Created in Birmingham

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.

After headlining the second stage at Moseley Folk Festival back in September, Goodnight Lenin are back in their hometown once again, for this special gig in St. Pauls Church on 4 December.

With support from Boat to Row, what better way to warm up a chilly night than with a nice bit of folky music.

Doors open at 7.30pm, tickets are £5 in advance online / £6 on the door.

Folk for free is a new monthly event to be held in the Symphony Hall foyer by Moseley Folk starting today at 5.30pm. As the name suggests, it’s free, and welcomes passers by to drop at any time throughout the performance which runs until 7pm.

The first bit of folky treats will come from Boat to Row, who appeared on the Bohemian Jukebox Stage at Moseley Folk Festival last month, with their ‘romantic acoustic sound that is brimming with delicate honesty’.

Playing from next month onwards is as follows;

18 November: Contact. This acoustic duo team sparse acoustic guitar with rhythmic bass lines and melodic vocals.

16 December: Friends of the Stars. Emerging from the ashes of John Peel favourites, The Toques, Friends of the Stars mix looping guitar spirals with country ballads.

20 January: Rob Fellows. “A multi-instrumentalist, Rob Fellows’ brand of acoustic mash-ups and collaborations offers something a little different to the traditional singer/songwriter.”

The line-up for this year’s Glastonbury Festival was announced today, and what a mediocre one it is. Like a lot of huge festivals it relies on the expected roll out of faded heroes and next week’s hipsters. If you are looking for a more, dare I say, ’boutique’ experience there are plenty of music festivals around the UK such as The Green Man Festival, End of the Road and All Tomorrow’s Parties.

Moseley Folk Festival by H4NUM4N

But thousands upon thousands of music lovers, from metal heads to twee folksters head to the Midlands every year to experience our independently run festivals, well crafted events that are deeply rooted in the community they came from.

So, forget V, Leeds and Glasto, get yourself along to one of these West Mids fests:

BASS Festival (British Arts and Street Sounds) is the UK’s only month long celebration of Black Music and Art. Every June, the UK comes alive with a phenomenal line up of events, new commissions, gigs, exhibitions, master classes, showcases, club nights, theatre, conferences and film. This year’s theme is ‘Inspired by Africa and Africans’, celebrating and exploring Africa’s influence on the UK arts scene.

When: June. Cost: Free – £10

Moseley Folk Festival has been running for 4 years now, programming  a healthy mix of traditional, contemporary and downright experimental folk and acoustic music. The festival is held in what feels like a world away from Brum’s City Centre within the gorgeous woodlands of Moseley Park. This year’s line up includes: Beth Orton, Saint Etienne, Jethro Tull and Kris Drever, John McCusker & Roddy Woomble.

When: 5th, 6th and 7 th September. Cost: £10 – £65.

Supersonic Festival is definitely one for those who don’t like the mud, but do like loud and experimental music. If you think you don’t, go along to this Custard Factory festival anyway and you may just have an audio visual experience to remember, which has to beat standing the rain listening to Kasabian, right? See the Capsule website for the full line-up.

When: 24th – 25th July. Cost: £15 – £75

Indie Tracks Festival is all a twee navelgazer could ever need in a festival; indiepop bands, a museum, churches, farms and most importantly stream trains. Set further afield in Derby, this fairly new and unspoilt festival is certainly worth the journey from Brum, and is steeped in rural Midlandsness.

When: 24th – 25th July. Cost: £30 – £55

Other more than worthy regional mentions to go Gigbeth, Birmingham International Jazz Festival, CoCoMad, Wolvestock and  Summer Sundae. This isn’t a definitive list, so feel free to add your recommendations in the comments.