Created in Birmingham

• Urban Buildings • Redevelopment, Redesign, Rediscovery
  A site covering the construction works going on in Birmingham (and further) also looking at old/derilict buildings
• Galleries Night – On the Art Bus
  Art, bus, art, bus, art, bus, etc. With bonus wine and mince pies. This is tonight and features the Barber Institute, Mac, Ikon, Eastside Projects and RBSA galleries
• P110HD’s Channel – YouTube
  “Specialising in urban media. Based in Birmingham”
• Birmingham Loves Photographers
  BLP have a shiny new website
• Connecting Innovation
  A report by Steve Harding which addresses these themes of cross innovation and that kind of thing in the context of Birmingham. One for the policy heads.

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.

Working with galleries: part 1 is an informal and practical discussion with Ikon Gallery director Jonathan Watkins, providing insight into how relationships and working processes develop between artists, curators and public art galleries. Using Birmingham-based and international artists as examples, Jonathan will discuss how these working relationships begin, progress and develop and will also talk about his experiences as a selection panel member for art prizes, exhibitions and commissions. This is a rare opportunity for you to find out how large art institutions operate and there will also be time for your questions.

Via We Are Eastside.

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.

After settling at 183 Fazeley Street back in 2008, Ikon have confirmed that as of April 2011, Ikon Eastside will be closing up for the final time, due to public funding cuts.

The large exhibition space at the heart of Digbeth, has provided the perfect setting for large-scale work, video and events over the past few years. It’s hosted work by internationally recognised artists, including Andy Warhol, Damián Ortega, Józef Robakowski and Siobhan Davies Dance.

Rites of Spring, a three day music festival featuring Turner Prize winner Martin Creed, Modified Toy Orchestra and Epic45 will be the last event held at Ikon Eastside, from 7 – 9 April.

We are extremely saddened to be losing Ikon Eastside, but our commitment to bringing internationally recognised art to the city is unwavering. Looking to the future, our goal remains to create a permanent museum of contemporary art for Birmingham.

- Jonathan Watkins, Ikon Director

It’s not all sad news though, since Ikon are intending to keep up their involvement with the Eastside district, focusing instead on site-specific events and promoting cultural regeneration through their membership of the Eastside Contemporary Art Consortium. Their current study into the feasibility of this permanent museum, (‘Ikon Two’) also remains unaffected.

Ikon are currently preparing for their latest round exhibitions, which open with a preview evening on 22 February, and will be on display until 25 April.

Marjolijn Dijkman
Theatrum Orbis Terrarum (Theatre of the World)
The first UK solo exhibition of work by Dutch artist Marjolijn Dijkman, featuring archival works, video, animation, sculpture and an installation inspired by the dining table of Soho House, Birmingham, the 18th century meeting place of the Lunar Society.

Robert Orchardson
Endless façade
The first European museum exhibition of works by Robert Orchardson (born Glasgow 1976, based in London), an artist who makes sculptures inspired by science fiction and futuristic design.

Rabbya Nasser and Hurmat Ul Ain
White as Snow
Pakistani artists Rabbya Naseer and Hurmat Ul Ain present White as Snow (2008), a video short that challenges assumptions about women in the Islamic world.

This Saturday 29 Jan, Ikon will be hosting a free creative writing workshop in Erdington, joined by acclaimed writer Mandy Ross.

Inspired by historical photographs of nineteenth century Erdington resident Sir Benjamin Stone, creative writers and storytellers are invited to explore stories behind these photographs.

Ikon have had a rummage through the archives and collected images from the turn of the 20th century, including the Erdington orphanage, a society afternoon tea, agricultural workers and the inner workings of Big Ben.

All ages are welcome to drop by, with no booking needed. The workshop with take place from 12 – 3pm at Erdington Library, Orphanage Road, Erdington.

If you can’t make it on Saturday, fear not, Ikon are returning to Erdington in a few weeks, with another workshop on 19 February.

