Created in Birmingham

Solihull Arts Complex are calling for local artists and designer makers to submit work for their second Allsorts Art Fair, happening June 2011.

Welcoming ‘allsorts’ of artwork, from textiles to jewellery, garden art to ceramics and photography to watercolours, they’re offering both professional and emerging artists the opportunity to exhibit and sell their work, with stalls available for £25 or £40 depending on requirements.

The deadline for submissions in 25 March, to find out more and download the application form, visit the website.

• BBC NEWS | Magazine | The sit-down comic
  An interview with Birmingham’s Laura Howells – the Beano’s first ever regular female artist (hat tip to Andy Mabbett)
• John Garghan, exhibition in the new year
  The guy who takes the fasinating photos of torched cars. He’s getting ready for an exhibition at the Solihull Arts Complex at the Touchwood Centre, Solihull. 19 Jan to 7 March
• Screen WM – Annual Review
  You can get Screen WM’s annual report for 07/08 (and the past couple of years) here
• Where next for the Custard Factory and other independent venues?
  Interesting post from Kenny at Big Cat pondering what direction a large-ish, credible venue should take in terms of booking acts. Would be interesting to see what people would suggest
• New Season Announced at Birmingham Rep : Whatsonstage Midlands
  There’s some Philip Pullman, a Caribbean musical, a collaboration between writers and actors from the UK, Japan and Korea and lots of other good things
• Young People’s Free Theatre Scheme- successful West Midlands theatres – Audiences Central
  A list of “theatres who have been successful in their application for the Arts Council England Young People’s Free Theatre Scheme”
• Kebablog – DAB con
  A poke around Birmingham’s digital radio options
• Dressing-the-Pooh | Crescent Theatre Blog
  Interesting from the Crescent Theatre – they’ve got a production of Winnie-the-Pooh coming in the new year. A comment on a previous blog asked whether Pooh would be played in full, semi or no costume. Here’s the answer (maybe drop them a comment on your thoughts)
• Still Waiting
  Not sure what this is, but it’s to do with Antonio Roberts so it’ll probably be interesting

Comedy escapes CiB’s notice most of the time so here goes a mention of the Birmingham Comedy Festival 2008, featuring an impressive list of talent, including the Edinburgh Festival’s newly crowned Perrier (or whatever) Award Winner, David O’Doherty.

Holding up Birmingham’s end are drag duo Patrick and Bernadine (Solihull Arts Complex, 4 Oct) and a whole host of local folk at ‘Wrote Under and Friends Comedy’ at the Kitchen Garden Cafe on .  There’s possibly a few more localers too, but none I recognised on the festival’s listings page.

The Old Joint Stock Theatre is also hosting a day dedicated to Tony Hancock at the Old Joint Stock Theatre on 11 October.

It’s the big names that will stick out, of course, and there are plenty of those this year.  As long as Dylan Moran, Mark Steel and Ted Chippington get the attention they deserve all will be well.

The festival starts on 3 October and ends on 12 October.  Visit the Birmingham Comedy Festival website for more info.