Ikon‘s Autumn Almanac, from 17-20 November will be:
a four-day celebration of Birmingham’s creative life showcasing the city’s artists, filmmakers and musicians. Ikon’s gallery spaces will exclusively exhibit works created in Birmingham, also hosting some of our best-known music festivals and organisations in a programme of live performances
The list of people involved includes Oliver Beer, Stephen Earl Rogers (below is a painting from his What To Do In An Emergency series of paintings), 7 Inch Cinema, Moseley Folk Festival (presenting Treetop Flyers), Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, Capsule and others. There’s a PDF press release with more info here.
Growing Our Own Producers « mid * point
I can’t remember whether I’ve already linked to this or not. Either way: “During the First Bite Festival on Saturday 24th September, there will be a series of events that explore these questions, and offer opportunities for you to expand your network of Artist and Producer contacts and potentially shape a new West Midlands Producers Network”
Wolverhampton Art Map
There’s no info on the site about who or what this is but a bit of Google action reveals this: “Project Dandelion is the BSF Public Art programme for the City of Wolverhampton”. So there you am. Watch that space, I guess. I know you won’t.
Capsule are currently putting together a zine about all things Supersonic and we’re looking for illustrators to contribute. If you’re interested, please contact admin@capsule.org.uk by 16th August and we can send you more details.
Earlier in the day (in fact from 12pm to 7pm) head over to Lombard Street in Digbeth for PST’s street party. This here flyer says there’s going to be food, live art and heavy bass. And face painting.
Capsule have got an event at Kings Heath’s Hare and Hounds on Saturday night called Wedlock. Dunno what that’s a reference to but I like the pretty picture.
There’s loads of other stuff happening too. Have a look at Live Brum for listings.
Paul Hamlyn Award for Capsule « We Are Eastside | Birmingham
Capsule have had £60k from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation. “The award will be used toward capacity and organisational development in particular the successful delivery of forthcoming projects Home of Metal and Supersonic 2011, and the development of a five year plan”
collaborationx2011
“The aim of Collaboration X is to create a collection of music that will go on to be sold at online music stores, iTunes, eMusic, Napster, Amazon, and more. This will be produced by six musicians who have never met before and will only meet once the collaboration has ended. The whole production process will take place over the internet on kompoz.com. All proceeds will be donated to Sound It Out Community Music”
Creative fund supports Birmingham arts firm
Artbrand Publishing (who supply retailers with prints, paintings, etc) have received £150,000 investment from the Creative Advantage Fund
Media Trust’s Youth Mentor Training
“Media Trust’s Youth Mentoring scheme enables media professionals to share practical skills with disadvantaged 13-25 year olds working on media projects”. Want to be a mentor? Info’s here
Marketing Birmingham funding cut by more than £500k – News – THE DRUM
“A Marketing Birmingham spokesperson confirmed: “Marketing Birmingham has received an 11% cut in funding from Birmingham City Council for 2011/12, which is equal to 6% of its total annual budget of £8.5 million”
Say It Online
“The Say it Online project will see 6 Birmingham families immerse themselves in arts and culture for 4 weeks and review their experiences using digital media”
design and innovation west midlands
“A blog to uncover the wealth of design excellence and innovation in products and services produced across the West Midlands and Heart of England referencing the inspirational from around the world”
Tomorrow, I’ll be at The Public for the showcase event of the DCD Programme. In case you’d not heard of it:
Arts Council England West Midlands’ Digital Content Development (DCD) Programme is a three year programme of investment which aims to catalyse the creation and creative use of digital content platforms for arts organisations across the West Midlands region
The website went up recently and the map on the homepage shows some of the projects, along with how much money they received. Further information is due on the website at some point, but if you look at the page source then you can glean a little more. On the basis that you probably don’t want to ruin your eyes, here’s what I found:
Rosie Kay Dance Company – To create an online version of the touring production, 5 Soldiers (£12,500)
Indigo Ltd – The development of a pilot online platform exploring new forms of crowd-source fundraising in the arts (launching soon and called Angel Shares) (£11,750)
Capsule – To support digitally enhanced new marketing and distribution opportunities (£4,880)
Welsh National Opera – research and development of phase one of iMaestro. To allow Welsh National Opera to research digital copyright law and the possibility of exploiting full-length opera samples under the Creative Commons license (info about that here) (£4,600)
Ikon Gallery – Towards the development of a social media project (£3,500)
The Other Way Works – Professional development around Augmented Reality and Transmedia (£2,575)
Ex Cathedra – Market development, engaging an online music aggregator (£1,323)
Dance Consortium – Exploring social media in relation to contemporary dance marketing (£1,000)
MADE – To explore the use of digital platforms in placing making (£1,000)
As well as these projects, the programme supported a range of other activities including workshops, innovation labs and other events.
I’ve heard of one or two of these projects, but the vast majority are new to me so it’ll be interesting to hear a little more. I should probably also add that I’m involved in the Rosie Kay Dance Company project – that’ll launch next week so I’ll blab a bit more about it then.
