Script, in association with Outside Centre, presents an in-depth Introduction to Screenwriting Course to provide training for disabled writers to create their own stories for the big screen. Tutors are experienced film-makers and teachers specifically trained by Phil Parker to deliver this course. Using team workshops, lectures and discussion groups, the course explores stages of development, script format, genre and how to get your script made into a film. The course lasts four days spread over a number of weeks offering a valuable opportunity for feedback on your own screenplay, with opportunities for rewrites in between sessions. Suitable for beginners. 16+

For more information about the course, please visit www.scriptonline.net or email info@scriptonline.net

Script offers dramatic writers advice, mentoring, workshops, courses and

development via industry-led partnerships. Outside Centre is a disability-led organisation whose main objective is “To Advance Disability in Society”.

Script Unit 107, The Greenhouse, The Custard

Factory, Gibb Street, Birmingham, B9 4AA

Tel: 0121 224 7415

The course will run at: Light House, Wolverhampton

8, 9, 22, 29 November 2008 (10am-5pm)

Tel: 01902 716055

www.light-house.co.uk

Cost: £90 (£60 concessions)

In order to ensure that the Company continues to engage with a diverse range of the city’s population, Birmingham Royal Ballet has invited many local community groups to attend the performance, entitled Proud to be in Birmingham, free of charge. Local school children, teachers, Housing Associations, Birmingham City Council Youth Services, participants on The Big Picture Project and local charities have all been invited alongside representatives from those communities who traditionally do not attend ballet.

Christopher Barron, Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Chief Executive said:

“Birmingham Royal Ballet has been based in the city for nearly 20 years and during that time the Company has enjoyed the support of local government, businesses and people. However, there are many in the city who may not know about us or what we do, or have never thought about coming to watch us perform. The Proud to be in Birmingham event is a fantastic opportunity for us to show people exactly what we are about.”

It is hoped that the evening will create a market place for its work amongst as wide and varied audience as possible to demonstrate that ballet is an art form for all to enjoy and that the Company is accessible to all parts of the population.

Russian Steps consists of three short ballets by some of the greatest Russian composers and highlights the versatility of Birmingham Royal Ballet’s dancers.

For further information please contact:

Angela Hughes on 0121 245 3549; AngelaHughes@brb.org.uk
Simon Harper on 0121 245 3562; SimonHarper@brb.org.uk

Cultural Diversity in Broadcast Journalism Conference

Moving forward the cultural diversity debate in Broadcast Journalism and dealing with difference.

10am – 4pm
Friday 14th November 2008
Birmingham City University School of Jewellery

Does your organisation need to take action on cultural diversity?

Do you want to know the secrets of finding diverse talent?

Do you ever wonder about the best ways of inspiring young journalistic minds?

Broadcasters have been committed to recruiting their journalists from more ethnically diverse backgrounds for two decades. That commitment has been backed up with a range of schemes and support packages but the Broadcast Journalism Training Council described cultural diversity as ‘journalism’s big problem’.
 
Much has been said and written on this issue Bridging The Gap aims to go further, looking at what works and what doesn’t when it comes to getting young people into broadcast journalism, ensuring they succeed once they’re in, living with difference and allowing difference to be reflected in the output.

This event will be hosted by Birmingham School of Media.

++++++++++++

Bridging The Gap
2008
Programme

Robin Elias, Managing Editor of ITV News and a leading figure in the Cultural Diversity Network, will open the event with a presentation including relevant news footage.

Jim Latham, Secretary of the Broadcast Journalism Training Council, will speak about his research into the ‘big problem’ of how the industry deals with issues of diversity.

Dr. Chris Allen, Director of Research & Policy at b:rap the equality development agency, will explore why recruiting a diverse workforce does not always ensure equality.

Workshop topics will examine:
 what works when it comes to recruiting diverse talent
 what influences young people’s career choices
 how to deepen the pool from which talent can be drawn
 how to support BME journalists once they’re in the job
 how to help staff deal with difference

Workshop leaders will include Claire Prosser, Director of the BBC’s Journalist Trainee Scheme, Birmingham educationist Dr. Helen Rudeforth and London-based television reporter Evadney Campbell.

For all enquiries please contact Lauren Davies on 0121 204 9883 or email lauren.davies@bcu.ac.uk.

Delegate Fees:
Industry organisations / Education - £130 + VAT (early bird rate £104 + vat)

   Not for profit / Charity - £80 + VAT (early bird rate £64 + vat)

Early bird discount: 20% off all bookings made by 17th October 2008

For updates on programme details please visit www.mediaskills.org.uk.

+++++++++++++++++++++

Bridging The Gap
2008

Who should attend

Anyone connected with broadcast news, with educating and training journalists, working with young people, recruitment and careers advice will have something to contribute and something to learn from the day.

Bridging The Gap will be an important forum for ideas on how we can move the diversity debate forward.

International Food and Drink Art Fest

Friday 10 October 7pm start

A networking event for contemporary visual artists in the Worcester area (we’re not the postcode police, all are welcome from West Midlands if you have a vested interest in the Worcester area). Artists only please. Organised by Rachael Griffiths.

