On 27 November, Birmingham Printmakers are opening their studio doors from 10am – 4pm. They’ll be selling original prints, cards, books and gift wrapping.
Archive for November, 2010
In recent weeks our prize giveaways have been living on CiBmail, our weekly arts and culture email round-up, but today we’re treating the blog to some competition action.
We’ve got a pair of tickets to see acclaimed comic and Fringe favourite Paul Sinha at Town Hall on Tuesday 23rd November up for grabs.
Here’s a little more about Paul:
Paul Sinha has spent much of the previous decade garnering rave reviews for his self-deprecating tales of his life as a GP, lovelorn gay bachelor, quiz fanatic and social coward. This year, he doesn’t want to discuss turning forty, because he has bigger fish to fry. A racist called him a racist. Paul would like to fight back.
And if that hasn’t tempted you, here’s a selection of glowing reviews from his recent Edinburgh Festival show and more:
‘Superbly crafted and erudite stand-up… highly recommended.’ ***** Scotsgay
‘This is one of the best written shows in Edinburgh right now.’ ***** The Skinny
‘Mesmerising… entertaining and thought provoking’ **** The Scotsman
‘Alluring mix of quick wit, self-deprecation and fierce intelligence’ **** Fest
‘Impressive… a breathless polemic relieved by sharp jokes.’ **** Chortle
‘Intelligent and bitingly radical… genuinely funny… enjoyable and uplifting.’ **** Broadway Baby
‘Fast-paced, surprising twists and laugh-out-loud punchlines’ **** Hairline
‘Paul Sinha is a star.’ **** Edinburghisfunny
‘A triumph…explosive punchlines and laser guided political asides.’ Independent On Sunday
‘Reassuringly intelligent and very funny’ Observer
To win, all you have to do is leave a comment on this post with your name and we’ll pick one winner at random at 12noon tomorrow.
Good luck!
Continuum is an evening of experimental full dome, 360-degree, dance and visual arts based work taking place this evening at Thinktank Planetarium, Millennium Point.
Continuum is a meditation on notions of beauty, perfection and difference. The focus is the human body, physically and digitally modified and transformed.
Developed during residencies with the Medical Research Council, Virology Unit; Allenheads Contemporary Arts and Dance City, the evening will also host a screening of Written on the Body and Dance360, groundbreaking fulldome pieces created with local artists.
Tickets are £3, and doors open at 6.30pm, for a prompt 7pm start. For more info and a preview video, visit Thinktank’s website.
This weekend Birmingham Opera Company will be presenting Stravinsky’s The Wedding at A E Harris. The experimental performance will last half an hour, as audiences are drawn around the space, with no formal seating and performance area.
The Wedding is a screaming, shrieking, flat out masterpiece with its rhythmic drive and unique sound world – 4 virtuoso pianists on grand pianos, a dazzling array of percussion, 4 soloists and a chorus. Written as a ballet in 1923 for Diaghilev’s Ballet Russes, Stravinsky drew on Russian traditions to conjure up a vivid and intense depiction of the old ways, and the not so old!
Performances take place on Friday 19th November 8.30pm / Saturday 20th November 7.30pm & 9pm / Sunday 21st November 4pm & 5.30pm.
Tickets are £7.50 (£5 concessions) and can be booked through The Ticket Sellers on 0844 870 0000
BXL are organising a Christmas Spectacular at The Square, behind Oasis Market in Birmingham center, on Saturday 4 December from 12am – 4pm.
They’re looking for designer makers to join the current rundown of activities and attractions lined up for the day, including choirs, face painters, storytellers and reindeer. Stallholders will be given an opportunity to sell their goods at no charge to themselves, in a perfect location to catch festive shoppers.
To take advantage of the Christmas Spectacular, contact Chris Bishop on 07919 887 122
Last year I announced Jobplot as a new creative jobs board for the West Midlands. The site’s now been rethought and redesigned. It now has:
- Talent profiles – if you’re a freelancer or run a company working in the creative sector (arts/culture/architecture/film/design/new media) then get yourself a free profile so people can find you and maybe even give you some work
- Jobs board – self-explanatory
- Opportunities board – where you can find/post info on training programmes, funding, tenders, volunteering and the like
We launched quietly last week but already have (in no particular order) Women in Theatre, Meshed Media, Fullrange, Bright Space, Talis, Tomorrow People, Stickee, Dice Productions, Substrakt, Ryan DC, The Space Studio, Radio To Go, Ryan Killeen, Pikx Imaging, Created in Birmingham, Talk About Local, Adhere, Supercool, IE, Punch, Timelapse Movie Company, Creative Alliance and Marieanne Delaney.
Some of those are currently hiring.
What’s the idea?
When we set up Jobplot originally it was because we wanted to connect good people with good jobs. We’ve since set our sights a little higher.
For example, I can’t find a decent list of local illustrators anywhere. Or scriptwriters. Or sculptors, photographers or web designers. If I want to find someone then I have to either ask around or head for Google. Neither’s ideal and I’ve heard plenty of stories about companies working with others outside the region simply because they couldn’t find anyone closer to home.
Then there are the opportunities for funding and training, the tenders for work and all the other things that get circulated around certain email lists and message boards but go no further. Often the agencies and organisations would love for more people to hear about what they’re offering – people are just too hard to reach.
The idea is for Jobplot to try and solve a few of those problems.
