Created in Birmingham

Photo: Hotdogs by Matt Cattell

A few festive bits and bobs happening around Birmingham…

The Frankfurt Christmas Market closes on Friday 23 December, as does the Festive Pop Up Bazaar on New Street.

It’s the BrumNotes/This Is Tmrw Christmas Party at The Victoria tonight. Click the link or ogle the poster below (sidenote: are Lewes Herriot‘s gig posters the best around town at the moment? Answers on a postcard).

Birmingham Hippodrome have Cinderella on until the end of January and has already picked up some really good reviews from the Birmingham Mail and The Stage. I went along to the press night last night (disclosure: that means they gave me free tickets) and liked the lovely horsey best.

In other theatre-based offerings:

• The Rep have The Snowman at the ICC and Sleeping Beauty at the Crescent Theatre.
• Blue Orange Theatre in the Jewellery Quarter are doing A Christmas Carol
• The MAC have The Lost Happy Endings

In fact, Area Guide’s December issue has a Christmas theatre round-up from page 26 onwards. Ah, and Visit Birmingham have a Christmas round-up too.

Film-wise, Kino 10 are showing The Nightmare Before Christmas plus some short films at St Columba Church on Friday 23 Dec and The Electric have a smattering of festive films too.

Town Hall & Symphony Hall have a bundle of events going on:

• Polar (this afternoon)
• The CBSO’s Great Big Choral Christmas
• Christmas Eve Classics
• Boxing Day Gala

Meanwhile, down in that London, Birmingham Royal Ballet are seeing out the year performing The Nutcracker at the O2, which sounds like a pretty big deal to me.

There’s loads of other stuff too, obviously. If you’ve got any other good suggestions then bung them in the comments.

• Autumn Glory reviews « Birmingham Royal Ballet’s tour blog
  This is good – an even-looking spread of reviews from BRB’s recent tour (from both big newspapers and individual tweets) with links through to the source
• Open Studio at Birmingham Printmakers
  “At Birmingham Printmakers we are holding an Open Studio on Saturday 26th November from 10am to 4pm”
• Living Books Wanted! for Fierce Festival 2012
  We are looking for people to take part in a unique performance project that will involve the step-by-step memorisation of an entire book. Don’t worry, you don’t need to be a memory expert and no performance experience is necessary, but you will need a passion for stories and an interest in developing performing skills
• Birmingham’s Theatre-ish Christmas Party – 14 December « mid * point
  “Everyone connected with the wider world of theatre in Birmingham and beyond is invited to share a night together. Cheap bar and dancing…Chill out room and conversation…Cabaret stage and laughter…Basic food and sophisticated company!
  This event is being organised collaboratively. If you wish to contribute, please tell us. If you plan on coming and bringing people, an RSVP would help.” Details via the link
• More detail on the BBC Birmingham losses « D’log
  More details on the losses at BBC Birmingham. I had no idea all those shows are/were made here.
• Television Drama Studio Campaign – Equity
  Equity are campaigning to save BBC Birmingham and establish another large television studio in the region. If you use the form letter you may want to use a spellchecker.
• Arts Council condemned for spending millions on The Public, in West Bromwich
  “The Public is a clear example of a project where the execution did not reflect the original vision.”
• Moseley Record Fair in its Twelfth Edition – Domestic City
  This is from Ross Cotton’s blog
• Fashiny blogger mingle | Fashiny
  Fashiny (a fashion-related tech start-up based at Birmingham Science Park) recently held a get-together for some local fashion bloggers
• Notes from Producer Discussions and Forums during First Bite « mid * point
  I was saying the other day how the West Mids theatre lot seem to have got their online act together recently. I’ve certainly hearing about more about that kind of thing recently.

