Created in Birmingham

• Yam Big Richard
  Richard’s DJing, hacks, collages and write-ups from events
• Warwick Bar
  A website for Minerva Works, the small industrial estate in Digbeth currently home to Grand Union Studios, Fazeley Park, Street Print and Clifton Steel
• Fast Forward – 6.8 million items in our collections! Phew « Museum Network Warwickshire
  Fast Forward 2010, the 6th bi-annual survey of West Midlands museums. In all, 170 of you participated, 79% of all our museums! Covering organisational health, collections, and users, it is a wide-ranging and detailed picture of museum provision throughout the West Midlands in 2010
• The Event, Various venues, Birmingham – Reviews
  A review of The Event in the Independent
• BASS FESTIVAL 2012- Commissions NOW OPEN!
  To mark the 50th anniversary of Jamaican Independence and to welcome the Jamaican Olympic team to Birmingham BASS will have JAMAICA as its theme in 2012
• Dancing for the Games | Blog | Moving Earth open workshops
  sampad‘s Dancing for the Games project Moving Earth is holding open workshops in Birmingham on Saturday 26 November.
• Michael’s Animation blog
  Michael Price is studying animation at BCU
• BBC Performing Arts Funds announce fellowships
  The BBC Performing Arts Fund announced recently that 13 dance organisations across the UK had been awarded a grant as part of its Dance Fellowships scheme, including ACE Dance and Music and Warwick Arts Centre’s Boys Dancing
• “Long-Eared Furry Things” – blog – frilly
  Bunnies, generally
• Eastside Projects Public Evaluation Event
  “From 27 to 29 October, Eastside Projects in Birmingham, UK held a three day symposium to analyse and evaluate three years of an artist run space as public gallery”. The videos are online, I just wish they had titles
• Open File
  Open File is a curatorial conversation between artist Jack Brindley and curator Tim Dixon. The project began as a blog in February 2011. Launching at Grand Union this November 18th, the project will exist as an on-going series of live events, an open and expanding cumulative publication, and a new web-based archive and resource

In no particular order…

Getting to wander around Curzon Street Station (although there’s some good stuff in there, I have to admit I was excited enough about the building itself), finally making it over to The Lombard Method, Simon Faithfull’s window piece at Grand Union, meeting the guys behind BAZ (and Athletico Tortured Artists), Crowd 6‘s exhibition and all sorts of other bits and pieces.

Not that it was all my cup of tea, necessarily, but then that’s all part of the fun too. Charlie Levine’s written a post of her own about what’s going on – she’s got pictures.

The Event is on until 30 October. If you don’t know your way round (and even if you do) it’s worth joining one of the guided tours.

The last one was good. Lots to see and lots to do, so go discover on The Event website. Or read on for some blurb:

Birmingham Contemporary Art Forum is delighted to announce it will be hosting The Event’s third bi-annual visual art festival from 21 – 30 October 2011 from their galleries, studio spaces and empty buildings in various locations in and around Eastside, Birmingham’s creative quarter in Digbeth.

Groups presenting works in The Event 2011 are: AAS, An Endless Supply, Companis, Crowd 6, Eastside Projects, Grand Union, The Lombard Method, SLICE and TROVE.

As you may have realised, we haven’t been posting as much recently, leaving it to our guest contributors to fill the pages on CiB. As a result, I wouldn’t want anyone to miss out on what’s going on, so I’m just going to mention a few things that have been coming in through the CiB inbox recently.

SEARCH ENGINE

Starting next Monday is Grand Union‘s six-week open residency programme, which will run from 21 March – 30 April 2011. Three artist groups have been invited to work in the project space for two weeks each, starting with Manu Luksch & Mukul Patel.

MANU LUKSCH & MUKUL PATEL, Kayak Libre <<free thinking, free transport>>

Thursday 24 March, 6-9 pm: Opening
Artists’ talk at Grand Union, 6.30 pm
Screening of shorts by Manu Luksch at VIVID , 9 pm

Thursday 24 Mar – Sunday 27 March:
WATER TAXI available to book from 19 March.
For booking please contact info@grand-union.org.uk

Saturday 2 April, 12-2 pm: Final open workshop

Behna (Sisters)

This unique and intimate theatre production by Kali Theatre will be performed in the kitchens of Punjabi households across the Black Country from 22 March to 15 April.

It’s the day before a wedding, Ladies’ Sangeet Night, in a Punjabi household. The bride is having her henna done and the guests are busy eating, singing and dancing. But in the kitchen, sibling jealousy simmers alongside the samosas.  Fast-paced, funny and moving, Behna takes a look through the keyhole of a family house to reveal the secrets and lies of two generations of sisters.