Ikon are hosting a Vietnamese Film Festival, When Love Doesn’t Come Back, on 22 & 23 January. The festival also coincides with the first UK screening of Vietnamese artist Dinh Q. Lê’s animation South China Sea Pishkun, at the CBSO Centre.

Inspired by events of 30 April 1975 at the end of America’s war in Vietnam, the film is based on the desperate escape by the South Vietnamese and Americans in the face of the advancing Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army.

The weekend will host screenings of classics such as Apocalypse Now, Full Metal Jacket and Rescue Dawn plus little-seen arthouse titles The Scent of Green Papaya and When the Tenth Month Comes.

Entrance to the festival is free, with screenings being held in Ikon Gallery’s Events Room and CBSO Centre. For a full rundown of the programme, take a look at Ikon’s website.

The CiB Shop wound up after three hectic months, with Pete announcing the impending announcing the impending closure. Before that, INKwell popped into the shop for some screen printing, the City of Culture bid got it’s send-off and The Story Exchange popped in.

The Created in Birmingham closed its shutters for the last time at the end of the month. Someone kissed the feedback book:

International Dance Festival Birmingham came to an end too, while Ian looked forward to what was in store at the 2010 BASS Festival and I had a peek at the Lichfield Festival’s line-up.

RoguePlay left the Custard Factory, I noticed Writing West Midlands for the first time, Ikon announced their series of ‘Favourite Things’ talks, the Daze-Ray exhibition occupied a corner of the Jewellery Quarter and IPEX took over the NEC.

hobbypopMUSEUM spent some time at Eastside Projects, the annual Cure Leukemia Art Auction took place, Ben Javens made a tea towel, end-of-year-show season started up and there was a photography exhibition at the Custard Factory.

I went to visit the flashy gizmos at University of Birmingham’s Heritage and Culture Learning Hub too.

We’re taking a bit of a break here but CiB will return in the new year. In the meantime, I’ll be posting a few ‘year in review’ things to remind you that 2010 was alright really, and that all the talk of (and worrying over) money over recent months shouldn’t detract from some great art, work and artworks.

Meanwhile, just to show how 2010 looked on Created in Birmingham, we published 649 blog posts and attracted 578 comments, garnering 222,264 pageviews from 81,937 unique (like snowflakes) visitors. There was also 1 shop that took £45,000, with most of that money going to the artists themselves.

Over the past 12 months we’ve also had 40 CiB supporters and a handful of advertisers – a big thank you goes out to them for helping us to keep the site going.

These were the 10 most popular posts published this year:

1. Apache Indian has his own bar
2. Recommended BCC arts cuts (possibly)
3. CiB Shop – The End Game
4. Coming (very) soon – the CiB Shop
5. CiB Shop – here’s how you can get involved
6. CiB Shop – an invitation
7. Birmingham arts and arts grant budgets for 2011/12
8. Factory Club closing down
9. The HMV Institute
10. The Radar Magazine

I’m not really one for doing ‘best of’s but (off the top of my head) it was good to see the MAC reopening, I liked the Steve McCurry retrospective at BMAG and Len Lye at Ikon (which is still on), Birmingham European Theatre Festival was fun and I enjoyed a load of things at International Dance Festival Birmingham.

Odd but great moments included ‘sleeping’ on stage during Stan’s Cafe‘s Tuning Out with Radio Z (which I’ve written about here) and, of course, That Shop.

There was plenty more besides and far too many things I wish I’d seen but didn’t. I suppose I’ll just have to try to see more next year.

Tate Movie Project will be stopping over at the Ikon on 2 & 3 December, joined by Wallace and Gromit creators, Aardman Animations, who’ll be giving pupils from Birmingham schools the chance to create an animation film by and for children to be broadcast on Blue Peter.

Pupils from St John’s CE Primary, St Catherine of Siena Catholic Primary, St George’s CE Primary and Woodview Primary, will have the opportunity to take part in the workshops, inspired by Ikon’s current Len Lye exhibition.