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
Radio IPS, will be taking over the airwaves on 87.8FM, broadcasting live from 20 – 25 September, at 12 to 5pm each day. Daily contributions will feature the following independent art organisations;
This Michael Krebber and Michaela Eichwald exhibition opens Wednesday 7 October, 5 – 7pm, and will run until 6 November, opening Wednesdays at 12 – 7pm and Thursday to Saturday at 12 – 5pm.
Know Your Place
“If you are a freelancer, recent graduate or SME then why not come and be inspired at the third Know Your Place event” On 23 August at Zellig. These get good reviews – worth signing up for
Funding launched for young am-dram groups – Audiences Central
“Individual grants of up to £5,000 will be on offer to non-professional theatre groups that are either made up entirely of members under the age of 25, or which have a youth section and are involved in musical theatre productions.”
Birmingham Museums and Art Gallerys – Your Birmingham event
“Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is asking the public to help in exploring the history of Birmingham. The first opportunity to do this in person will be at the Museum Collections Centre Open Day on Sunday August 22nd”
Capsule zine no.5 : Capsule Blog
“this edition has been designed by our brand new intern Tom J Hughes, a mighty fine illustrator who has done us proud”
Fierce Earth finds new home « Fierce Earth
The differences between Fierce Earth and the Fierce Festival are now that bit more pronounced. The former has an office, the latter has gone all virtual. Fierce Earth will “have a new strategic focus on training and consultancy for the creative sector and developing creative talent”
The Yellow Door Bindery
“The Yellow Door Bindery is a Birmingham-based workshop offering a bespoke bookbinding, box-making and portfolio making service”
Matthew Sefton
Good stuff from Matthew, blogging about getting into the regional media industry
OxjamBrum Speed Dating Event- Top 40 Singles « Area Culture Guide
“The people behind the OxjamBrum Takeover festival are looking for 20 male and 20 female music lovers, also known as the Top 40 Singles, to come along to their charitable and cheeky new speed dating event on Thursday 26th August 2010″
The latest stage of Capsule‘s West Mids heavy metal legacy project, Home of Metal, is a launch at big music bash SXSW. Here’s the invite that’s been sent out:
If you’re in the area it might be worth popping in. If not, I reckon it’s just nice to know how these things are being pushed on.
Which all adds up to a community of music people in Birmingham all wanting to make stuff happen (standard caveats about ‘music’ tending to refer to indie/rock only in these kinds of discussions).
One more thing to highlight in all of this is a line from Dunc’s post in which he refers to the original discussion on Capsule’s blog, the significance of which I leave to you to discern:
it’s off the back of an event discussing the ‘music industry’ which always makes me feel like I shouldn’t be part of the conversation
I’ve been hoping this would surface online somewhere. For Capsule’s 10th birthday Film Ficciones created a little celebratory film. I’ve seen it a few times now and I’m pretty sure I’ll watch it a few more cos it’s great.
Our vacancies | Arts Council
Arts Council West Mids are recruiting Relationship Managers for theatre, dance, digital & creative economy, literature and music
Artist Opportunity: mac-lab
“mac invites applications from artists in all disciplines to apply for an intensive lab based residency at our new facilities in Birmingham. We want to hear from artists that are interested in working outside of their normal practice or ‘safe’ area. Open to any form of practice – we want applications from musicians, film-makers, visual artists, performers, live artists, photographers, digital media practitioners and anyone working across media”
Engaging regional audiences – how do we do it? : Capsule Blog
“We’ve just come back from a Birmingham City Council consultation meeting about the cities ‘Music Industry’. Over the 10 years we’ve been doing Capsule related activity we’ve been invited to a fair few of these things and still very little seems to have moved on”. There’s a good discussion going in the comments, go have a look
TheBusinessDesk.com
“Regional Business Information for the West Midlands”. Not very creative or anything, but worth a mention IMHO
Kirsty Davies – Jewellery and Accessories – How to make it, video
Following up from a post back in Nov, here’s Kirsty showing off the her make it, wear it, love it neoprene jewellery accessory. There’s a flip book too which looks like it was done by i heart joan (http://www.iheartjoan.co.uk/)
Brummie Women listing « Women in Brum
Not sure this has been linked to from here – a list of women who have made a significant contribution to Birmingham
Arts Nation West Midlands
“The Arts Nation West Midlands project is an Arts Council England West Midlands funded initiative, developed and delivered by Audiences Central, that aims to address the national priority of Public Engagement in 2010/11 and beyond”
Never Say
“Being based in Birmingham, I have seen the creation of a genuine music scene being built with many fantastic, hardworking and honest people being at the fundamental heart of it. I will write about shows and events taking place in this city which I feel don’t get credit they deserve”
Capsule Blog » Capsule zine
“Ok folks we’re experimenting with this new technology malarky and so as well as finding our latest zine at our shows and in selected places in Brum you can now read it online”