For more information and to book tickets, visit The Public’s website.

One, Nineteen

One, Nineteen from local ‘Archers’ writer, Tim Stimpson, is on at The Old Joint Stock Theatre on 18 & 19 March.

19th January: Freak storms bring devastating floods to the English coast, but before the rescue effort arrives, the media are already in town spinning their story. A play about the power of the news, the strength of the government, the question of climate change, and of course, and the search for Sam, Jack and little Chloe…

After premiering in London, it was given a 4 star review from Time Out, so it’s probably worth a watch.

For more info and how to book tickets, visit The Old Joint Stock’s website.

LUNÄ Talks

Ikon and the Lunar Society present this series of evening talks revisiting themes discussed by the original 18th century Lunar Society within a contemporary context.

The next talk is happening on Wednesday 23 March, from 7 – 9pm and focuses on Education. The panel of speakers looks a bit like this:

Felicity Allen: Artist, writer, educator. Former Head of Learning, Tate Britain (2003-10). www.felicityallen.co.uk

Nancy Evans: Education Manager Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, freelance musician and trainer working in early years education

Colin Gale: Head of School of Fashion and Textiles and Course Director for MA Textiles, Fashion & Surface Design, Birmingham Institute of Art and Design

Kate Iles: PhD student, University of Birmingham; Constructing the 18th Century woman; The life and education of Sabrina Sidney

For more information on the future talks, entitled ‘Urban design and regeneration’ and ‘Medicine and science’, visit Ikon’s website.

Tickets cost £10 (£8 concessions), to book call Ikon Shop on 0121 248 0711.

In the last of Grand Union‘s Live Acts and Sound programme, artist duos chris+keir and Melville Mitchell will present an evening of live, alternating performance challenges on Fri 25 February.

The duos both use ‘forced performance’ as a working method, meaning their performances go off structures, tasks, systems, rules, formulas and instructions.

‘What performs? Air fresheners, roofing insulation, bicycles, carpets and rugs, powerboats, wallcoverings, drain panels, cleansing towels, car-stereo equipment, bakeware, aquarium filters, tires, fabric, window film, woodworking knives, automotive timing chains, foil containers, audio antennae, deep fat fryers, embossing tools, mop handles, music synthesizers, casement windows’

- Jon Mckenzie, Perform Or Else (2001)

Through a combination of classic performance work, formulaic jokes and wooden contraptions, chris+keir will be searching for a punchline to ‘What is the difference between Bruce Nauman’s Walking in an Exaggerated Manner Around the Perimeter of a Square and Monty Python’s The Ministry of Silly Walks?‘

Melville Mitchel on the other hand, will be utilising the paraphernalia of British drinking culture, by undertaking a series of formidable tasks which place them in both conflict and coalition, together with a set of complex rules encouraging a unified thirst toward a common goal.

Doors open at 7.30pm, performance starts at 8pm

Over the next month, Grand Union have a programme of Live Acts and Sound lined up, which kicks off this Friday, 4 Feb, with performance artist Tom Marshman.

He’ll be performing ‘The Passion of the Pole’, a controversial piece which confronts taboos of mental disorders and religion.

Clinging to a dancing pole, a sentimental character exposes itself to you, with layers of issues, a crude honesty, and a wincing humour. The pole becomes a crucifix: a site for Tom to expose and execute his anxieties.

Doors open at 7.30pm, starting at 8pm and its free admission.

Codify is a free event taking place at Grand Union on Friday 10 December, presented by My Imaginary Friend.

Musicians and artists based in Birmingham will be putting on this special performance, featuring live adjusted sound and video, guitar, bass, drums, trumpet, sax & ableton.

Doors open at 7.30pm, and the performance starts at 8pm.

Art of Ideas kicks off towards the end of this week, the four day event will celebrate the cultural life of Birmingham, with a series of talks, exhibitions and related events held at various galleries and institutions around Birmingham.

We’ve already mentioned a few of the associated events such as The Witching Hour and In Conversation with Brian Griffin and Stuart Whipps, so here are some of the other highlights…

12 November: Grand Union Event,
7.30pm – late

Launching the new Grand Union Editions, patrons scheme, plus an artists talk will be given by Jamie Shovlin on his current exhibition, Hiker Meat, along with Mike Harte and Euan Rodger.

Places must be booked, so e-mail Grand Union to reserve your spot.

12 November: What is an art collector?
6.30 – 8.30pm at Ikon

13 November: The Future of Public Collections, Collecting and Spending £1m.
6.30 – 8.30pm at Ikon

13 November: In conversation with… Paul Hedge (Director of Hales Gallery, London)
3 – 5pm, New Art Gallery Walsall (free event, no booking required).