The results will be available to view on www.tatemovie.co.uk, where 5-13 year olds will be free to explore animation, scripting, editing and sound effects.

Launching on 23 November is Ikon’s latest exhibition, a retrospective collection of work by Len Lye, featuring film, sculpture, painting and drawing.

Lye’s philosophy of ‘Individual Happiness Now’ – a belief in the possibility of ‘the best in human experience’ for all – is embodied by this exhibition; a testament to the simple joys that inspired him.

The launch evening on 23 November starts at 6pm, and includes a performance from Birmingham Conservatoire’s Percussion Ensemble at 8.15pm.

The following night on 24 November, Ikon will be holding a talk from 6-7pm with Len Lye Foundation curator, Tyler Cann, who’ll be discussing Lye’s work from animation to kinetic sculpture. Tickets for this are £3 and can be bought from the Ikon shop or by calling 0121 248 0711.

‘The Body Electric’ will be on display until 13 Febuary 2011 at Ikon Gallery, Brindley Place, which is open Tuesday – Sunday 11am – 6pm.

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.

• Tate team up for Ikon – Audiences Central
  “Ikon Gallery are one of the partners of the new Plus Tate initiative which aims to support the development of the visual arts across the UK, and to foster a climate where exchange and partnership can flourish”
• Women admitted as Birmingham’s Saint Paul’s Club modernises the rule book – Birmingham Post
  “Falling membership and a desire to modernise are why women are allowed, said Bart Dalton, membership committee chairman”
• Twitter / Simon Lawson: The most recent Ace Bushy …
  “The most recent Ace Bushy Striptease album has sold out now so we’re giving it away for free download”
• Shetland ponies escorted by Police, Created in Birmingham, and new exhibition – a day in the life of Hippodrome staff!
  Next post in a nice series showing the people behind the scenes
• Royal Television Society Midlands 2010 Nominations
  And the nominees are…
• Area Culture Guide – November 2010
  The new one’s out
• Paper on Advantage West Midlands’ Digital Media Cluster | daveharte.com
  “It’s had a wide distribution via email to the various business/public sector bods who were doing the LEP lobbying but I suspect it’ll never get formally published anywhere so I thought I’d dump it on here”
• New apprenticeships launched in creative sector – Birmingham Post
  “Noel Dunne, director of Creative Alliance, an organisation which aims to support and develop creative talent, said: “The new creative and digital media apprenticeship will help employers attract talented young people to their organisation”
• Jobs in the Meeja | Mind over Matter
  Ian gives a few of his top tips for getting a job in the media (although most of it applies to pretty much any sector). Worth a read

The Conservative Party Conference starts tomorrow, so expect a fair amount of disruption around the city centre – especially the city end of Broad Street around the ICC and Symphony Hall.

Travel advice aside, arts and culture will be getting a foot in the door a few times over the duration, including this lot:

• Jonathan Watkins (Director of Ikon Gallery) has been invited by Jeremy Hunt MP to speak on Sunday. His speech will apparently “highlight the cultural wealth of Birmingham and promote Ikon’s ambition for the creation of a new museum of modern art in the city”
• Screen WM are putting on a fringe event called City as a Platform (reminiscent of the much-referenced, lesser read Dan Hill post) on Monday
• Ed Vaizey MP will be off and about on Monday. He’ll be officially opening Zellig and later on checking out BCU’s Skillset Media Academy
• Rosie Kay Dance Company will be performing Double Points: K at the Symphony Hall on Tuesday

There’s probably more happening too, but those are the ones I’ve come across.

I’ve also been invited, with a bunch of other local bloggers, to go and meet Sayeeda Warsi (Co-Chairman of the Conservative Party and Cabinet Minister without portfolio) and Andrew Mitchell (MP for Sutton Coldfield and Secretary of State for International Development) later today.