Creative Midlands Articles

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• Film northants abington street freeze stunt
• Birmingham Opera Company marks silver jubilee with new opera
• Birmingham museums trust appoints first director
• New six part drama brings BBC to Birmingham's Business District
• <br><br>This post has been generated by Page2RSS
• Happy birthday a-n Jobs & opps! http://t.co/5PuZoX2S Celebrating four years since the launch: http://t.co/8KIzRwOh
• artsdevuk: New website post: : Arts Development UK Local Authority Arts Spending Survey http://t.co/DPWrYnA8
• artsdevuk: New website post: : AD:uk Yorkshire & Humberside Regional meeting http://t.co/7AytUong
• Turning Point West Midlands wins Arts Council grant
• Four successful applicants in West Midlands for innovative digital arts service announced
• The Space - succesful applicants announced
• Writing West Midlands win funding for library project
• voluntaryarts: RT @robinsimpson: Interviewing Nick Capaldi, Arts Council of Wales CEO, on http://t.co/mqhLtGFM at 2pm on 8 March: what should I ask him?
• Find out more about Photography graduate, Dave Baird, and his NME Music Photogra...

Film northants abington street freeze stunt Posted: 29 Feb 2012 04:26 AM PST Film northants abington street freeze stunt To promote the FilmNorthants.co.uk film festival they organised a freeze frame stunt on Abington street. Whilst thjere we got to speak with Lily Canter who tld us more about the festival and how we can all get involved making our own films. From: TVNorthants Views: 0 0 ratings Time: 01:39 More in People & Blogs

Birmingham Opera Company marks silver jubilee with new opera Posted: 09 Feb 2012 05:09 AM PST Birmingham Opera Company Presents Life is a Dream by Jonathan Dove with writer Alasdair Middleton Directed by Graham Vick Conducted by William Lacey World Premiere: Wednesday 21st March 2012, 7 performances between 21st – 31st March 2012 2012 marks 25 years of creating innovative, internationally acclaimed opera productions for Graham Vick and the award-winning Birmingham Opera Company. Graham Vick, who yesterday, 7th February 2012, received an honorary degree from Birmingham City University recently unveiled his latest project, a brand new opera, Life is a Dream which will have its world premiere in the city on 21st March 2012 at the Argyle Works, Digbeth, with seven performances between 21st – 31st March 2012 (www.birminghamopera.org.uk) Life is a Dream, based on the famous Spanish play by 17th century playwright Caldéron de la Barca has been commissioned from leading British composer Jonathan Dove with writer Alasdair Middleton. Directed by Graham Vick, it will feature an international cast headed by American baritone Eric Greene in his UK debut, with returning cast member acclaimed British tenor Paul Nilon and tenor Joseph Guyton who was recently voted third in the German X Factor final. They will be supported by a vast chorus and acting company drawn from the local community in the West Midlands. In what is heralded globally as a unique approach to opera, Birmingham Opera Company engages around 200 people of different ages, faiths, cultures, education, social background and professions for each production. From vicars to venture capitalists and hip hop performers to HR managers, the Birmingham Opera Company chorus members, many of whom have never sung or performed before, come together for an intensive timetable of regular rehearsals and workshops in the weeks leading up to the performances, resulting in ground-breaking productions that consistently achieve critical acclaim and are often credited with 'changing lives' for those participating in them.   As usual, all of Birmingham's a stage for Birmingham Opera Company with the striking temporary conjuring of a warehouse, ice rink or disused Birmingham building into a glamorous one-off set. Life Is a Dream will be no exception with a site-specific production designed by Samal Blak who was behind 2009's dramatic transformation of the Digbeth former factory for the company's globally acclaimed production of Othello which was broadcast by BBC2 in February 2011. Life is a Dream tells the story of a royal son Segismund imprisoned from birth by his father King Basil. The King who predicts the future and reads the stars has prophesied that his son will kill him and wreak havoc on his kingdom. When Segismund's mother dies in childbirth King Basil locks his son away to never see the light of day, forever to be punished for crimes he has not yet committed. Years later King Basil gives Segismund the chance to prove his father wrong. For one day only, Segismund is to sit on the throne. If Life is a Dream perhaps Segismund can make his own ending. Against all the odds and everyone's fears, perhaps he can make good.... Two years in the making this new opera has been developed with input from a group of Birmingham volunteers who have formed a unique sounding board for the creators. Jean Nicholson, General Manager of Birmingham Opera Company said: "In our Jubilee year, we are delighted to be collaborating once again with Jonathan Dove, one of the UK's leading classical composers. Jonathan's relationship with the company goes back to the company's infancy when he worked with the City of Birmingham Touring Opera. To welcome him back with this exciting new production and a world premiere for Birmingham is a fitting celebration to mark twenty five years of Birmingham Opera Company". Cast Segismundo    Eric Greene (baritone) King Basil    Paul Nilon (tenor) Clotaldo     Keel Watson (bass) Rosauro    Wendy Dawn Thompson (mezzo soprano) Estella        Donna Bateman (soprano) Astolfo        Joseph Guyton (tenor) Production Designer: Samal Blak Chorus Master: Jonathan Laird Choreographer: Ron Howell For further information visit www.birminghamopera.org.uk