14 November: Brokerage, Endorsement and Representation.
3 – 5pm at the Lecture Theatre, BIAD, Margaret Street

Unless stated otherwise, e-mail or call 0121 248 1200 to book your place for these events.

Artists Clinics

Art of Ideas have also teamed up with Business Link West Midlands to deliver a series of development workshops aimed at new and emerging artists. They will look at how artists can increase their income through alternative routes to market.

mac: 12 November, 11am – 1pm
Wolverhampton Art Gallery: 18 November, 10am – noon
mac: 19 November, 11am – 1pm

Places for this must be booked, e-mail or call 0845 113 1234. Places are limited.

• Blogging the retail game « I Am Pete Ashton
  “So starting in a fortnight I’m going to start my journey, exploring the indie retail landscape of Birmingham from a We Are Birmingham perspective” Pete’s good at blogging. This’ll be interesting
• Digbeth is Good » Hither and Thither’s tour of Digbeth art spaces
  A nice run of interviews with The Lombard Method, Behind Closed Doors, [insertspace], Eastside Projects, Grand Union and An Endless Supply. There’s another one with AAS if you head for the YouTube channel
• BBC iPlayer – The Daily Politics: Conference Special
  A clip of Rosie Kay Dance Company on The Daily Politics. Worth watching for Andrew Neil’s ‘So what’s all this about?’ afterwards
• University of Birmingham – Barber Institute memories sought
  “The Barber Institute of Fine Arts is officially 80 years old in December 2012 and alumni memories of its early days are being sought”
• Popular Music History – So What? – Discussing the political economy of popular music history
  Rob Horrocks’s “PhD research scrapbook”. He’s the manager of Einstellung too. Re-posting this link because I broke it last time
• Less:Seen:Spaces: Welcome
  The online portfolio of Birmingham based photographer Harry Starling
• Queen’s Square arts commission
  “The aim of the commission is to animate unit 26 (Community Artspace) for 2-4 weeks in February / March (including invigilation)”

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.

I got this in the post the other day:

• Poster and press release for Hiker Meat by Jamie Shovlin at Grand Union
• Supersonic flyer

Two organisations mailing their stuff out together – you’d think that sort of thing would happen more often. Looks like Grand Union will be staying open later during Supersonic too.

Here are some pics of a couple of posters/fold-out leaflet things.

I was sent this one which publicises Grand Union‘s thing with Justin Carter:

And I picked up this one which is stuffed with the mind-bogglingly long list of events Rhubarb Rhubarb are doing/associated with over the next few weeks:

Btw, if you want half-price tickets to the Photographic Seminar on Thurs 29 July – Where Social Media Meets Fine Art… Or Not – then there’s an offer over on the Birmingham Social Media Cafe website.

Birmingham (at Grand Union and The Lombard Method), to be exact) 11-12 June:

Manchester (specifically, at Rogue Studios) 5-6 June:

Grand Union are doing a thing until 16 May. Nicky went to the launch.

We Are Eastside is a joint-venture of sixteen organisations, including VIVID, Eastside Projects, Ikon Eastside, The Lombard Method and 7 Inch Cinema, coordinated by Capsule, to link-up and expose the goings-on in the area, now dubbed Birmingham’s Creative Playground.

Here’s what they’ve said:

Underneath Eastside’s arches you’ll find a whole host of organisations making and presenting film, music, visual arts, digital media, craft, literature, and photography – and some great pubs and cafes too. We Are Eastside is a guide to some of these hidden treasures.

Arts enthusiasts, film and music fans, historians, city visitors and the downright curious from across the West Midlands will have the opportunity to explore creative work being produced in the area by taking in a film screening or magic lantern show, experiencing live experimental jazz or electronica, learning about pigeon fancying, training as a traditional jester or clown or by attending the opening of a new gallery during three days of activities.

To coincide with We Are Eastside’s launch there are a load of events going on over the weekend. There’s the Curtain Show at Eastside Projects, the East Stride walking tour, Purple Ceiling at The Lombard Method, and GONGOOZLER at Grand Union, as well as a bunch of other interesting things.

I’ve posted the listings here if you want to see what’s happening in full, but you can also check out the We Are Eastside blog for any changes and additions to the programme.

The blog looks like it’ll be an ongoing source of regular updates, programmes, event information, opportunities and contributions from the cluster of artists, collectives, promoters and spaces based in the Eastside area, so you can keep an eye on it here: www.weareeastside.org.