Created in Birmingham

SHOUT Festival, the UK’s leading arts festival celebrating queer culture, have put out a call for short films to be screened during this year’s festivities.

The competition is open to all, irrespective of sexual orientation, should be no longer than 20 mins, and completed in 2009 or later.

While any theme or topic can be chosen, the resulting film must reflect the SHOUT ethos of celebrating and/or exploring Queer culture in all its forms.

All shortlisted films will be screened during the festival, with a winner to be announced during the festival.

SHOUT doesn’t take place until November, and the deadline for this competition 15 July, so you’ve got plenty of time to put something together.

To enter, take a look at the full info and download to entry form.

Last Friday evening saw the launch party of Zellig‘s newest residents, LeKeux Events. The vintage, rockabilly inspired team put on an evening of treats, live music, dancing and discounted beauty services, transforming guests into glamorous vintage style pin ups.

With their new premises officially christened, they’ve announced a list of events, workshops and salon services taking place over the next few weeks, which include beginners hair tutorials, afternoon tea drop ins for mums and toddlers, 40′s dance classes and pin up photo shoots. Their in-store salon offers make-up, manicures and hair styling from a variety of inspiring eras.

Teaming up with the Boutique Baking Co. (very good cakes, I recommend) they’ll also be hosting tea parties and cake decorating classes, plus private hires for hen parties and such.

For a full list of what they’ve got to offer, take a look at their website and facebook page.

Photos from the launch are taken from their Facebook Page – I forgot to bring my camera to take my own.

The Spring Thing is a short festival hosted by Birmingham Book Festival, on 9 & 10 April with workshops, performances and readings going on throughout both days.

There is crime (and cake!) with Sophie Hannah, performance poetry with Nine Arches Press, the Birmingham Poet Laureate and guests, John Hegley, workshops, pigeons, personae, city gardening with the BBC’s Alys Fowler, the launch of David Lodge’s new novel A Man of Parts, new voices in fiction with Tindal Street Press and intriguing audio installation Bodies In The Library.

They’ll also have a Festival Bookshop in the conservatoire from 11am – 3.30pm.

If you fancy some freebies, they seem to be having a bit of a giveaway on their Twitter at the moment, plus they currently have 10% off booking for festival events.

As we prepare to bid farewell to Ikon Eastside ahead of it’s April closure, they’re gearing up for a rather special three night music festival, Rites of Spring, from 7 – 9 April.

Celebrating the venue’s five year contribution to Birmingham’s cultural scene, the festival welcomes headliners Modified Toy Orchestra, Martin Creed and his band and Fyfe Dangerfield, along with the first UK video installation from US band Matmos.

The full line up showcases a collection of folk, pop and electronic musical offerings, from local talent along with further afield artists.

Thursday 7 April
Modified Toy Orchestra
epic45
Shady Bard
Poppy Tibbetts
Friends of the Stars

Friday 8 April
Martin Creed and his band
David Cunningham
Matmos (video set)
Is I Cinema
Arc Vel

Saturday 9 April
Fyfe Dangerfield
Lulu and the Lampshades
Boat to Row
Young Runaways
Timothy Parkes

Tickets are £12 (£10 for students), or for the full festival £30 (£27 for students) and can be booked online or by calling O844 87O OOOO

Flatpack and Fierce have barely begun, but I’ve already been taking a sneak peek of a few of the things they’ve got going on, including Symphony of a Missing Room, the Vintage Mobile Cinema and a trip over to the Dirty End.

Yesterday morning I headed over to Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, for a visit unlike any other. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from Symphony of a Missing Room by Lundahl & Seitl, feeling slightly apprehensive as I was given a pair of wireless headphones, blindfolded and led cautiously around the museum by sounds, voices and a mysterious hand. The whole experience was what I can only describe as dream like, and had me leaving feeling like I’d been awoken from a deep, disorienting sleep.

So far it’s been receiving plenty of rave reviews on Twitter, who all seem to be able to put the experience into words so much better than I can. If you want to check it out for yourself, book via the Fierce website, it’s definitely one to give a go.

Last night also saw the launch of both Flatpack and Fierce, at VIVID, which has been transformed into The Dirty End. Along with live music from Juneau Projects, they had a few tasty treats and cocktails on offer which will apparently be sticking around for most of the festival.

The Vintage Mobile Cinema had it’s first Flatpack outing this afternoon in Victoria Square, where it gathered quite a few admirers. The 22 seater restored mobile cinema, originally toured British factories from 1967, promoting modern production methods. As one of only seven made, this gem is the last standing after being brought back to life to tour the country once again.

With it’s cosy little interior, complete with red cinema seats, it feels rather like a mini Electric. I was also treated to a clip of Buster Keaton’s silent film Sherlock Junior (1924), which is being screening tomorrow night at the Town Hall, accompanied by live organ and piano.

If you fancy hopping aboard, the vintage mobile cinema will be at Handsworth Library on Thursday, Birmingham Markets on Saturday, and Cannon Hill Park on Sunday. Take a look at whats on across the weekend over on the Flatpack site.

I’ll try and update this post with other Flatpack & Fierce adventures, but in the meantime let us know which events you’ve made it to and what should be on our ‘must see’ lists.

On 26 March, Home of Metal are hosting their forth and final open day at The Public, “Think Antiques Roadshow for metal fans”.

Metal fans of all ages are being invited to share their memorabilia and stories with the digital archive , further cementing West Midlands as the birthplace of Metal.

Home of Metal celebrates the music that was created in the West Midlands, its legacy and influence across the world and how the social history of the region was a fundamental ingredient in providing the backdrop against which Heavy Metal was created, defined and reshaped over the past decades.

They’ll have activities going on throughout the day, hosted by Kerrang! Radio DJ Johnny Doom who’ll be talking to former ‘Raw Power’ presenter, Ozzfest compere and all round Metal expert Krusher (he’s the jolly looking chap below).

Artist duo Juneau Project, will also be on hand with family activities including creating your own D.I.Y guitar, plus rock photographer Steve Gerrard will be dishing out advice during his photography masterclass.

The masterclass is limited to 15 places – to guarantee a spot on the day, call The Public on 0121 533 7161.