Pecha Kucha Birmingham is back! Join them on December 8th for the first of many PK nights featuring passionate people talking about interesting things. The only constraint is they have 20 slides and each slide only lasts for 20 seconds. Brevity and clarity are key!

Hosting Pecha Kucha Birmingham is BOM (Birmingham Open Media) right by the Southside entrance to New St Station with drinks bar provided by Nomad.

Doors are at 6.30 for a 7pm start. Talks will be finished by 9pm but PK is an ideas-sharing event so chatting afterwards is encouraged!

Get your tickets via the website: http://pkbham.uk/

Pecha Kucha Birmingham is run by me, Ben Waddington and Pete Ashton. 

Just a month to go until our event PKB – Powered by Pecha Kucha. With that in mind, we’ve announced the list of speakers:

• Lee Kemp (Vermillion Films)
• Sian Hindle (Jewellery)
• Steve Chamberlain (Sellotape Cinema)
• Ruth Harvey (Black Country Touring)
• Chris Randall (Second Home Studios)
• Jessica Rose (Authenticity)

Join us on the 29th July, early bird tickets have sold out but general tickets are available on eventbrite.

After weeks of sifting through a dizzying collection of submissons, we’re delighted to announce the winners of Inkygoodness & Created in Birmingham’s Glug Birmingham Poster Competition – Louise Byng and Laurie Ramsell.

A fun, playful and inventive competition entry, the creative pair ticked all our boxes with their playful DIY aesthetic.

We received some fantastic entries, but Louise and Laurie’s design was unlike anything else! Their clever interpretation of the theme makes great use of the limited colour palette, whilst combining hand made and digital image-making to produce a fun and playful design that really stands out.

– Lisa Hassell, Director of Inkygoodness

Louise and Laurie took inspiration from Birmingham’s cultural and economic landscape for their winning design: “How [Birmingham] looks now; what it is becoming known for; and how that may have shifted since the original crest was conceived. With start-up companies and innovative independents now a huge driver for the city’s contemporary status, says Louise.

We approached the design as a collaborative project, recreating the City of Birmingham’s crest physically and applying its dual representation of arts and industry to the creative sector. Our reworked motif depicts creativity as a personal expression and philosophy, but also a trade and a craft – something that resonates with Birmingham’s values and rich history as a city.

The assemblage itself is low-fi and involved bringing together cardboard, staples and paint into a photographic set-up, keeping much of the construction visible in order to share this with the audience, encouraging a playful DIY approach to design rather than hiding the process away.” continues Louise.

It was a lot of fun to make, and as artists in the early stages of our careers it’s great to be recognised by glug in our home city; to share our impression of Birmingham with a wider audience.

The creative pair are now in the throes of preparing a short presentation to join our Glug speakers on stage to share the process behind creating their winning artwork. 2nd prize goes to illustrator William Wright who designed this snazzy pencil design. William receives a goodie bag of art prints and illustrated zines, plus a pair of tickets to attend Glug Brum on Thursday evening!

Our shortlist includes 23 artworks hand picked from our entries earlier this week. Selected exhibiting artists are (in no particular order): Ian Aparici, Scott Williams, Sophie Kozlowski, Adam Moore, Ngu Ngok Chin, James Baldry, Jenny Sjodin, Bethany Raistrick, Georgia Fenton, Chantal Caduff, Rhiannon Sanderson, Súa Agapé, Fiona Hall, Mouni Feddag, Katie Tomlinson, Lesley Imgart, Jimmy Rogers, Amy Kilner, Liam Anslow, Daniel O’Brien, Raj Dhunna, Nick Tyler, Adam Corns & Graham Johnson.

Attendees will get the opportunity to pick up their favourite Glug Poster design as a limited edition print courtesy of our exhibition sponsors Ripe Digital – priced at £15 each.

We’d like to thank everyone for taking part in our first Glug Birmingham competition – we received over 100 entries and selecting our shortlist was a (fun) challenge. We hope you can join us on Thursday evening.