BYO – Choose a country from anywhere in the world and Bring Your Own international speciality, be it food or drink to share and enjoy.

Join us, chew the art fat.

Come to the PITT/WR1 1PR – 62 Chestnut Walk, Worcester. For directions look at the contact page at www.pittstudio.com  01905 616660

‘Chasing Fate’ is an exciting and contemporary new musical that explores the relationships, trials and dreams of a group of teenagers caught up in ambiguities of inner city street life.  Drawing upon the real life experiences of the young cast, it follows a teenager called Sam who must choose between friends, family and the temptations of his local gang.  The production is the latest project from Leaps & Bounds, the organisation behind the enormously successful ‘Ballet Hoo!’ which was screened on Channel 4 in 2006.

 The Channel 4 series put the lives of a group of vulnerable young people, whose hardships ranged from homelessness, domestic violence and child abuse to learning disabilities and health issues, under the microscope as they went through an 18 month programme of personal development and classical ballet.  This culminated in a full scale ballet performance of Romeo and Juliet by the ‘Ballet Hoo!’ company together with professional dancers from Birmingham Royal Ballet. 

Working in partnership with Birmingham Hippodrome Leaps & Bounds has created a production company specifically for ‘Chasing Fate’. The company includes:  Artistic Director Christopher Key who has worked on West End musicals Avenue Q and Les Miserables; writer James Hall who has worked on popular TV dramas such as The Bill and Eastenders; vocal coach Wayne Ellington who worked on BBC1’s ‘Last Choir Standing’ and set designer Phil Eddolls, who has most recently been working on set designs for Placido Domingo's performance at the Met in New York.  Words and music are provided by Douglas Whyte who is one of the UK’s premier pianists and a former musical director of Pop Idol.

The show includes a small professional cast featuring David Bedella (Holby City’s Dr. Carlos Fashola) as Maxwell Fortune, but the main focus of the production will be on the 70-plus talented local cast from all over the West Midlands.   Theatre-goers may also recognise David Bedella from his performances as ‘Frank ‘N’ Furter in ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ in 2006/7 and as Satan in the controversial ‘Jerry Springer: The Opera’ for which he won a Laurence Olivier Award in 2004.  Bedella’s big screen credits also include ‘Batman Begins’ and ‘Alexander’.

Michelle Bould, co-producer and project manager of ‘Chasing Fate’ who joined Leaps & Bounds as a youth co-ordinator for ‘Ballet Hoo!’ said: “Chasing Fate is not only a fantastically entertaining show but because it is created through the Leaps & Bounds project it’s real ambition is the difference it makes to young people’s lives.  They embark upon a journey of tremendous personal development throughout the making of the show and are rewarded at the end not only with a great performance but with a nationally recognised BTEC qualification in Performing Arts.”

Stuart Griffiths, Director of the Birmingham Hippodrome, said: “We are thrilled to welcome back Leaps & Bounds with ‘Chasing Fate’.   This inspirational and professional company brought us a packed house and rave reviews with ‘Ballet Hoo!’ and I am confident that we can look forward to another electric performance next month.”

‘Chasing Fate’ comes to the Birmingham Hippodrome with three performances to choose from on October 17th (7.30pm) and 18th (2.30pm and 7.30pm)  Tickets are £10 - £15 and are available from www.birminghamhippodrome.com or call 0844 3385000 (calls cost from 5p per minute.)

Saturday 11 October 2008, 11am-4pm

Join us at the gallery to sample creative workshops, holistic therapies,
health checks and receive support and advice from mental health services
in Walsall, including information stalls, Wellbeing walks, laughter therapy,
art workshops, health checks, holistic therapies, mendhi, face painting and
much more. All activities are free of charge, therapy sessions must be
booked in advance.

Programme of events Holistic Therapies 

Join laughter facilitator Robin Graham for drop in ‘laughter’ sessions.
Also he will be leading a session exploring the health benefits of laughter
including games, visualisations and theory. Please reserve a place in
advance. 

Ssaplam Therapies will be offering ‘Stress busting taster sessions’,
including kinesiology techniques and Candida testing. 

Join Louise Bennett for a rejuvenating back massage on a specially
designed chair. Sign up on the day for a session lasting approximately
10 minutes. 

Health checks and physical activity

A pharmacist will be offering health checks in the Art Library.

Wellbeing walks led by Walsall Community Health Physical Activity team,
meet in front of The New Art Gallery Walsall at 11am and 1pm. Easy to
moderate walk lasting approximately 45 minutes.

Drop in Creative Sessions 

Creative sessions offered on a drop in basis include; Poetry and Creative
Writing, Jewellery making, arts on an environmental theme with members
of Walsall’s youth arts forum and a chance to contribute to an artwork
entitled ‘Life’s Journey’.

For further information and to reserve therapy sessions in advance, please
contact Kerry Hodgkiss on 01922 653114 or email
hodgkissk@walsall.gov.uk

The Wellbeing Festival 2008 is organised by Walsall's Creative
Development Team and Walsall Teaching Primary Care Trust.