Birmingham museums trust appoints first director Posted: 16 Feb 2012 04:19 AM PST Professor Ann Sumner has been named as the first Director of Birmingham Museums Trust. Currently Director at the University of Birmingham based Barber Institute of Fine Arts, Professor Sumner will take charge of the new body responsible for running Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery and Thinktank. She will start work with the new Trust from its inception in April and will assume her new role on a full-time basis from 1 May. Professor Sumner said: 'I am enormously honoured to have been appointed to this exciting new role. The high quality and diversity of the collections which will be managed by the new Trust are outstanding, and hugely popular with the people of Birmingham, the West Midlands and beyond. 'I have had a wonderful four and a half years working at the Barber Institute at the University of Birmingham and I am now relishing an exciting new opportunity. 'This is a key moment for the city and the wider region, and I look forward to working with the Trust team and building on their recent successes.' Professor Sumner studied History of Art at the Courtauld Institute, University of London, and undertook her PhD in History at Newnham College, University of Cambridge. She began her career at the National Portrait Gallery, London and has held curatorial positions at the Whitworth Art Gallery, University of Manchester, Dulwich Picture Gallery, Harewood House Trust, and the Holburne Museum, Bath. Prior to her appointment to the Barber Institute in October 2007, she had been Head of Fine Art at Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales, for seven years. Professor Sumner's specialist areas of interest are 17th-century British portraits and miniatures, French Impressionist painting, including the art of Alfred Sisley, Pre-Raphaelite artists, especially John Brett, and the art of Wales, being an expert on the paintings of Thomas Jones, pupil of Richard Wilson. She also has experience in country house management and has a long term interest in the social history of lawn tennis. Professor Sumner is on the steering group for the National Gallery's Advisory Committee for Research on European Paintings, is a member of the curatorial and academic committee of Ironbridge Gorge Museums, sits on the Museum and Gallery Committee for Aberystwyth School of Art, is on the Committee for the Leverhulme Prize for Art History and is also on the steering group for the proposed lawn tennis museum in Edgbaston. Sandy Nairne, Director of the National Portrait Gallery, London, welcomed the news of Professor Sumner's appointment. He said: 'Ann Sumner has demonstrated great flair and creativity as Director of the Barber Institute and is a fine choice as Director of the new Birmingham Museums Trust.  She will follow on from the excellent achievements of Rita McLean in directing the Birmingham collections in recent years.' Birmingham City Council Cabinet Member for Leisure, Sport and Culture, Cllr Martin Mullaney, said: 'Professor Sumner has a wealth of experience and her appointment comes at a very exciting time for museum services in Birmingham. We're combining the Birmingham City Council Museums and Thinktank Trust into a new single trust that, in visitor numbers, will instantly become one of the world's top 40 museums, attracting more than one million visitors a year.' Hugh Carslake, Chairman of the Henry Barber Trust, which is responsible for the Barber collection, said: 'On behalf of the Henry Barber Trust, I congratulate Ann on her appointment to Birmingham Museums Trust at an absolutely pivotal time for museums and heritage in the city. Ann has led the Barber Institute with professionalism and verve, stepping up the exhibitions programme, increasing visitor numbers and making some very astute and exciting acquisitions. We wish Ann every success in her new role.' Professor Michael Sheppard, Provost and Vice-Principal of the University of Birmingham, said 'The arts are an essential part of life at the University, and are an intrinsic element of our city.  We are delighted that Ann's experience, leading the acclaimed Barber Institute at the University, will now enhance the cultural landscape of the city.  We wish her and the new Birmingham Museums Trust every success.' Professor Michael Whitby, Head of the University's College of Arts and Law: 'On behalf of the University of Birmingham, I would like to congratulate Ann on her challenging new appointment and to thank her for all she has done for the Barber Institute of Fine Arts and the University, especially in terms of raising the profile of the Barber, promoting visitor numbers and through distinctive exhibitions such as the recent, highly successful Court on Canvas: Tennis in Art.' The Barber Institute of Fine Arts looks forward to working with the new Birmingham Museums Trust.

