March 6th, 2010 §
Underneath Eastside’s arches you’ll find a whole host of organisations making and presenting film, music, visual arts, digital media, craft, literature, and photography – and some great pubs and cafes too. We Are Eastside is a guide to some of these hidden treasures.
We are Eastside is made up of;
7 INCH CINEMA – BIRMINGHAM JAZZ – CAPSULE – CRAFTSPACE – THE CUSTARD FACTORY – EASTSIDE PROJECTS – GRAND UNION – IKON EASTSIDE – PROJECT PIGEON (Photo featured above) – PUNCH – RHUBARB RHUBARB – THE EDGE – TINDAL STREET PRESS – THE LOMBARD METHOD – VIVID – VRU
A couple of exciting developments in the We are Eastside camp in Digbeth, Birmingham is the addition of a new photographic gallery space called Rhubarb East Gallery situated in the Rhubarb Building and a performance by Japanese artist Atsuhiro Ito.
Vivid and Capsule are combining forces to present Atsuhiro Ito. Atsuhiro uses a fluorescent light with pick up mics attached, and alters the voltage applied to tubes causing the lights to flicker. Microphones pick up electromagnetic noise perfectly synchronised with the flickering lights in a light/noise/electric eye festival at only a fiver it is well worth a look next week on Wednesday 10th March 2010, more information can be found here.
February 14th, 2010 §
6 February – 23 May / Waterhall Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
Since the mid-1960s Bridget Riley has been celebrated for her distinctive, optically vibrant paintings that actively engage the viewer’s sensations and perceptions.
The exhibition is a first in a new series of solo artist’s exhibitions from the Arts Council Collection; it includes the iconic Movement in Squares (1962), which Riley credits as the beginning of her breakthrough into abstraction.
The exhibition also includes paintings and over 30 works on paper from the artist’s own collection that have never been exhibited before.
A Hayward Touring Exhibition from Southbank Centre
Admission Free
January 13th, 2010 §
The project is aimed at diverse young people aged 16 -19 from inner city Birmingham (some of whom are not in education, employment and training) but who have some interest/ability in the arts. The project will focus on ideas of guerrilla craft, DIY Craft and Craftivism – with a view to developing a young people led craft collective which will then organise a series of interventions throughout the city.
More info here.
December 17th, 2009 §
Here is a collection of alternative Christmas gifts available from creative folks in and around Birmingham. Firstly a Christmas type mix of records from me. Feel free to wang this mix on whilst wrapping your presents or mulling your pies… enjoy!
At the top of the page we have the infamous Spinwell Bobble Beanie – which had almost sold out from this Birmingham based cycle blog, before the delivery had even arrived. Thankfully some are still available and now in stock ready for Christmas, very reasonably priced at £15 a pop. You will look hot when you are cold.
Spinwell Projects No.1 will be the Spinwell Bobble Beanie. Limited to 30 pieces and available in two colour options – Red/Grey/White and Grey/Red/White ( unfortunately not the colour pictured, this is my special sample! ).
Current State is the work of Birmingham based designer and illustrator Jane Anderson. Current State do lovely bold prints and are often feature in Fused Magazine. You can purchase postcards and Eco bags from Studio 4 Gallery aka The Framers along with a whole bunch of other stylish prints, postcards, bags and stickers from other artists and designers. Picture of Current State’s Eco Bag below - online shop and information here.
Mouldy Loaf is an independent company and brand which stocks the best in men’s and women’s wares. We have created an innovative and alternative brand which provides a great change to mainstream, high street fashion.
I say amen to that! Mouldy Loaf also run We Create* in Oasis Market. To go peep their wares just head down to the Custard Factory or look online here.
From mouldy bread to tasty and mouldy (if you so please) cheese! I love cheese and I love this shop! Newly opened in Kings Heath with a tasty collection of cheese, deli goodies and chutneys.
Capeling and Co is a specialist cheese shop and delicatessen on York Road, Kings Heath. We sell a large range of artisan cheeses, charcuterie, olives, antipasti, chutneys, vinegars, oils and lots more!
You can find out more here and become a fan on facebook. Support your local independent cheese retailer!
Merry Christmas!
Best Believe xx
November 13th, 2009 §
Pioneering typographer, sleeve designer and artist Swifty will be setting up shop at the Sauce Gallery in Birmingham’s Custard Factory from Saturday 12th December. Everything from originals and one off prints to T-shirts, skateboards and stickers will be for sale in The Swifty Pop Shop.
The Pop Shop, which is being brought to Birmingham by Sauce Gallery and Punch Records, will feature Swifty’s Newsagents installation. This life size shop front was partly inspired by Peter Blake’s ‘Toy Shop’ and the artist’s fond memories of a local village newsagent in Lancashire. The Shop will also be home to the A-Z of Swifty Show, including pieces based around everything from Action Man to Zebedee from the Magic Roundabout.
The Pop Shop is the latest branch of Swifty’s expansive career. Having studied design at Manchester Polytechnic, at the age of 21 he trained under Neville Brody at The Face magazine. His work at The Face and later led him to be recognised as one of the top new talents in the specialist world of typography.
In 1989 he joined the team at Straight No Chaser, a publication aimed at the jazz, jive and soul community. As art editor he drove the creative style that went on to embody the magazine as a whole. At the same time he established his own font company, Swifty Typograpfix, and spread himself between the magazine and producing fonts, record sleeves, club flyer designs and many other sidelines. Swifty dominated the scene, being the designer of choice for nearly every acid jazz label.