• An Announcement from Audiences Central – Audiences Central
  “It is with great sadness that the Board of Audiences Central announces that Audiences Central will cease trading on 31 March 2012.” A victim of the cuts
• Anna Mairi; writing for writing.
  Anna is an English Lit student UoB English Lit student, among other things. This is her blog.
• Online survey for bands/musicians/DJs
  “This is a survey to support the conceptualisation of a local music platform. It is a student project of mine within the Music Industries course at BCU”
• Lots Of Things To See And Do In The West Midlands – November 2011
  From Rihanna to the Supreme Show of the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy and everything in between
• The Cult of Quatermass | Sponsume
  AAS are doing the crowdfunding thing
• Jaskirt Dhaliwal’s Blog | photographer and visual artist – still thinking of a good title…
  This is Jaskirt’s blog with, amongst other things, a load of photos from The Event, including Curate Me Out, which may have been recorded. If the video goes up anywhere, please let me know
• Birmingham Printmakers: New work by Jo Ruth and Sue Halstead
  At Number 8 Community Arts Centre from 17 November
• News: Birmingham Opera Company
  “You’re invited to join us and find out more about the company and how to get involved in our next production Life is a Dream which will premiere in Birmingham in 2012.”
• Autumn Glory reviews « Birmingham Royal Ballet’s tour blog
  This is good – an even-looking spread of reviews from BRB’s recent tour (from both big newspapers and individual tweets) with links through to the source
• Open Studio at Birmingham Printmakers
  “At Birmingham Printmakers we are holding an Open Studio on Saturday 26th November from 10am to 4pm”

Ballet in Birmingham is a nice little thing from Birmingham Royal Ballet and Richard Battye. Click the pic for info.

• Birmingham’s flagship garden show to be held in derelict bank
  Sounds pretty cool to me.
• Project Platform Review – Bright Space- Eventbrite
  Project Platform was an interesting thing and here’s an invite to a follow-up discussion. Given some challenging circumstances, ‘how can we build on our successes and improve the relationship between youth and culture in Birmingham’?
• Birmingham City Council insists on £2,000 tea at three-hour meeting
  In April, the Local Government Chronicle did a list of ‘the 50 most influential people in local government’. People asked why there was nobody from Birmingham City Council. Here’s your answer.
• Sarah Ray illustration: Art markets this weekend
  Moseley market and Harborne carnival are both on this weekend. Sarah will be at both
• Dirty Bristow Issue Two: Beast | Dirty Bristow
  “80 pages packed with essays, stories, opinion pieces and artwork on the theme of ‘Beast’”
• Piccadilly Arcade – Part II « Birmingham Conservation Trust
  A look at the ceiling of Piccadilly Arcade
• Birmingham Royal Ballet – Carmina burana rehearsals on Vimeo
  “Céline Gittens and Tyrone Singleton in early studio rehearsals for David Bintley’s ballet, Carmina Burana”
• Fierce Festival Caravan of Artists 2011 – 12 | Fierce Festival
  “These are the artists that will form the core of the festival in Spring 2012. Over a nine month period they will develop their ideas with us, through city walks, discussion and residencies in Birmingham. We will share the process and development of these works over the year, online, through ad-hoc events, words and pictures. We invite you to follow and share that journey.” With pics and vids and everything
• People’s Festival « Active Arts
  “The Castle Vale Active Arts People’s Festival brings together performances, workshops and activities across the area.” 29 June to 9 July
• Museum Network Warwickshire
  “News, useful resources, events, training, joint projects, support and issues will all be here”
• IdeasTap Student Ambassador x 4
  One wanted for Birmingham City University. Could be a good thing to be involved in
• Urban Breakfast
  “Birmingham’s Premium Weekend Breakfast Delivery Service”. Granted, it’s not yer usual CiB thing but it’s a compelling service all the same

Pointe Blank is:

An exhibition of original images inspired by the story of Coppélia. In a first-of-its-kind project for Birmingham Royal Ballet, 27 artists and designers have been invited to produce individual pieces of artwork based upon toymaker Doctor Coppélius, and his attempts to breathe life into his most prized creation

The exhibition has been pulled together by Rob Lindsay at Birmingham Royal Ballet and Claire Hartley.

It features the work of (deep breath…) Ashley O’Brien, Ben Javens, Chris Henley, Christine Hughes, Claire Hartley, Crayonfire, Darren John, Dave Hughes, Gavin Auty, Harriet Grey, The Hidden Dingbat Collective, Ian, Caulkett, Jamie Littler, Jimmy Rogers, Jo Spencer, Katie Parry, Luke Tonge, Mezzetty, Middle Boop, Nathan Monk, Rachel Tighe, Ryan Dean-Corke, Sam Pierpoint, Sarah Ray, Simon Wild, Studio Family and Sweaty Eskimo.

It’s all online so go and have a look. There’s some lovely work there.

It launched tonight for one night only (I was there – that photo stands as slightly blurry proof), although there are plans to exhibit the prints elsewhere and maybe sell them online or something.