This seminar will explore how the Arts can be involved in the re-use of previously developed land:
      As part of the design process
      As a form of community engagement and development
      As temporary installations or performances.

The Arts Council are inviting a range of exciting speakers to present inspiring examples of good practice, from the local to the international. These will showcase the contribution the Arts can make to regeneration outcomes.
The event will also include a focus on the Arts as a creative medium, which can help transform a space, enriching a community or an area through its processes.

For more information visit http://www.regenwm.org/events/event_details.asp?eid=519
If you have any queries please contact Veronica Barbaro on 0121 202 3260 or email veronica.barbaro@regenwm.org.

Their main programming focus is on the music of J S Bach and the baroque period, though they also perform music from the classical and romantic periods, from Haydn and Mozart to Brahms and Mendelssohn, and more modern repertoire, especially 20th century British music.

Regular performances in Symphony Hall are accompanied by international orchestras like the English Chamber Orchestra, often with world-class soloists. They also tour within the UK and Europe, and have strong links with Bach’s own church, St Thomas’s Leipzig, where they have performed twice in past years.

You don’t have to be an expert or a great singer to join the Birmingham Bach Choir but you should be able to read music and to enjoy working hard with everyone else to achieve the high standards we look to maintain. All good singers are invited to join but, like most choirs, Tenors and Basses are especially welcome. If you decide you would like to join, you will be given a short audition.

If you’d like to find out more, why not go along to a Wednesday evening rehearsal? Rehearsals are held from 7.15 - 9.30pm on Wednesdays at St George’s School, Beaufort Road, Edgbaston, behind the Plough and Harrow Hotel on the Hagley Road.

Visit www.birmingham.bachchoir.com for a fuller picture of the choir’s activities and then if you’d like to take it further contact info@birmingham.bachchoir.com.

There will be more than 40 events taking place in every part of the West Midlands – including heritage, arts, film, museums, sports activities and events celebrating the landscape. Some of the highlights include ‘Extraordinary Cycles’ in Coventry, ‘Corner Shop’ in West Bromwich, outdoor performance with ‘Sabrina and the Engineer’ in Bewdley, Worcs  and the lighting up of Stoke’s impressive Bethesda Chapel – as well as the ‘opening up’ of rare habitats in Herefordshire and Shropshire.

The main launch event will take place on Friday 26 September from 7pm at Ironbridge in Shropshire on the site of the Museum of Iron at Coalbrookdale. Soweto Kinch, The Bombay Baja Brass Band, Black Voices and the Town Hall Gospel Choir, The Orchestra of the Swan, 2Faced Dance, Motionhouse Dance Theatre and The Big Dance are just some of the performers featured. In addition there will be a special appearance by Paul Manning, cycling gold medallist at the Beijing Olympics, who hails from Staffordshire.

The evening will culminate in a specially commissioned ‘son et lumière’ marking the launch of ‘A Celebration of Imagination’, to highlight the myriad anniversaries associated with the region in 2009. One of those is the bicentenary of the birth of William Penny Brookes, founder of the Wenlock Olympian Games and the direct inspiration for the modern Olympics. His vision - of a Games which included both sport and the arts - inspired Pierre de Coubertin, when he visited the Games in Much Wenlock in 1890, to found the modern Olympics as a celebration of both sporting and artistic excellence. It’s that inspirational vision that is being rekindled with the Cultural Olympiad.

You can find more information about the "Open Weekend", and the Cultural Olympiad itself by clicking on the following link: -http://www.culturewm.org.uk/culturalOlympiad/index.jsp

A mixture of presentations, seminars, question and answer sessions and discussions, it will bring together people and organisations concerned with writing in the West Midlands. Sessions will include - pitching ideas for stage and screen, teaching creative writing, becoming a business, publishing and using an agent, working with BBC radio, careers in literature development, producing live literature and many more.

In attendance will be - BBC Radio 4, Birmingham REP, Arts Council England, Tindal Street Press, Writer’s Market UK, The Arvon Foundation, The Writers’ Guild of Great Britain, National Academy of Writing, Writers in Prison Network, Write On! - Adventures In Writing, and many others.

Tickets: £29 (£23)

For more details or an application form please email.

There are a small number of bursary places available. If you think you may qualify for one of these, please state briefly in your email why the course would be of value to you and why you are unable to finance it without a bursary.

The autumn season started with a bang with Cabaret  at the Birmingham Rep, David Tennant gets stuck in to Shakespeare’s most famous tragic hero, and we get a sneaky peak at Leicester’s new £61 million state-of -the-art theatre complex .

What’s On Stage/Midlands is the only site this side of the Watford Gap that is entirely dedicated to performance art in this region; with news, reviews and interviews. You too can get involved: get discussing in the forum, post up your comments on the site, or even just email the editor: midlands@whatsonstage.com

Thank God for September

Contact Fiona Handscomb midlands@whatsonstage.com

The launch of Steve Brockerton's new architectural stock photo library containing many exciting views, buildings and architectural abstracts from in and around Birmingham and the uk can be viewed at:

 http://www.architectiv.co.uk

This represents only the first stage of the site uploads and Steve will be adding and developing this site further on a regular basis.