New six part drama brings BBC to Birmingham's Business District Posted: 13 Feb 2012 04:00 PM PST Two distinguished venues in Colmore Business District (CBD) have been used to film a major new drama series for BBC Two set in the 1930s. Dancing On The Edge, written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Stephen Poliakoff, follows a group of black jazz musicians as they find fame within London's upper class society. Filming has taken place in the Ballroom in the former Grand Hotel on Colmore Row and the Banqueting Suite in the Council House on Victoria Square. The venues were used as the setting for the ballroom and the lobby of the hotel in which the band performs. The six-part series, which is set to broadcast at the end of the year, stars Chiwetel Ejiofor (Children of Men, The Shadow Line), Matthew Goode (Watchmen, A Single Man) and Jacqueline Bisset (Bullitt, The Deep). The drama is being filmed in Birmingham and London over 16 weeks. CBD's Executive Director, Michele Wilby said   "CBD has many beautiful buildings and venues; it's great to see that the Ballroom and Banqueting Suite in the business district have been used as key settings for this major new production." Nicky Kentish Barnes, producer for Dancing On The Edge, commented,   "The sheer size of the Ballroom and the architecture of the civic building have given the film the scale and grandeur that would be unattainable elsewhere."   CBD has also recently featured prominently in another BBC drama series, Hustle.

<br><br>This post has been generated by Page2RSS Posted: 01 Mar 2012 04:51 PM PST This post has been generated by Page2RSS

Happy birthday a-n Jobs & opps! http://t.co/5PuZoX2S Celebrating four years since the launch: http://t.co/8KIzRwOh Posted: 01 Mar 2012 08:36 AM PST Happy birthday a-n Jobs & opps! http://t.co/5PuZoX2S Celebrating four years since the launch: http://t.co/8KIzRwOh

artsdevuk: New website post: : Arts Development UK Local Authority Arts Spending Survey http://t.co/DPWrYnA8 Posted: 01 Mar 2012 09:18 AM PST artsdevuk: New website post: : Arts Development UK Local Authority Arts Spending Survey http://t.co/DPWrYnA8

artsdevuk: New website post: : AD:uk Yorkshire & Humberside Regional meeting http://t.co/7AytUong Posted: 01 Mar 2012 09:16 AM PST artsdevuk: New website post: : AD:uk Yorkshire & Humberside Regional meeting http://t.co/7AytUong