Punch Director Ammo Talwar said:
“Swifty is a design legend whose work cuts across all typography boundaries. Bringing the Pop Shop to Birmingham is a real scoop for the city, and will give visitors a rare opportunity to see many of Swifty’s personal projects first hand.”
The Pop Shop will be open to the public at the Sauce Gallery, 5 The Custard Factory, Gibb Street, Digbeth from 11th December to 10th January 2009. For more information visit www.punch-records.co.uk
November 12th, 2009 §
Whilst rummaging on tinterweb I came across this gorgeous blog, by the name of Coral Stars, written by the lovely Leah from Birmingham.
Here she talks to Best Believe about her aspirations and gives us an insight into the world of Coral Stars.
My aim in blogging is to document my inspirations and thoughts within the realm of fashion, diy + art. Coral Stars lives to serve as a place for my witterings, creative experiments and other things of that ilk.
Hello, hello! I’m Leah – an 18 year old currently living in Birmingham, I like fashion, sewing, knitting, drawing, writing, photography and generally dabbling in creative endeavors.
My blog, Coral Stars, would best be classed as a fashion blog. It’s my second blog, so I’ve actually been blogging since 2006. The focus on this blog is more diy, personal style and independent craft. I have a slight leaning toward vintage fashion, mostly because I view fashion as cyclical – but am not wholly opposed to mainstream fashion!
I started reading blogs as a way to keep up with the happenings in the fashion world and started blogging to keep a record of my thoughts, creations, obsessions and so forth. I’ve wanted to be a designer for a long time now, so this may explain why a little better!
I like sewing, knitting, generally making stuff, drawing, “thrifting” (to take the american word), music (like most), reading books, writing/blogging, photography (or at least, ‘taking pictures’), learning stuff about history, visiting galleries/museums… and a whole lot more.
Take a peep at
Coral Stars and wang them in your RSS – lovely, lovely stuff.
November 5th, 2009 §
Inclusion Inspires – music making a difference a free conference delivered by MusicLeader West Midlands, Youth Music and Symphony Hall on Monday 16th November.
For teachers and musicians leading music with young people who have special needs, physical and learning disabilities.
Learn about the best techniques and technologies, share skills and stories and try out the Patrick Music and Multimedia Studio and its equipment. For anyone working with music in school, mainstream or special, youth clubs, health settings, support groups.
This event is free to attend.
For further information contact 0121 236 7978 or west-midlands@musicleader.net
Visit this site for more information…
November 2nd, 2009 §
Grand Union is a new artist-led initiative that supports the development of artists and curators within Birmingham. It aims to establish and nurture dialogue between contemporary visual artists and facilitate links between local, national and international art organisations.
On Friday 6th November at Fazeley Studios in Digbeths, Grand Union will host an artists’ publishing fair (12pm – 9pm), including stall holders such as Via Vaudeville, Ellie Harrison, Milk Two Sugars, Public Works, BAZ, Serena Korda, Caitlin Griffiths, Pest Publications, 4hb, [insertspace], Leisure Centre and a performance by The Artists’ Association of Autonomous Book Arts & Magazines (A.A.A.B.A.M.).
A.A.A.B.A.M. representative Calum F. Kerr will present A.A.A.B.A.M. RESTORED: That Was 2004. This Is Now. He’ll be wearing The Book Coat, a portable garment containing over 50 individual artist books.
Performance times Friday 6th November, 2-5pm and 6-9pm.
For more info check here.
Grand Union will celebrate their opening with a new publication, with contributions from group members Helen Brown, Ian England, Mark Essen, Cheryl Jones, Karin Kihlberg & Reuben Henry, Charlie Levine, Alex Lockett, David Miller, Harminder Singh Judge, Joanna Spencer, Matt Westbrook, and Stuart Whipps.
The publication will be available at Grand Union, alongside a reading room full of artists’ books’ and independent publishing.
Grand Union is a not-for-profit organisation supported by the Arts Council and Birmingham City Council.
October 24th, 2009 §
The Bodies Revealed Exhibition opens next week at the Custard Factory and features real life dead bodies, if you know what I mean, like proper dead human beings. Tickets are from £10, details below.
BODIES REVEALED the incredible exhibition about the amazing and complex machine we call the human body. Using real human specimens, painstakingly prepared and respectfully displayed, BODIES REVEALED lets visitors of all ages explore deep within the human body.
BODIES REVEALED demonstrates how our bodies work, what we need to survive, what destroys us and what revives us. BODIES REVEALED is a celebration of the human body, inviting you to become a more informed participant in your own wellbeing. The exhibition takes visitors through galleries providing an up-close and personal look inside the skeletal, muscular, reproductive, respiratory and circulatory systems of the human body.
The remarkable exhibition is both fascinating and educational having been used as a teaching aid within the medical profession in cities such as New York, Las Vegas, Dublin, Vienna and Athens. The BODIES REVEALED exhibition promises the unique opportunity to enlighten, empower, fascinate, and inspire all its visitors.
September 21st, 2009 §
I have been to a few things this year that have been sponsored by Tiger beer. Most noticeably Jibbering Art’s ‘Line Steppers’ exhibition in May. So if you are having a preview, exhibition, event or opening and you are looking for drinks sponsorship it is worth taking a peek at Tiger. Be aware that there is a three month lead in period and you should be prepared to sell your event in ‘branding’ terms, but if it gets you free beer then I say..dive in! Check here for all the details.
