Created in Birmingham

Since we first introduced Project Pigeon, they’ve been busy working on their community pigeon loft, which looks to have had some interesting design suggestions. Tomorrow marks the first of their workshops providing a step by step guide to keeping pigeons.

The workshops will take place from 2-4pm on the dates below, at Project Pigeon’s Loft, Milk Street, Digbeth, Birmingham (in Boxxed’s backyard opposite Birmingham Backpackers under a viaduct). It’s free to go along, but places should be booked in advance via email at: projectpigeondigbeth@gmail.com

Here’s what they’ve got lined up through until April;

Saturday 19th February:  Introduction to pigeon fancying

Find out about the history of pigeon fancying, meet some pigeon fanciers and find out about why they keep pigeons, meet Project Pigeon’s birds and watch some pigeons fly.

Friday 25th February:  A pigeon’s home and life

This workshop will be focused on the different seasons in a pigeons life, from racing season to breeding season.  We will also look at the different kinds of pigeon lofts there are.

Saturday 26th February:  Day to day pigeon loft management

How to keep your pigeons clean and happy – from cleaning the loft to giving the pigeons a bath.

Friday 4th March:  Making nest boxes and perches

A woodwork session where we will design and make essential items for the inside of pigeon lofts and make any loft repairs

Saturday 5th March:  Racing pigeons, Birmingham rollers and tipplers

There are many kinds of pigeons, racing pigeons are used in racing, Birmingham rollers in sequence flying and tipplers in endurance flying.

Friday 11th March:  A pigeon’s diet

Like any athlete a pigeons diet is very important.  In this session you will find out about all the vital vitamins, minerals and foods needed to keep pigeons on top form.

Saturday 12th March:  Veterinary skills

Vets in the UK know little about racing pigeons, and if you took your pigeon to the vet every time there was something wrong it would cost a lot and wouldn’t be practical.  Learn about what kinds of injuries pigeon get and how you can help your pigeon.

Friday 18th March:  Breeding

Come and see and learn about squeekers (baby pigeons)!

Saturday 19th March:  Training and racing

How do pigeons find their way home?  How do you train a racing pigeon?  How do you win a race?!

Saturday 2nd April:  Making a magazine about pigeons

Help Project Pigeon design a magazine based on what we have learnt during the workshops.

Saturday 16th April:  Come and watch a live pigeon race!

You might have been to the horses or to the dogs but have you ever seen a pigeon race?  Now is your chance!  Please email if you intend to come to this because the time of the race will only be known on Saturday morning – the morning of the race.

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.

Diversity in Youth are an arts project who meet every Tuesday at 6 – 8pm at the Brasshouse Centre in Smethwick.

Dedicated to the development of young people aged between 13-19, they provide creative workshops including music, singing, dance and drama, with training given by leading professionals in each field. You can start from scratch, with no experience needed, plus it’s free to attend workshops, thanks to a nice bit of Lottery Funding.

For more information on the project and how to get involved, call Khalid on 07916716162 or visit their Facebook page for the latest updates and events.

Make-it Zone is a place on the Moseley Road – the Old Print Works – offering low cost, low carbon artisan workshops. The man behind it is Ian Greenwood and he’s pursuing a vision:

Are you a printer, potter, woodturner, carver, shoemaker, dyer, glass blower, joiner, jeweller, tailor, artisan, engraver, bookbinder, paper maker, mechanic, candle maker, cycle builder, blacksmith, weaver, metal or textile worker…? Can you bring traditional skills into the 21st century?

We’re looking for tenants who can make beautiful, useful and durable objects to challenge the idea that economic growth should be built on the mass production of throwaway goods. We want to rebuild the connection between maker and customer, and we’re looking to do this in a realistic, contemporary setting.

They’ve got an open day from 2pm on 28 August if you want to have a nose about. They’re on Twitter too.

Hi8us Midlands will be hosting a series of free workshops for 14-19 year olds in association with the Film Nation: Shorts competition.

The workshops will give young film-makers the chance to meet professional film-makers and acquire new skills in film-making techniques using the latest state-of-the-art Panasonic equipment.

Film Nation: Shorts was launched by eminent film producer Lord David Putnam and actors Nicholas Hoult and Georgia Groome at BAFTA in London and invites 14-25 year olds to create short films that celebrate the values of the Olympic and Paralympic Games: respect, courage, excellence, friendship, equality, determination and inspiration.

The workshops will be held on 11th, 12th, 17th, 18th and 19th August from 10am to 4pm at The Bond and participants should be able to attend all dates.

Workshops for the 19-25′s will be popping up across the country, so check back to the Film Nation site if you’re interested.

Submissions for the first round of the competition are open until 1 October 2010.

Anyone interested in attending should contact Vicki at Hi8us on 0121 753 7700 or email vicki@hi8us.co.uk.

The CBSO‘s summer programme has landed in front of me, so here’s a little round-up of what you might expect to see in the next couple of months. This won’t be comprehensive, so check out the CBSO listings for yourself here for more performances and details.

In May, there’s a mini concert for 3-5 year olds and families called Notelets – Shake, Rattle & Roll, Gwilym Simcock Quartet courtesy of Birmingham Jazz, the CBSO cellos, and more. While June serves up the Neil Cowley Trio, Most Simply… Mid Summer, the annual CBSO Young Voices Rock and Pop concert, and El Ultimo Tango. In July, the SHOUT Gospel choir will be performing as part of Birmingham Jazz Festival.

There are also a selection of free events for young people, including Music Maze and Zigzag ensemble.

All in all, there should be something to tickle your fancy or give a go this summer.

HamFisted! is a Birmingham-based, experimental arts company that produces live theatre, interactive interventions and visual arts projects, in conventional and unconventional spaces, in professional and community contexts, all with the aim of putting smiles on people’s faces.

HamFisted! has an opportunity for visual artists to work in primary schools and children’s centres. The day-long workshops will take place in schools in the Aston, Lozells and Newtown area of Birmingham between Tuesday24th February and Monday 9th March.

During the workshops the techniques used will be screen printing and collage. They will be creating a large aspirational image based on the children’s ideas. The fee for this work will be £1,000.

Interested? Email Johnny O’Hanlon: headquarters@hamfisted.org.uk using Aston Project in the subject line.