ArtsFest365’s Weblog

Have you ever wanted to have a say about the Arts in Birmingham? Would you like the opportunity to sit on the board of a Birmingham Arts organisation?

Applications are now open for young people aged 18 - 25 who want to take part in a training weekend to learn about what being a member of an arts board involves. When you have completed the training weekend, you will be placed with an arts organisation you have an interest in and provided with a mentor, an experienced member of the board, who will guide you through your first year with the organisation.

Training Weekend Dates

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learned about the way in which arts organisations are managed

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gained an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of board members

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heard about the support structures available to new board members

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heard about the range of arts organisations that are looking to recruit young people to their boards

Kate Sullivan has joined the ArtsFest Team as Festival Assistant - taking our grand numbers up to 3!  You may remember Kate doing a sterling job working with us on ArtsFest 2007 and we are very pleased to have her back once again working with us on ArtsFest 2008. 

After a month of working without phone lines we are pleased to announce you can finally speak to us again. If you wish to call us about anything regards ArtsFest 2008 then please use the hotline number 0121 464 5678.

The reason for the loss of communication was apparently to do with the lack of copper wiring coming into the building ( far too technical for me) for the amount of phone lines required. We unfortunately were unable to hurry the process, as this involved digging up Broad street!

Emily and I are very appreciative of your patience and only hope you haven’t been too inconvenienced.

Please note that due to the recent office move the ArtsFest phone lines are currently unavailable, if you wish to speak to us urgently please call 0121 303 3008 and ask for either Emily or myself. The preferred method of contact is email if you are unable to access the Internet use the number above.

The offices will be closed for Easter, this includes Tuesday, therefore all queries will be dealt with on Wednesday.

The phone line issue is outwith our control and we fully understand how frustrating it is, especially with our application deadline looming, we are only thankful for your patience.

Please see our images of the new office!

Happy Easter

Elise

http://artsfest365.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/the-artsfest-team-at-hos.jpg

The ArtsFest E-Newsletters are produced quarterly in February, May, August and November to spread the good news about what ArtsFest artists have been up to, and to keep you up to date with what the ArtsFest Team are doing and plans for this years festival. 

If you would like to subscribe to receive the newsletters then please email artsfest@birmingham.gov.uk letting us know that you would.

 Birmingham Printmakers Have Moved

Birmingham Printmakers are pleased to announce their move to brilliant new premises in the heart of Birmingham’s creative quarter.  Previously based at Lee Bank Business Centre, you can now find the Printmakers at their new home on 90 Floodgate Street, Digbeth.

An Evening of Russian & British Romance - with proceeds to St Mary’s Hospice & Church

Stella Sims (mezzo-soprano) & Phillip Ypres-Smith (piano/organ) invite you to join them for an evening of exotic Russian & inspiring English songs punctuated by piano solos & atmospheric poetry, with proceeds going to St Mary’s Hospice & St Mary’s Church. The concert will take place on Saturday 8^th March, with Russian food served from 6.30pm, and the concert starting at 7.30pm at St Mary’s Church, Bristol Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham, B29.  Tickets are priced at £8 (£6 concs) with advanced tickets available by calling 0121 472 1839.

MDCC Theatre Company - New Plays by Local Writers

MDCC Theatre Company warmly invites you to their first production of 2008, ‘Family Snaps’.  ‘Family Snaps’ features two new plays, ‘Tidy’ by local writer Martin Drury and ‘Forgive Us Our Trespasses’ by local writer Elizabeth Parkes.  Performances take place at Oldbury Rep on 22^nd & 23^rd February and at MAC Hexagon Theatre on 29^th February & 1^st March.  For more information please visit mdcctheatre.com

Poetry in Wednesbury

On the last Thursday of each month Poetry Wednesbury will be meeting from 7.30pm at their new venue The Old Post Office, Holyhead Road, Wednesbury for poetry readings, open mic, occasional workshops and even a little music!  Admission is free and all are welcome to go along and participate or just to watch. 

Capoeira Batizado

Capoeira Conviver are pleased to announce their first UK grading ceremony on Saturday 22^nd March.  Taking place only once a year the Batizado features Capoeira students receiving their belts and a whole day of performances.  This promises to be a chance to see some truly amazing martial arts with Capoeira masters from all over the world confirmed to attend.  For more information please visit capoeira-conviver.com

International Dance Festival Birmingham

Birmingham is set to secure its position as an international dance capital with the announcement of the inaugural International Dance Festival Birmingham.  A joint venture between DanceXchange & Birmingham Hippodrome, the month long festival will take place from 28^th April to 24^th May 2008.  The festival will encompass all styles of dance and express the youthful, diverse and energetic spirit of Birmingham while bringing outstanding dance from across the globe to the city.

Mexicolas

Local indie-esque rock band Mexicolas have just announced their February/March UK tour dates.  Due to play Birmingham’s Bar Academy on February 15^th  (full tour dates available at myspace.com/mexicolas), the band will also be performing as special guests to legendary rockers The Cult on Saturday 23^rd February at The Forum in London.  The bands debut album X is due for release in February with the tracks Come Clean & Shame being used on EA Games Burn Out 2008 and UEFA Soccer 2008.

computerclub

Local indie band computerclub must have been delighted to see their debut limited edition single ‘Snobs’ sell out in a week.  Following this the band are due to record their debut album from February and their second single ‘Electrons and Particles’ will be released on March 16^th.  Computerclub will tour the UK in March with tour dates available at myspace.com/iheartcc. 