It always seems to me that the illustrators around Birmingham are a very talented but criminally underserved bunch. When they get together and do something it tends to be really very good – see also the Not My Type exhibition that we hosted at the CiB shop last year.

Still, a very well done to everyone involved in this.

CiB celebrated it’s fourth Birthday, a stir was caused when a leaked document of recommended cuts to local art organisations sparked concern over their future, and legendary Birmingham promoters, Leftfoot, celebrated their 1oth anniversary.

Birmingham Royal Ballet and mac managed to raise a decent amount of money through The Big Arts Give, while Moseley Folk and OxjamBrum ended the year with a Christmas Ceilidh and Flatpack released a few highlights set for their 2011 festival.

We also featured a few independently made Christmas cards by local designers, took a look at what can be expected from the new Library of Birmingham interior and the much anticipated budget for Birmingham art organisations was announced by Birmingham City Council.

As the year drew to a close, Rhubarb Radio made a plea for help, the 2010 Twitpanto production of Jack and the Beanstalk took place and we took a look at what Birmingham’s creative minds had come up with for the festive season.

Christmas Day television treated us to Birmingham Royal Ballet, with a prime Christmas dinner slot on BBC1, while Birmingham Opera Company also made it onto BBC4 for post dinner relaxation.

April was a busy month by the looks of things. The 4am Project took the opportunity of the fourth day of the fourth month to take an early morning photowalk, there was a look at what could be expected from the MAC reopening, International Dance Festival Birmingham got into gear and all sorts of events popped up in the CiB Shop.

The CiB Shop window was jazzed up with the help of Birmingham Royal Ballet, Art Detection Services set up their workshop in store and Shady Bird popped by to play a set. In other CiB news, CiBmail was launched.

The Rainbow announced their plans for developments and expansion both upstairs and below, we said goodbye to more independent record shops and sampad celebrated their 20th anniversary.

Trove showed some science, we had a nosey at CBSO’s summer programme and some behind the scenes footage from The Electric showed up.

Not My Type brought together “a veritable who’s who of Brum talent” (to quote myself) and, in other illustration-related news, the Love To Print crowd released Patterns #1.

Other things to look back on and go ‘oh yeah, I remember that’ include Such Tweet Sorrow, BAP’s document on Birmingham’s Creative Capital, the Big Culture Blog and a call for “more of the Simon Rattle effect”. Also, In Our Backyard looked interesting and Chris Bates made a video for Munchbreak’s Television:

Merry Christmas from one and all at Created in Birmingham!

To be honest, I’d be surprised if anyone is reading this (and to be even more honest, I wrote this a few days back anyway) but, in case it’s timely, here are a few things on TV that you might be interested in today:

• Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Cinderella, BBC2 at 3pm
• Best of European Opera 2010 (ft Birmingham Opera Company’s Othello), BBC4 at 7pm

Screen WM have done a round-up of the festive stuff they’ve been involved in, including The Brothers McLeod’s The Moon Bird (Christmas Day, 12.40am on Channel 4 – oh, bit late for that, sorry), the new series of Upstairs Downstairs (Boxing Day, 9pm on BBC 1), Toast (30 December, 9pm on BBC 1) and, later on in January, the return of Hustle.

If you’ve got some vouchers burning a hole in your pocket then Soulboy and Nativity are out on DVD.

On the radio side of things, Robin Valk’s Handsworth Evolution will be played on 30 December on BBC WM.

The Big Give helps to boost the amount of money given to other charities. They have double-your-donation challenges once in a while and one of those kicks off today (supported by Arts & Business).

Around Birmingham there are a couple of projects to back:

• The MAC are looking for just over £15m to cover building costs
• Birmingham Royal Ballet are after £800,000 for their staging of Cinderella

Actually, neither of these are very clear. Cinderella opened a few days back and is on until 12 December. The MAC seem to be after twice as much as The Big Give made as a whole last year, although you can’t fault the ambition.

Just to widen the net a little to the rest of the West Mids, Ironbridge, The Courtyard and Pentabus all have appeals. Of those with a national focus, Dance Umbrella and The Campaign for Drawing are looking for donations.

UPDATE

The MAC’s own website says they’re after £6k, not £15m.

Stuart Griffiths, Chief Executive at Birmingham Hippodrome, has blogged revealing what we can expect from their new season of dance.