Turning Point West Midlands wins Arts Council grant Posted: 01 Mar 2012 07:24 AM PST Turning Point West Midlands (TPWM), the network that works to strengthen the visual arts in the West Midlands, has been awarded a grant from Arts Council England to deliver TPWM Projects over the next two years.   Turning Point West Midlands (TPWM), the network that works to strengthen the visual arts in the West Midlands, has been awarded a grant from Arts Council England to deliver TPWM Projects over the next two years. The network has been awarded £220,000 National Lottery funding by Arts Council England through its Grants for the arts scheme. This major award, the first of its scale for the TP network in England, will be channelled to deliver TPWM projects including a number of artist residences and writing bursaries to promote new thinking and ideas, and engage with new audiences.  TPWM will work with partner organisations, groups and individuals to deliver a new model of professional development for artists, and run a series of events to initiate new conversations and critical debate about the visual arts. Professor John Butler, Head of the School of Art at Birmingham City University and Chair of TPWM, said: "We are delighted to have received this investment which will be used to strengthen infrastructure in the visual arts, create more opportunities for artists, address gaps and campaign for growth and change."  Kate Pryor-Williams, Relationship Manager (Visual Arts) for Arts Council England in the West Midlands, comments: "This award will allow Turning Point West Midlands to continue the great work it has been doing uniting and working to strengthen the visual arts sector in the region. We look forward to seeing the future opportunities for artists and exciting projects that will result from this grant. The West Midlands contains a wealth of artistic talent and this needs to be profiled and celebrated more widely" In addition to delivering new projects, TPWM will continue its work in nurturing new talent and supporting artists across the region, their placement and promotion on a national and international scale, and its role as an advocate for the visual arts in the West Midlands. To mark the investment announcement, TPWM has launched a campaign to encourage people to Love the Visual Arts. For further details about TPWM visit www.tpwestmidlands.org.uk or find TPWM on Twitter @TPWestMidlands and Facebook - Turning Point West Midlands.

Four successful applicants in West Midlands for innovative digital arts service announced Posted: 01 Mar 2012 06:42 AM PST Arts Council England and the BBC have announced the 53 successful applicants who will be creating hundreds of hours of original commissions for The Space.   Arts Council England and the BBC have announced the 53 successful applicants who will be creating hundreds of hours of original commissions for The Space. The four West Midlands successful applicants are:  Birmingham Opera Company; DanceXchange, Birmingham; Royal Shakespeare Company; Multistory (West Bromwich) This new experimental service, managed by Arts Council England and developed in partnership with the BBC, will launch in May and run till October this year. It will give organisations the opportunity to experiment and engage with new and existing audiences in a completely new and innovative digital environment. The project is designed to build the digital skills and capability of the arts and cultural sector - currently only about four per cent of the hundreds of organisations funded by Arts Council England are creating and producing high quality digital content for a variety of platforms. The Arts Council is committing up to £3.5 million to The Space from its recently created £20 million digital innovation fund, with 'in principle' grants ranging from £15,000 to £185,000. The BBC is contributing to the partnership by developing the technological solutions and by providing ongoing support through mentoring, production, training and skills development, helping the UK's arts and cultural sector to make the most of the new and emerging digital opportunities. The West Midlands projects are: Birmingham Opera Company - A multi-media live performance of Stockhausen's Helicopter String Quartet, one of the greatest and most ambitious experimental music experiences of modern times. DanceXchange, Birmingham - A 30-minute film in ten episodes which will capture the creation and performance of Spill - an inventive new site-specific dance commission made for children and families.  It will explore and adapt to different playground settings across the West Midlands.  Royal Shakespeare Company -  WSF-TV - a unique five minute weekly insight into the making of the World Shakespeare Festival, which is also part of the Cultural Olympiad.  It will capture the story of the festival and reflect the creative process of an unprecedented collaboration between over 50 arts organisations, thousands of artists, plus students, teachers and amateur theatre makers from across the world.  Multistory - A still image slideshow with accompanying audio from their Black Country Stories programme which is a major portrait gallery and archive about local life. It will also include new material. Chief Executive of Arts Council England, Alan Davey, said:  "The Space is one of our most significant interventions of recent years and I'm delighted to be able to announce such exciting and imaginative contributions from artists and organisations." Ros Robins, Arts Council England West Midlands Director, said: "The four successful applicants in our region represent the breadth and diversity of the arts in the West Midlands.  The projects are exciting and innovative, and will be accessible to huge audiences through digital technology." For more information visit  http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/news/arts-council-news/successful-applicants-space-announced/