This will offer an ever expanding view of Steve's back catalogue of creative architectural and more abstract photography. All images are available as prints or for marketing use. If you are looking for any images in particular, want to use or commisions any other photos please get in touch to see what Steve can do for you.

Stephen Brockerton, Creative Photographer

If you would like your organisation to feature in this directory; please can you send details  to Jamie Perry, Communications Manager (Contact details below).

We look forward to receiving your copy and images as requested.

0121 685 2619

In Rachel's absence, please contact Helen Knott in the first instance: helen.knott@audiencescentral.co.uk or phone 0121 685 2600. Helen will distribute enquiries to the relevant staff member.

We wish Rachel all the best with the new bundle of joy!

1. How long have you been working at Audiences Central?

       Since November 2007
 
2. What's your favorite thing about working here?

            The open atmosphere and the ability to get involved with many aspects of the organisation.  I also enjoy being busy, I am never short for things to do at AC!!!

3. Is there such thing as 'a typical day' in the Research team? Could you describe it?

            Hmm I’m not sure really – we are always very busy whether it be analysing loads of data or off somewhere interviewing, I suppose I like the way that there isn’t a ‘typical’ day – that keeps it interesting.

4. What is your favorite film and why?

            I love lots of films for lots of different reasons, I love adventure films like The Goonies and Indiana Jones they are great, I also really love The Labyrinth as I am a bit of a Bowie fan and Legend because it was so over the top!  I’m also into a bit of world film and really like Buffet Froid it’s the kind of film that makes you feel uneasy – it was totally different to anything I had ever seen before, I also like Paris, je t’aime it just made me feel really good especially the scene with the mime artists – that made me giggle!  I recently found a film called The Watcher in the Woods it’s a Disney film but I remembered watching it when I was really young and it totally freaked me out and for years after that I always wondered if I had actually watched it or if it was a bad dream, so I posted a question on this online forum thing, someone actually knew what I was going on about and told me what it was!  Arghh I nearly forgot Ghostbusters, I always wanted to be in the scene where the Stay Puffed Marshmallow Man exploded!!!!

5. One of your hidden talents, I believe, is acting - What's your favorite part you've ever performed?

            I do enjoy a bit of the good old grease paint, the favorite part I’ve ever played was probably the role of Eva in Picasso’s Women, the play is a selection of monologues so I really got to embody the character she had tuberculosis so I got to be a little gruesome too – ooh and I got a stage death!  Apart from that when I was about 7 a teacher a primary school wanted me to be a donkey in the school play (to my disgust) so I made them make me the role of the actual star that guided the Wise Men and Shepherds to baby Jesus instead!

6. Do you have any other hidden talents? 

            I suppose I’m just a creative person, really. I love making stuff, organising parties, and re-decorating furniture – I have a rusty old filing cabinet at home I can’t wait to get my hands on!!!  Apart from that I play piano and flute and am partial to a bit of a sing-song too! I used to swim for Staffordshire but that was a few years back – I realised I was a bit too vertically challenged for that career!

Surdhwani – New Board Members

Wolverhampton-based Indian Classical Music and Dance organisation, Surdhwani, have appointed two new board members; Mr. Stefan Cartwright and Mr. Ian Cruise Taylor. Stefan is a composer, musician and the founder and director of Resona, a company that promotes awareness of the possibilities of music. Ian is the Chief Executive of Connexions in the Black Country, and has been working with and for young people and the community for forty years.

For further details on Stefan and Ian as well as other staff changes at Surdhwani; please click here

New Entertainment Venue for Shrewsbury Music Hall

The exciting project to build Shrewsbury's long awaited Theatre Severn is progressing rapidly. With a beautiful riverside setting, the new venue will provide a host of exciting new opportunities in its 650 seated Main Auditorium or the 250 seated Studio Theatre; which will house a more experimental programme.

Theatre Severn is due to open early in 2009.

For more information, please click here

Craftspace Nominated for National Award

Craftspace and its business partner VSM (UK) Ltd are delighted to be shortlisted for the Arts and Business Prudential People Development award in recognition of their work with ‘The Project Group’ (an arts social enterprise) and the Quilters’ Guild of Great Britain. The awards recognise and celebrate the extraordinary partnerships forged between business and the arts.

The winners will be announced at a high profile event in London in November.
For more information on the project, please click here

Jobs

Operations Manager; sampad Birmingham – Closing 22nd September

MusicLeader West Midlands Programme Administrator Birmingham – Closing 22nd September

Box Office Manager, The Courtyard Centre for the Arts Hereford – Closing September 24th

FREE ticket offer from BRB for ballet first-timers

Ever been to the ballet before? Well, if you haven’t Birmingham Royal Ballet are offering FREE tickets for ballet first-timers to their new production, Russian Steps. Three short ballets in one evening, Russian Steps is the perfect taster and you can see it on the 8 October at Birmingham Hippodrome. So why not dip your toe into something new? Did we mention that it’s completely FREE? To reserve your tickets email newattenders@brb.org.uk with your name, address, telephone number and the amount of tickets that you require.