More Notworking than Networking™

Glug Birmingham will launch on Thursday 20th November at Boxxed in Digbeth, Birmingham. Early bird tickets £7.50 / Standard tickets £10 – available via eventbrite. http://www.glug-birmingham.eventbrite.co.uk. Visit http://www.glugevents.com for full details.

Here’s a quickfire round-up of activities at our Glug Birmingham event with Inkygoodness next Thursday 20th November at Boxxed. Tickets available on eventbrite, standard tickets priced £10.

Inkygoodness & Created in Birmingham present ‘Midland Masters’ – a series of three events featuring talks by local designers, illustrators and creative studios celebrating the creative talent of the Midlands and beyond, in association with Glug.

For the second edition of Glug Birmingham our focus turns to illustration and character design, presenting an evening of talks by leading artists and collectives at Digbeth warehouse venue Boxxed.

Speakers

• Florence Blanchard / EMA + Bradbury & Blanchard Gallery
• Ben Javens & Simon Peplow / The Outcrowd Collective
• Joel Millerchip, Kris Jones & Mr the Beef / Brothers of the Stripe
• Dr Sophie Dauvois / OKIDO – The Arts & Science Magazine for Kids

Activities

• GET A GRIP and Glug Birmingham are giving you the opportunity to print your own t-shirt using GAG’s pro printing equipment, all with waterbased inks on premium organic cotton tees. Come prepared to get inky.
• Momiji BIG IDEAS Doodle Wall – To celebrate the launch of their brand new giant-sized Momiji doll you’re invited to write or illustrate your own ‘LIVE BOLDLY‘ mantra on their giant canvas. There will also be a chance to win one of 25 dolls. PLUS find out how you could become one of Momiji’s guest designers and have your character design turned into a real Momiji product.
• Live Drawing from BEARD, Worcester-based Design, Illustration and Development agency!

Market

Colourful prints, originals, handmade jewellery and products by some of the region’s illustrators and designer-makers including:

• Illustrated Brum
• Bethany Thompson
• Karoline Rerrie
• Sonny Ross
• Working Clasp Jewellery
• Astro Black Collective
• Lucy Sherston

Exhibition

Young professionals, students and graduates are invited to take part in our Glug Birmingham exhibition – deadline midnight Sunday 16th Nov – 25x of these entries will be displayed at Boxxed and available to purchase, with all profits going back to the artists themselves.  More info / entry guidelines here.

Food

Grab your tea from Birmingham’s best street food vendors – situated outside in the Boxxed Courtyard.

• Big Daddies Diner – Gourmet hotdogs & burgers, served with homemade slaws and sauces using only the freshest of ingredients, locally sourced where possible. Vegetarian options available.
• Esmie’s Seafood Kitchen – Esmie’s Seafood Kitchen does exactly what it says but with a Caribbean twist! Prawns, mussels, scallops, sea bass, lobster, salmon served with Esmie’s special caribbean spicy sauce, fried dumplings stuffed with the seafood and salad, wrapped in nan, roti or flat bread or topped with steaming rice or pasta. On cold nights expect warming seafood chowder with crusty bread. Delicious!

Free Stuff

• Exclusive ‘You Are a Work of Art’ three colour screenprint poster designed by Simon Peplow, FREE for the first 100 ticket holders through the door (kindly printed by Whiteduck Screenprint)
• £3 Droplet voucher for each glug attendee! Paying with Droplet? Get a pint for a pound!

 Get Your Tickets

Our last glug event (way back in August) was a sell out, don’t miss out and get your tickets in advance on eventbrite here! Standard Tickets £10.  It’s sure to be a good night.

See you there!

Inkygoodness & Created in Birmingham present the latest edition of Glug Birmingham.

Coming up on Thursday 20th November is the second of three ‘Midland Masters’ events, featuring talks by local designers, illustrators and creative studios celebrating the creative talent of the Midlands and beyond, in association with Glug.