As the climax of Birmingham Royal Ballet‘s 20th Anniversary celebrations, David Bintley’s brand new production of the classic fairytale, Cinderella, has been presented as a gift to the city. You can catch it from 24 Nov – 12 Dec (and follow the Creating Cinderella blog in the meantime), but before then there’s plenty to keep you entertained. A few of the highlights include:

• Birmingham Royal Ballet: Points of View 22 – 25 Sept
• Birmingham Royal Ballet: Romeo & Juliet 28 Sept – 2 Oct
• Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: Revelations 5 & 6 Oct
• Fresh from the West End is Blaze – The Streetdance Sensation 7 – 9 Oct

Matthew Bourne will be bringing his latest production north of London for the first time, plus the Welsh National Opera are offering a selection of new operas and revivals.

On the musical front, several favorites will be back by popular demand, with new productions of including Hairspray and Chess. Bringing 2010 to a close, Joan Collins tops the bill at this years pantomime, along with Julian Clary, Nigel Havers, Keith Harris and Orville, and Jeffrey Holland in a spectacular production of Dick Whittington.

For full listings take a look at the Hippodrome’s website along with Stuart’s full blog post.

Artsfest, the annual free arts festival is on 10-12 September this year, so not long now.

Most of the details are yet to escape but there’s a few bits and bobs to be found. The general theme will be ‘Landscape and Heritage’ and the latest copy of Forward has some info about some of the bigger items:

• Folk Dance Fest – Birmingham Royal Ballet will be going for a ballet dancing world record as part of their 20th anniversary celebrations
• Classical Fantasia – CBSO doing their thing (populist classical music and film scores, I’ll wager)
• The Land of Fairytales – street theatre happenings from the Hippodrome
• Kerrangfest – with The Twang, The Young Guns and Elliot Minor confirmed so far

Rob Lindsay at Birmingham Royal Ballet has been slaving away over a blog charting the development of Cinderella, David Bintley’s new full-length narrative ballet.

I’m a big fan of the pieces to camera that David has been using to document his past few productions, this takes things a little further and draws out some of the process of putting together a ballet – the sort of thing that you wouldn’t ordinarily see. I like.

• The Photo Blog – Birmingham Royal Ballet – dancing for Checkum!
  “One of our most demanding Checkum shoots to date took place on location at the Birmingham Hippodrome. In one day we photographed four male and one female artist from the world-famous Birmingham Royal Ballet” Dancers wearing no clothes – don’t say you weren’t warned – and all in a good cause
• I am The Raspberry | Get in my brains!
  How well are Birmingham’s bars suited for wheelchair access? Here’s a review
• Maddy Dickerson
  This is Maddy Dickerson’s blog
• Finger2Finger
  This is Maddy Dickerson’s too – company/label/somethingorother
• ‘How I got the Jam House out of a jam’ – nightclub boss THEBUSINESSDESK.COM
  Jon Bunce at the Jam House talking about the city’s bars
• Juice for the Arts « Stan’s Cafe Theatre Company
  “Here is the plan”
• The Basement: Nail in the Coffin « More Canals than Venice
  That was that then. “Unfortunately nearly 12 months on The Basement Bar is closing due to the landlord raising their rent to astronomical proportions (BOOOO!)”
• The Tiny Cuts in Your Skin, They Let a Little Fresh Air In. «
  “Poster for the Birmingham Zine Festival later in the year. Should be righteous.”
• YouTube – Made in Birmingham
  Clever little vid
• Culture department braces itself for redundancies of up to 50%
  The first article on the subject that actually made me feel slightly queasy
• CMYKern » Blog Archive » Eastside Projects Kecha Pucha
  “this weeks “Extra Special People” talk is based around the Kecha Pucha format with ESP members, staff and directors at Eastside Projects all giving quick fire presentations”
• Maria Rankin
  “Maria’s continually evolving photographic and creative practice involves digital / retro analogue photography and filmmaking”
• CMYKern » Blog Archive » Meisai
  “Got given this wonderful little zine by Lee Basford (Meisai) that was a part of one of his exhibitions”. From whence I discovered…
• Meisai
  Fluid’s Lee Basford has a blog and it’s filled with prettiness
• REINVENTING THE LIBRARY | More Intelligent Life
  Interview with LoB’s architect, Francine Houben

In honour of the fact that Birmingham didn’t tick as many arbitrary boxes as another city in some popularity contest or other (but srsly – congratulations Derry/Londonderry), here’s a picture to lift the spirits:

Now that’s culture.

(Via @Robintheoffice)