The programming this year looks as stunning as ever. Full listings can be found by visiting www.artscentral.co.uk or www.artsfest.org.uk

One of the highlights for me is an inspiring installation by Stans Cafe that must be visited to be believed (AE Harris Factory, 110 Northwood Street, B3 1SZ).

As usual you can access a whole load of other free taster events and experiences and book discounted tickets to a multitude of arts and cultural events across the region

Get Moving at the UK's biggest free arts festival!

The West Midlands Literature Consortium covers organisations based in the region who are involved in programming and delivery of live literature events.  In order to get a better understanding of literature attendees in the region, the consortium commissioned Audiences Central in 2007 to carry out research in to their audiences.  The research will be used to inform programming and marketing for the organisations involved in the project.

The research focused on:
• The location and profile of attendees and their affinity to travel to see literature events:

• Exploring motivations, barriers and experience of attendees
• Exploring the crossover of attendees between venues/organisations
• Exploring the crossover of literature attendees with other artforms
• Investigating the frequency of attendance and booking patterns
• Investigating access to marketing methods

In order to enable data collection from the different types of organisations and events a mixed methodology was put into place consisting of:

 
• Box office data analysis through Vital Statistics
• Questionnaire-based data collection
• Online survey
• Interviews

The research was extended early this year to encompass events which were occurring in rural locations including Oswestry Library, Lichfield Festival, Ludlow Festival, Festival at the Edge and Ledbury Poetry Festival.

The final report will be submitted to the consortium by the end of September 08 and will be presented to both the national and regional ACE as well as plans for the research to be presented at the National Live Literature Consortium in October 08.

 The World in One Region is an Audiences Central research project commissioned by Arts Council England as part of the Maximise II audience development programme, which aims to encourage  Black and minority ethnic communities' engagement with the arts.

The aim of the project is to bring these communities to life, by breaking down existing communication barriers and dispelling myths. We hope to do this through a series of interviews, stories and images from individuals who identify themselves as of Black and minority ethnic origin.

We have commissioned a journalist and photographer to explore a ‘day in the life’ of people in these communities who wanted to share their stories with us. These stories will be accompanied by statistical information which will help to inform arts and cultural organisations about the demographics of identified communities living in the West Midlands.

Currently on the site are a ‘day in the life’ of  the African Caribbean Resource Centre's caretaker Merton and the stories of Wadang and Angela from Sudan.

For more information click here

Student Offers

Marketing Services are teaming up with Student Unions from Birmingham City University and Staffordshire University to promote offers exclusively available to NUS Students from the many arts and cultural organisations in the region. This will be a pilot study with the aim of rolling the service out regionally.

If you and your organsiation would like to use the opportunity to target the thousands of students at either/both these Universities, please contact Anna at anna.cook@audiencescentral.co.uk or on 0121 685 2615.

Everybody Loves E-listings

Well done to everybody who has booked in advance for their e-listings slots; as we are now fully booked until the 11 December!  There is just one 'Spotlight' available on 13th November - so book now before it goes!

Due to emailing constraints we are having to reduce the number of e-listings slots from 7 to 6 per week, so if you want the last remaining November ‘Spotlight’ or one of our popular e-listing slots in December, we must advise you to book now to avoid disappointment. (This doesn't affect the ‘Spotlight’, ‘Competition’ or anyone who had pre-booked a listing.)

You can now book e-listings for 2009, so get in touch soon to reserve your slots.

To book an e-listing slot, please contact Amy: amy.commander@audiencescentral.co.uk or on 0121 685 2614 

Strategic Support

As well as offering these specific tactical marketing tools, Audiences Central also have years of experience in strategic campaign management and consultancy. Our dedicated team of specialists can develop the campaign, manage your planning and deliver your PR, print and marketing opportunities. For more information, click here

 FRONTLINEdance commissioned Audiences Central to support the collation and analysis of material towards the final evaluation of their ‘Game of 2 Arfs’ project.

FRONTLINEdance is an integrated dance company of professional disabled and non-disabled dancers.  Recently they were provided with a grant from Arts Council West Midlands for its ‘Game of 2 Arfs’ project.  The aim of the project was to see the community of Stoke engaged as participants and audiences in a professional dance performance with poetry and theatre.

‘Game of 2 Arfs’ occurred on Saturday 9 August and FRONTLINEdance commissioned Audiences Central to support the collation and analysis of material towards the final evaluation and support future planning documents.

The main objectives of the project are:

• To find out who has attended the final performances
• Motivation for attendance
• Marketing accessed / how they came to know about the event
• Past experiences of the arts and dance
• Impact of marketing and location
• Opinions on structure of the piece
• Impact on local businesses

In order to fulfil this role the research team attended the event on the 9th August and carried out self-completion questionnaires and assisted interviews at various points during the day to capture information from attendees.  In addition to data collection from attendees on the day of the event, Audiences Central also carried out research through interviews with local businesses on the 20th August to asses the impact of the performance on their business and footfall.

