pm at mac in Cannon Hill Park.

Aimed at 2 – 7 year olds and their families, these 1 hour workshops will involve performances, offering ‘Big Sounds for Little People’. 

Ever since Schoenberg and Kandinsky became pen pals back in 1907, avant-garde art and experimental music has been attempting to find some common ground.  But, it’s not been easy.  While modern art is a mass phenomenon, experimental music is often derided and ignored by the masses.

With a view to introduce children to experimental music at an early age, the events will feature one-man band from the USA, Dosh, and local circuit-bending fiend Glatze.

Glatze uses customised instruments (including: circuit-bent Furby dolls and kids’ toys) that have been specially rewired to create all sorts of musical wizardry. Dosh a multi-instrumentalist; combines a host of instruments into an exciting and unique live experience.  See firsthand how these unlikely instruments are used to make noise / sound / music, and to have a go yourselves.

Tickets are only £5, and can be booked at www.macarts.co.uk or by calling 0121 446 323

Excuse the fruity language in the poster (what is this, Question Time? Whatever happened to reasoned and intelligent political discourse) but I thought this had an amusingly old-skool vibe to it.  And soundsystems – that’s cultural, that is.

It does raise the prospect of turning the Rotunda into a big speaker stack, though. Urban Splash didn’t think of that did they? Also, police tactics may not yet have evolved to deal with such an approach – how does kettling apply to a building? All food for thought.

Via BiNS.

In case you haven’t heard, last week was London Fashion Week. And while some of us can only dream of attending the glamorous shows, the closest we can get to our fashion fantasies is through various blogs and Twitter updates.

Meanwhile, Birmingham designer Damian Marquez was invited to showcase his S/S11 collection as a part of LABB Magazine’s London Fashion Week showcase event, “Emerge” which took place on Monday at Hoxton Factory.

The collection is made up of playful tailoring, jersey wear and swimwear. Damian, who launched his design career at Costa Rica Fashion week in 2009, hopes that this new collection will follow in the footsteps of his A/W 2010 range which was quickly snapped up by stylists and magazines internationally

The collection was both designed and produced from Damian’s Harborne shop, while those beautifully airy shots from his S/S11 lookbook (above) are also the work of Birmingham photographer Garazi Gardener.

The programme of events for this years Birmingham Book Festival has been announced

Taking place from 5 – 21 October, the festival welcomes writers of all kinds, from journalists to novelists, and hosts a variety of events including workshops, lectures and the Fringe Festival. A few highlights include:

Novelists Jonathan Coe and David Nicholls, who also writes for television will be at the Conservatoire on 7 October at 7.15pm.

Join Jenny Eclair for ‘Chin Up Britain!’ at the Library Theatre on 14 October at 6.45pm, where the comedian and novelist will bring helpful and hilarious tips for austere living.

Award winning journalist Fatima Bhutto will be speaking about Songs of Sweat Blood and Sword, her memoir of growing up in Pakistan’s ruling dynasty, at the Conservatoire on 14 October at 8pm.

Novelist and journalist Lionel Shriver will be at the Conservatoire on 19 October to talk about her latest book So Much For That, at 7.15pm.

The Fringe Festival, in association with Birmingham Libraries, is part of a free wider programme which runs through Autumn. Together the Fringe Lounge will host some of the events during the Birmingham Book Festival.

Taking place at the Conservatoire on 5 October at 7.45pm, the Festival Lecture will ask ‘ What is a City’s Culture’, along with the discussion on Birmingham’s own ‘culture’.

Ikon are also joining in, with a workshop in Hitchcock’s Hallway installation.

You can download the full programme or visit their website for all of the events. Booking can also be done online or by calling 0121 303 2323

Louise Blakeway is another of the artists who exhibited work in the ArtSpace tent at Artsfest.

Consisting mainly of drawings, paintings and prints, her work is largely concerned with natural or found objects, architecture, landscapes and the human figure.