James Rea

Since ArtsFest 2007 James has been invited to play live on BBC Radio WM and has been featured in the New Talent section of the BBC website.  James first released single ‘So Scene’ is currently at No. 4 in the birminghamusic.com charts.  James is due to support Dodgy on a series of dates across the UK during March including March 25^th at the Academy 2 in Birmingham.

Band of Brummie Brothers go Stateside

Having been getting widespread airplay in the U.S, brummie brothers UXL have been invited to play at this years Canadian Music Week in Toronto in March.  Canada’s largest entertainment festival, this is fantastic news for the band!

Rainbow Voices

Rainbow Voices, Birmingham’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered choir are through to the area finals of Radio 3’s Choir of the Year show at Warwick Arts Centre on 9^th March.  Rainbow Voices also perform with Edinburgh counterparts the fabulous ‘Loud and Proud’ on Saturday 15^th March.  Rainbow Voices first CD can be ordered from Pam on 07841 755379 at the price of £10 plus £1 p&p.  The choir rehearse from 8.15pm each Tuesday at The Hub, 318 Vicarage Road, Kings Heath, B14 7NH. 

For more information please visit rainbow-voices.org.uk

Bassoon Day

Birmingham Bassoon Choir will be holding a bassoon day on 24^th February for all ages at King Edwards School on Edgbaston Park Road, Birmingham.  The bassoon choir will also be performing as part of the Women in Music Festival at Birmingham Town Hall on 1^st March.

DanceXchange - Spring 2008

On 26^th & 27^th February from 8pm DanceXchange presents Rubberbandance Group from Québec performing ‘Elastic Perspective’, a work investigating human relationships through a marriage of explosive hip hop and subtle contemporary dance styles.  Following this, on 13^th & 14^th March from 8pm, the company presents Maresa von Stockert & Tilted Productions performing ‘Glacier’, an emotionally charged work exploring global warming and environmental change.  All performances take place at DanceXchange, Birmingham Hippodrome, Thorp Street, Birmingham, B5 4TB with tickets available by calling 0870 730 1234 or visiting dancexchange.org.uk/shows.

3estates Kings Norton

An exhibition of past and present public art projects that have taken place on the 3estates in Kings Norton will be held at The Custard Factory from 27^th February to 1^st March.  Organised by local photographer Rita Fletcher, the exhibition will also feature ‘A Film of 100 Verses for 3estates’ by Ravi Deepres and Gavin Wade.

Birmingham Festival Choral Society is Making History

On Sunday 13^th April at 7.30pm in Birmingham Town Hall, BFCS will present Mendelssohn’s ‘Elijah’ with the English Hayden Orchestra on period instruments.  This performance will capture a time in 1846 when the then newly formed BFCS participated in the ‘Elijah’ premier in the Town Hall, and then again in 1847 with Mendelssohn himself conducting.  Being hailed by BFCS as the highlight of their 2007/8 concert season, tickets are priced at £6.50, £10, £16.50 & £20. 

Open Mic for Women

L.I.M.E - Yelitza & Friends (Ladies Institute for Music & Entertainment) invites all female artists to take control, share their music, and come and be part of this open mic night held once a month at Café One, Five Ways, Birmingham.  For more information please visit myspace.com/yelitzauk

From the end of March 2008 the ArtsFest website will feature a ‘What’s On’ calendar of events.  Updated monthly, the calendar will be a hub of information where people will be able to go to get details of all of the events taking place over the forthcoming months involving ArtsFest artists.

Volunteers are key to ArtsFest’s success and with a core team of just 2 staff members, it is safe to say that without volunteers, the festival would not happen! Volunteering (for what we can only describe as a truly unique event!) is open to anyone over 18 years of age who lives, works or studies in the West Midlands.  There are numerous exciting opportunities available, with flexibility as to the level of commitment required.    Volunteering for ArtsFest is a great way to learn new skills, meet interesting people and be inspired.  If you have spare time and would like to get involved with helping to promote the best of the West Midland’s creative talent then please log onto artsfest.org.uk/volunteers where you will find a short application to complete and submit online.

We look forward to receiving your application.

ArtsFest 2008 will take place from Friday 12^{th to} Sunday 14^th September.  It will feature the regular mix of performances, workshops, exhibitions, screenings and talks by professional, community, student, amateur & voluntary organisations, groups and individuals for which ArtsFest is known and loved.

The 2008 application procedure opened on 7^th January and to our delight we have been receiving record numbers of applications each week.  However, if you are intending to submit an application and have not yet done so, or know of somebody else that is intending to do so, then it is time to get your skates on!!  With the application deadline now just 2 weeks away on Friday 28th March, there is not long to go!

… However, it really couldn’t be easier to apply for ArtsFest this year when all that you need to do is visit the website (artsfest.org.uk), select the link ‘Apply for ArtsFest’ and complete and submit your application form online. 

(If for any reason you are unable to access the internet please call us on 0121 464 5678 to request a paper version of the form.  However, handling paper versions significantly increases the time taken to process the form and so we urge that where at all possible the form is completed electronically.  Please do remember that computers are available for public use in all community libraries across Birmingham.) 

Just a quick note to let you know that the ArtsFest team have moved premises and are now based in a lovely new office within The House of Sport (the old Registry Office), 300 Broad Street, Birmingham, B1 2DR.