Audiences Central will now commence the analysis and report stage on the data collected, ready for the Project Manager to include within their report back to the council.

Shakespeare Live Ticket Offer is a DCSF- (Department of Children Schools and Families) funded programme that aims to provide young people with access to high quality professional performances of Shakespeare’s plays. Audiences Central’s involvement in the project has now been extended in to the Autumn Term. 

Like Phase I, the 87 schools in the Making Good Progress pilot scheme were invited to book tickets for performances for their Key Stage 3 students.

Audiences Central have been commissioned to extend the evaluation activity to include Phase II of this project. For more information about this project, click here

If you would like to find out more about other work in research, please contact Vishalakshi Roy: vishalakshi.roy@audiencescentral.co.uk or phone: 0121 685 2604

The Captivate project team has appointed Rob Watling and Karen Merkel of Momentum Associates to be the Captivate independent evaluators.

The evaluation of Captivate will be run as a rolling programme in the Development Phase of Captivate. This will enable Audiences Central and the participating organisations to learn continuously and apply that new knowledge progressively for constant improvement and refining of the project. The independent evaluators have been commissioned to undertake a creative approach to evaluation and their activities will include:-

• Reviewing the ‘testing phase’ and ensuring lessons learned are recorded

• Providing evaluation capacity development; providing tools and processes that can be used to evaluate Captivate and also to be used by Audiences Central on an on going basis to evaluate our on going activities

• Working with Audiences Central to devise dissemination material to share findings with the arts and cultural sector locally, regionally, nationally and internationally (as appropriate)

Any queries about Captivate can be discussed with Pamela Zigomo at any time: 0121 685 2619 pamela.zigomo@audiencescentral.co.uk

This year the emphasis has been on extending the conventional boundaries of jewellery and silversmithing.48 WEEKS….LATER demonstrates a variety of approaches to the subject area, including installations, animations, laser technologies and explorations of colour and scale.

Join us on the evening Tuesday 9th September 6-8pm at the School of Jewellery, Vittoria Street Birmingham for the opening of the exhibition where 14 students will showcase their exciting new collections.
The exhibition will be on display until the 26th of September.

Look forward to seeing you there!

Feather-Headed Operations

A semi-professional theatre company set up by Warwick University Students and Alumni with the original, short-term purpose of enabling Warwick students to participate in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.  The company is dedicated to staging future musical productions and revues plus original works to areas in Birmingham and Warwickshire

Worcestershire County Council Cultural Services Team

Worcestershire County Council's Cultural Services Team brings Worcestershire's arts, heritage and museums and library services together with the common themes of knowledge and learning, collecting and using resources and contributing to local peoples quality of life.

http://worcestershire.whub.org.uk/home/wcc-cul.html

EC-Arts

EC-Arts is a multi-faceted organisation working in the arts, with experience in Project Management, Public Art Consultancy, Creative Marketing, Fundraising and commissioning of artists. It also works on bespoke arts & architecture projects for public & private sector and projects/workshops for young people. 

The website will be up and running by December - with corporate arts gallery for national & international  established & unknown artists

http://www.ec-arts.com

Esther Blaine Marketing & PR

Estther Blaine is a freelance marketing and press relations professional with a wealth of experience of arts marketing and PR.  She is also an experienced events and project manager across a wide range of arts mediums and creative businesses.

http://www.estherblainemarketing.com

We also welcome back:

Bedworth Civic Hall

The Civic Hall is a multi-purpose entertainment centre providing facilities for a wide range of activities. It boasts a Gallery, Meeting Rooms, Bistro, Coffee Bar and a Small Hall in addition to its multi-purpose 763 seat hall.

http://www.civichallinbedworth.co.uk

Compton Verney is launching a new scheme inviting members of the public to adopt a tree in the gallery’s historic parkland, landscaped by ‘Capability’ Brown in the eighteenth century.

By adopting a tree the public will play a significant role in safeguarding Compton Verney’s environment for future generations, and a variety of tree species, ages and locations within the gallery’s grounds are available. This scheme is particularly suitable to celebrate a birth, marriage, retirement, christening, birthday or anniversary, or to commemorate someone special.

A full list of trees and an application form is available from the gallery. Once adopted, a plaque will be placed on the chosen tree, with the nominee’s name as supplied on the form. A certificate will also be supplied and the tree adoption recorded for posterity in a commemorative book which can be viewed on request at Compton Verney.

Compton Verney is Warwickshire’s award winning art gallery set in an eighteenth century Grade 1 listed Robert Adam mansion. With a grant from Natural England through the Countryside Stewardship Scheme, Compton Verney has embarked on a ten-year plan to restore the historic features of the grounds, including a circuit of footpaths, an Ice House and trees planted by ‘Capability’ Brown in the late eighteenth century.