The Space - succesful applicants announced Posted: 01 Mar 2012 06:29 AM PST Arts Council England and the BBC have announced the 53 successful applicants who will be creating hundreds of hours of original commissions for The Space.   Arts Council England and the BBC have announced the 53 successful applicants who will be creating hundreds of hours of original commissions for The Space. The four West Midlands successful applicants are:  Birmingham Opera Company; DanceXchange, Birmingham; Royal Shakespeare Company; Multistory (West Bromwich) This new experimental service, managed by Arts Council England and developed in partnership with the BBC, will launch in May and run till October this year. It will give organisations the opportunity to experiment and engage with new and existing audiences in a completely new and innovative digital environment. The project is designed to build the digital skills and capability of the arts and cultural sector - currently only about four per cent of the hundreds of organisations funded by Arts Council England are creating and producing high quality digital content for a variety of platforms. The Arts Council is committing up to £3.5 million to The Space from its recently created £20 million digital innovation fund, with 'in principle' grants ranging from £15,000 to £185,000. The BBC is contributing to the partnership by developing the technological solutions and by providing ongoing support through mentoring, production, training and skills development, helping the UK's arts and cultural sector to make the most of the new and emerging digital opportunities. The West Midlands projects are: Birmingham Opera Company - A multi-media live performance of Stockhausen's Helicopter String Quartet, one of the greatest and most ambitious experimental music experiences of modern times. DanceXchange, Birmingham - A 30-minute film in ten episodes which will capture the creation and performance of Spill - an inventive new site-specific dance commission made for children and families.  It will explore and adapt to different playground settings across the West Midlands.  Royal Shakespeare Company -  WSF-TV - a unique five minute weekly insight into the making of the World Shakespeare Festival, which is also part of the Cultural Olympiad.  It will capture the story of the festival and reflect the creative process of an unprecedented collaboration between over 50 arts organisations, thousands of artists, plus students, teachers and amateur theatre makers from across the world.  Multistory - A still image slideshow with accompanying audio from their Black Country Stories programme which is a major portrait gallery and archive about local life. It will also include new material. Chief Executive of Arts Council England, Alan Davey, said:  "The Space is one of our most significant interventions of recent years and I'm delighted to be able to announce such exciting and imaginative contributions from artists and organisations." Ros Robins, Arts Council England West Midlands Director, said: "The four successful applicants in our region represent the breadth and diversity of the arts in the West Midlands.  The projects are exciting and innovative, and will be accessible to huge audiences through digital technology." For more information visit http://www.artscouncil.org.uk/news/arts-council-news/successful-applicants-space-announced/

Writing West Midlands win funding for library project Posted: 01 Mar 2012 06:24 AM PST Arts Council England and the Local Government Association have awarded £230,000 to fund 13 library projects through the Libraries Development Initiative (LDI). Writing West Midlands (WWM) is a successful applicant. Arts Council England and the Local Government Association have awarded £230,000 to fund 13 library projects through the Libraries Development Initiative (LDI). Writing West Midlands (WWM) is a successful applicant. WWM is a literature development agency for the region that exists to develop engagement with literature across the region. They will partner with the West Midlands Readers' Network and the Independent Publishers' Network to pilot a programme of integration between libraries and publishers in the region. By providing the partner libraries in seven local authorities with a range of free resources, including book stock, marketing materials and access to authors, the project will develop strong links between libraries and library users and create lasting relationships from which both groups can benefit. Jonathan Davison, Chief Executive of WWM, said: 'We are delighted to be in partnership with the West Midlands Readers' Network and the Independent Publishers' Network (West Midlands) to pilot a programme of integration between libraries and publishers in the region. 'We hope that this will encourage readers to get involved in the programming of creative events for their local libraries involving high quality literary writers from the region and that there will be stronger links between the public library sector and writing industry professionals.' For more information click here

voluntaryarts: RT @robinsimpson: Interviewing Nick Capaldi, Arts Council of Wales CEO, on http://t.co/mqhLtGFM at 2pm on 8 March: what should I ask him? Posted: 01 Mar 2012 01:54 AM PST voluntaryarts: RT @robinsimpson: Interviewing Nick Capaldi, Arts Council of Wales CEO, on http://t.co/mqhLtGFM at 2pm on 8 March: what should I ask him?

Find out more about Photography graduate, Dave Baird, and his NME Music Photogra... Posted: 01 Mar 2012 02:37 AM PST Find out more about Photography graduate, Dave Baird, and his NME Music Photography award! Latest news - Art and Design - Nottingham Trent University www.ntu.ac.uk BA Photography graduate , David Baird, has scooped a national prize with leading music magazine the NME. David, a freelance photographer, submitted five photographs that were judged by a panel of picture editors and NME photographers.

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