Created in Birmingham

Art of Ideas is a group exhibition curated by Matthew Collings and Matt Price, entitled ‘The Witching Hour’, which will be taking place in the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery’s Waterhall Gallery from 11 – 14 November.

The four day exhibition will explore darkness and the uncanny, featuring photography, painting, sculpture, printmaking, film and animation, from over 20 artists based in or hailing from the West Midlands.

The Art of Ideas publication is designed to encourage more people to start collecting contemporary art in the city and region. With its supernatural theme, The Witching Hour exhibition offers an opportunity for people who are interested in collecting art – whether individuals, businesses or arts institutions – to see and acquire works by leading and emerging artists from the West Midlands.

- Matt Price

Exhibiting artists include both internationally renowned names along with emerging talent, including: Hurvin Anderson, Richard Billingham, Graham Chorlton, Faye Claridge, Ravi Deepres, Tessa Farmer, Brian Griffin, Roger Hiorns, Harminder Singh Judge, Chris Keenan, Idris Khan, Karin Kihlberg / Reuben Henry, David Miller, Sally Payen, Juneau Projects, Ged Quinn, David Rowan, Liz Rowe, George Shaw, Toby de Silva, Gillian Wearing and Stuart Whipps.

A copy of ‘Forward‘ (the council’s official publication profiling policies, initiatives and events) just plopped through my door.  Let’s see what interesting event info there is and pull together some links.

The Old Rep Theatre, which closed in Feb for renovation, re-opens on 30 Sept.  The first show is ‘Messed Up’ by Small Heath Young Rep.  Then there’s ‘Play On’ in honour of the theatre’s founder, Sir Barry Jackson, which I can’t find any info about online at all.

Incidentally neither show is on the Old Rep’s what’s on page.  The first item on there is ‘Skellig‘ on 7 Oct.

There’s lots of BMAG stuff listed:

• The Birmingham Art Fair at the Gas Hall, 19-21 Sept
• Body & Soul: Sculptures by Juginder Lamba at the Waterhall gallery until 26 Oct
• In The Picture, old and new photos from the Handsworth Photographic Society at Soho House until 2 Nov
• Ford Madox Brown: The Unofficial Pre-Raphaelite at Gallery 16 until 14 Dec
• Hair at Gallery 20 until 1 March 2009 looking at, well, different hairstyles

Also, Mike Gayle will be talking about his new book, The Life and Soul of the Party at the Library Theatre on 24 September.

Finally there are a few NEC/NIA listings and a mention of the Emirates Beach.