Contact: Ina Cole, Communications Manager, Compton Verney, Warwickshire, CV35 9HZ

Tel: 01926 645540; Email: ina.cole@comptonverney.org.uk

Creative Launchpad is an enterprise support service for the Creative Industries in the Midlands. If you’re interested in attending any of our training, or if you’d like to know more about our service, please contact us: info@creativelaunchpad.co.uk or 0845 3037375

COVENTRY

Successful Selling and Targeted Marketing

Thursday 18th September

BIRMINGHAM

Riding the Rollercoaster

Friday 19th September

WOLVERHAMPTON

Successful Selling and Targeted Marketing

Tuesday 14th October

COVENTRY

Riding the Rollercoaster

Wednesday 15th October

BIRMINGHAM

Business Planning for a Successful Creative Business

Tuesday 11th November

STOKE

Riding the Rollercoaster

Tuesday 11th November

WOLVERHAMPTON

Riding the Rollercoaster

Wednesday 12th November

Have you considered using creative ways to find out what people think?

Why not use our step by step guide to creative consultation?

“I was able to structure my community development project using your toolkit and have secured funding to do the work”…”It raises all the issues that I need to address and can be used in a much broader way than specific consultation projects.” – Dawn Hurton Artist & CYP Officer, Eden District Council

Take advantage of Staffordshire Arts & Museum Service's exclusive offer by following the link below for more information: -

www.staffordshire.gov.uk/creativeconsultation

Craftspace and its business partner VSM (UK) Ltd are delighted to be shortlisted for the Arts and Business Prudential People Development award.

Craftspace have been shortlisted for this award in recognition of their work with ‘The Project Group’ (an arts social enterprise) and the Quilters’ Guild of Great Britain. The awards recognise and celebrate the extraordinary partnerships forged between business and the arts.

The winners will be announced at a high profile event in London in November.

For more information on the project, please click here

 
The network will be conducting research into this rapidly developing area of work over the next four months resulting in a downloadable publication which aims to provide clarity around existing programmes and models that promote such work.

The publication will make the case for the arts as an effective mechanism for developing leadership skills as well as encouraging young people to consider a career in the arts and cultural sector in the future.

If you are delivering, or have delivered, a project with young people that aims to develop leadership skills within the arts and cultural industries, ENYAN wants to hear from you.

Case studies from projects working with particularly 'at risk' groups of young people are encouraged. A select number of case studies will be included within the publication due for distribution in November but all of those submitted will also be uploaded onto the 'campaigns' section of the website at www.enyan.co.uk.

To submit your case study please email enyan2@artswork.org.uk to express your interest and you will be sent the case study template. Please do also email if you are interested in receiving the publication when it is complete or call 023 8063 0960.

If so, make sure your event is mentioned in the Children & Arts Online Listings Guide. Run by The Prince’s Foundation for Children & the Arts, the website is visited by over 8,000 people across the UK each week. To add your event go to www.childrenandarts.org.uk.

The Foundation is an educational charity which aims to bring the arts, in all its many rich forms, to children. If you would like to find out more about their work, visit the website above or contact The Prince’s Foundation on 020 3326 2230 or email enquiries@childrenandarts.org.uk.

The delivery of the Manifesto was well-received by the packed house that consisted of senior government officials, politicians, school teachers, children’s rights workers, and delegates from all areas of the arts.

The Manifesto calls for government, political parties, schools Arts Councils, arts organisations, local authorities and the media to all help develop special policies for producing and promoting the arts to children and to work to raise the profile of this vital but often marginalised and under funded area. It is in direct accordance with Article 31 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child which states that all world’s children are entitled to have access to the arts.

www.childrensarts.org.uk

We know how hard it can be to promote a business with a small team and a limited budget.

Due to its continuing success Media Content Lab, part of Birmingham City University, is now offering the Marketing and PR Toolkit for the fifth time - a practical and FREE guide to making your promotional activities as effective as possible.

As part of the toolkit you will have a one-to-one consultation on your business's marketing activity and future plans, and the opportunity to attend a series of workshops led by professional marketeers and communicators, giving their expert advice.

Workshops will include:

The training and toolkit are FREE to companies or sole traders who have been trading for more than 18 months and are located in a core objective 2 area of the West Midlands. You must attend two out of the three workshops in order to qualify for the one-to-one consultancy sessions.

To learn more and register your business for the FREE Marketing and PR Toolkit, contact Catherine on 0121 204 9886 or catherine.brown@bcu.ac.uk

Sign up for two seminars now and receive two free hours of one-to-one consultancy with a professional marketeer.

LawWorks for Community Groups can help with a wide variety of legal matters, including:

To apply online, visit www.lawworks.org.uk and complete the online application form under the “Charities” section.

This new development to its website contains information and advice on practical issues including funding and finance, employment, ICT, health and safety, legal issues and governance.

You can find all you need to make your organisation more efficient and effective in one place.

For more details, visit www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/smallorganisations

The recommendations principally concern Arts Council leadership; the organisation’s relationship with the arts sector; the importance of maintaining a national overview of all the organisations we fund; and bringing more of an external perspective into our thinking and decision-making.

In his response, Alan Davey sets out how the Arts Council will address each recommendation, making clear the lessons they have learned and how they will be applied to future actions. Baroness McIntosh's full report follows Alan Davey's response.

Click here to read the response in full.