It won’t be yet another directory though. We’ll make sure of that. To some extent we’re taking a leaf out of the books of Wired Sussex, Bristol Media and Manchester Digital, but we’re not copying them exactly.
Other things
Jobplot’s still being developed. We’ve got a to-do list as long as yer arm and a slate of things planned for Phase 2 (being launched in the new year). We’re keen to hear about any improvements that need to be made, so if you come across anything then please let us know.
In the long run, the idea is for Jobplot to sustain itself – ie, make a bit of money. In the new year we’ll have premium (paid) profiles which will come with a range of benefits. More on those nearer the time (but basic profiles will always be free).
Jobplot was originally set up by Meshed Media and Substrakt. Creative Alliance are now on board too, which makes it a nice example of an arts organisation working with private companies on a commercial project (not a bad idea given current circumstances).
I’ve put a bit more info about Jobplot on the Meshed Media blog in case you’re interested.
In conclusion
Bloomfield—five feet four, with a compact build and a pugnacious chin—is the food world’s oblivious savant. Her single-mindedness in the kitchen has propelled her from Birmingham, England, where she grew up on a diet of fried-egg sandwiches and steaks “that would come out a little gray,” to the apex of New York City’s restaurant scene, where she is renowned for her brawny menus, teeming with trotters and terrines
A great article in the New Yorker about The Spotted Pig, which was New York’s first gastropub. April has Michelin stars, swears like a trooper and tells Kobe Bryant a thing or two.
This new collection of work by Birmingham based artist Louis Sidoli, inspired by Andy Warhol, has taken the mugshots of twelve of the most notorious and iconic bad boys from popular culture.
The collection includes the likes of rock legends Mick Jagger and Kurt Kobain, Hollywood stars Frank Sinatra and Al Picino, plus gangster Al Capone.
A homage to 1960′s silkscreen portraits, Sidoli call the collection as “…a bit like Andy Warhol on steroids”.
Decide for yourself, ‘Most Wanted’ can be seen over on Washington Green’s site.
The Crafty Muthas are holding a Christmas craft fair on 20 November at St. Mary’s Church Hall, Bearwood from 10am – 4pm.
Together with other local artisans, bakers, designers and makers, they’ll be selling their handmade gifts and unique pieces ready for the festive season. Take a look at the Crafty Muthas blog to get an idea of the treats they’ll have on offer.
Along with that, the Crafty Muthas hold a monthly get together every 3rd Thursday at The Bear Tavern from 8pm.
So if you like their style and fancy hanging out over a drink, slice of cake and some bunting, check out The Bearwood Tapestry. Their next meeting is this Thursday, 18 November – “Be there or be a Granny square!”
Painter Carolyn Blake‘s latest exhibition Sense of Place/ Sense of Space is currently on display at Cornwall Street Chambers until 25 February 2011.
Curated by Jessica Farnham, the exhibition looks for new ways of rendering the everyday experience, from time spent traveling to work to working in the garden or sightseeing; each situation is imagined according to the artist’s own vision.
This booklet/ poster has also been produced to accompany the exhibition, which is an interesting read…
Wolverhampton based director Mark Jeavons will be premiering his latest feature film, ‘Whatever Happened to Pete Blaggit,’ at the Light House on 16 November at 7pm.
The film, starring local talent Rob Leetham alongside ex-Coronation Street star Adam Rickitt, is a surreal comedy about an angry wedding videographer disillusioned with life. Just when Pete thinks that his life can’t get any worse everything is turned upside down when he is abducted by aliens.
A Q&A session with the director will follow the screening, to attend email info@lighthouse.co.uk or call 01902 716055
Take a look at the trailer on Youtube.
On 20 November mac and The New Black, supported by Punch, will be hosting a screening of A Slice of Fela, based on the life and music of legendary Afrobeat musician and social political icon Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.
The screening is part of the 50th anniversary of Nigerian independence, and will feature excerpts from various documentaries and recorded concerts.
A Q&A panel will follow the screening, with Rikki Stein, Fela’s long-time manager, artist Lemi Ghariokwu, who designed Fela’s album sleeves, former editor of Black Music and Jazz Chris May and personal friend of Fela, JK, will share their memories of the man and his music.
The celebrations start at 4.30pm, with a DJ in Bridges Café Bar from 6pm after the screening.
To book your tickets, call mac on 0121 446 3232 or via the website.
Light House‘s animator is residence, Drew Roper, has received the audience award in the humour category at The Animatron Babelgum Animation Film Festival – the world’s first online and mobile competition for Animation and Anime.
Take a look at his winning animation ‘The History of Denim’, created to retell the origin of denim for designer LUKE, which originated from the West Midlands.
THE HISTORY OF DENIM – LUKE 1977 from Drew Roper on Vimeo.
Well done to Birmingham based architectural photographer Tim Cornbill, aka Polyester Powder Coated. He’s been shortlisted in CABE‘s Areas of Outstanding Urban Beauty competition with this photograph of Gas St. Basin.
After exhibiting his photography at Hereford Photography Festival in 2004, Wang Qingsong has been invited back for the first UK screening of his video work. TROVE will be presenting his two films, 123456 Cuts and Ironman.
123456 Cuts and Ironman show remarkable restraint in terms of cast and scale of production. They demonstrate the more personal, more bodily, effects of excess: the bloody deconstruction of living flesh into meat and pulp.
The preview is on tonight (12 November) at 6-8pm, and is open 13 November at 6-8pm at TROVE Newhall Square, 144 Newhall Street.