 The document states 'The non-professional voluntary sector (‘amateur’) is fundamental to the health of the arts in England. It is crucial that Arts Council respects its importance and considers its needs and potential in all it is doing to increase sustainable capacity to support higher levels of ongoing engagement. Arts Council England will agree and deliver a plan with Voluntary Arts England over the next three years.'

This follows Alan Davey, Chief Executive of Arts Council England stating at the recent :'The cultural health of the nation is reliant as much on those who do not get paid for their artistic contribution as those that do... The sector is not an appendix or footnote to the arts in England today - voluntary and amateur activity plays a leading role in the core script.'

Click here to Download Public Engagement in the Arts – Arts Council England’s Role 2008-11 (pdf - 230k)

Shape has announced its four £5,000 commissions for disabled or deaf artists to create work inspired by the London 2012 Olympics.

The four commissions are:
• Kazzum Theatre Company (Street Arts)
• StopGAP Dance Company (Dance)
• Liz Bentley (Spoken Word / Poetry)
• Aaron Williamson (Visual Arts / Media)

The artists will develop work that responds to the Games in both humorous and cynical ways; from playing with the icons that make London, London to contrasting the ideals of competitive elitism with disability equality. The aim is to describe new ways for disabled and deaf people to identify with the Games.     

Kazzum Theatre Company received the Street Arts Commission to produce a new mobile street theatre work for young audiences. 'The Paper People' will be based around a mobile newspaper stand, where performers will use their papers to tell the smaller tales within the BIG story that is the Olympics. Newspapers will transform through the art of Chinese paper cutting, bringing the stories to life, lifting them right off the page.

StopGAP Dance Company received the Dance commission to make a new outdoor dance performance. 'Tracking' will use cultural symbols and humour to look at what makes London, London and then explore issues of empowerment and democracy. It will also allow the company to develop their first outdoor piece.

Liz Bentley received the Spoken Word / Poetry commission to produce a spoken word event to be held in a swimming pool. The ‘Olympic Poetic Swimathon’ will be a collaboration between a number of spoken word artists and poets, in and around a swimming pool.

Aaron Williamson received the Visual Arts / Media commission to produce ten new short video works. ‘Williamson Smashes 10 World Records’ will depict Williamson himself breaking a number of Olympic World Records using humour and fast-motion, slap-stick video.

The commissions and artists will be profiled at an event on Friday 26th September at Shape, as part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad launch celebrations. The four commissions will be showcased at an event in April 2009.

Commissioned Artists
Kazzum Theatre Company    www.kazzum.org
StopGAP Theatre Company  www.stopgap.uk.com
Liz Bentley                             www.lizbentley.co.uk
Aaron Williamson                   www.aaronwilliamson.co.uk

For enquiries:
Mark Atterbury, Communications Manager
Tel 020 7424 7357
Email mark@shapearts.org.uk | Website www.shapearts.org.uk 

The Programme is designed to help develop the knowledge, skills and experience of artists interested in developing health based work and is accredited through Staffordshire University. 

As part of the Programme, West Midlands based organisations will have the opportunity to work with an artist to carry out a health-based project or commission.  The artist will be supported by the region’s most experienced arts and health development workers, and a placement coordinator will work with each organisation to support the process.

A range of organisations and agencies which are using the arts to explore health issues and have resources to develop project work are invited to register their interest.  All commissions are expected to take place from January to April 2009.

The Artist Professional Development Programme is run by a consortium of Staffordshire Arts Development Officers (SADOG), Arts Council England West Midlands, the Birmingham and Black Country Strategic Health Authority and Staffordshire University.  It is being developed and delivered by creativityteam.

For an informal conversation and a copy of the Commissioner’s Information Pack please contact:

Nina Jowett
07766 662 692
nina@creativityteam.co.uk

Registration will close on August 29th 2008.

If you require information in large print or alternative formats please specify in your email

4th December 08, Warwickshire Association of Youth Clubs -  Leamington Spa, 10 am to 4.15 pm

Artsplan, the training and publications department of Artswork and the in-house training provider of ENYAN (English National Youth Arts Network) is delivering the well established ‘Partnership Working in Youth Arts’ course at the West Midlands Artsplan Training Centre this year.

This one day workshop shares practical techniques and approaches to working in partnerships with other organisations and individuals in order to achieve a successful youth arts project or event. Looking at the benefits of where, when and how to find the right partner, this session will offer a simple structure for both working in and developing your partnerships.

The training will use an interactive approach to explore issues such as defining roles and setting realistic targets, this course will also cover troubleshooting for problem areas, including when and how to bow out gracefully if partnerships aren’t working!

All participants will receive a certificate of attendance upon successful completion of the course and a wealth of practical resources. Prices for the courses, which include lunch and refreshments, range from £150 to £110, with limited bursaries available. Please also remember that ENYAN members can receive a 5% discount on all Artsplan publications and training!

For more information on the course and to book a place, please contact Jay Barron, Artsplan Development Manager, on artsplan@artswork.org.uk or 023 8063 0960. To use access our booking form online click here.  To subscribe to ENYAN visit www.enyan.co.uk.