For this edition, our focus turns to illustration and character design. We’ll be presenting an evening of talks by leading artists and collectives at Digbeth warehouse venue Boxxed. Expect creative workshops, live drawing, a pop-up art market & Digbeth Dining Club food vendors.

Get your Glug Birmingham tickets here »

Our Speakers

Florence Blanchard / EMA + Bradbury & Blanchard Gallery

Sheffield-based artist Florence Blanchard adopted the moniker ‘EMA’ in the early 90’s when she began spray-painting the walls of her hometown Montpellier (Fr), inspired by the worldwide graffiti phenomenon and its instantaneous appeal.

Utilising acrylic, watercolour, silkscreen and spray-paint on canvas – EMA creates a world of abstract scenes populated by illustrative figures in a dream-like state. Now based in Sheffield where she co-owns Bradbury & Blanchard printing studio and gallery, she continues to explore themes of symbolism, and science fiction.

florenceblanchard.com

Ben Javens & Simon Peplow / The Outcrowd Collective

‘The Outcrowd’ is is a shambolic visual collection of hoodlums and battered psyches, born out of a basic obsession to create.

Not to be trusted with pen, paper or any other medium that can leave a mark. Initially formed amongst a group of friends, skateboarders, illustrators, designers, image-makers and lurkers. Birmingham-based Ben Javens and Simon Peplow take the stage to share their stories.

theoutcrowdcollective.blogspot.com

Joel Millerchip, Kris Jones & Mr the Beef / Brothers of the Stripe

Brothers of the Stripe (BOTS) are a collection of illustrators, graphic designers and image makers from all corners of the UK.

With many major cities represented, we are able to support each other in presenting our collective works to the various regions. The BOTS are an all-male team of movers and shakers, united by their devotion to their style and craft, support for each others and their willingness to play outside their comfort zones.

brothersofthestripe.co.uk

Pop-Up Market

Alongside our speaker talks, our Pop -Up market returns stocking colourful prints, original artworks and handmade products by local illustrators and image-makers.

Full listings to be confirmed at the end of October.

Exhibition

In the run up to Midland Masters #2, to celebrate Glug Birmingham and showcase the creative talent of the city, we’re inviting submissions from local students, recent graduates and young professionals who live and work in the Midlands & beyond to create a poster in response to the theme of ‘Creativity and Play’. 25x entries chosen by team Glug Birmingham, will feature in an exhibition on the night. Submission deadline 6th Nov. More info & guidelines on the inkygoodness website >>

Workshops & Activities

Glug Birmingham will also give you the opportunity to get involved with hands-on creative workshops and activities with local designers and illustrators.

Local Street Food Traders

We’re inviting a handful of Birmingham’s most popular Street Food vendors to join us at Glug Birmingham to serve up a variety of fresh, tasty food in the Boxxed back yard throughout the evening.

Venue – Boxxed

We’re excited to be moving Glug Birmingham down the road to Digbeth venue Boxxed – by day it’s a hotbed of creatives utilising their co-working space, and by night it plays host to a variety of local art events including Secret Walls and Eye Candy Festival.

Boxxed is the ideal venue to host Glug Birmingham – with everything under one roof. Talks, workshops and our market will be in the main warehouse room, with live painting and food vendors in the outdoor courtyard and DJ’s playing from 10.30pm till late. You’ll be free to nip across to the Boxxed bar whenever you like, too.

Located at 104-108 Floodgate St, Birmingham, West Midlands B5 5SR

boxxed.co.uk

Tickets now on sale:

Standard tickets £7.50 (entry on November 20th)
Glug pass* – £13 (Save £2) – Limited availability.

Doors open at 6.30pm / Talks start at 7pm / Pop-up market runs till 10pm / Live music & workshops till 1am.

Buy your Glug Birmingham tickets here »

*Glug Pass gives the ticket holder inclusive access to our upcoming Glug ‘Midland Masters’ events in November & March.

Upcoming speakers for March include: Gavin Strange jamfactory.com LIFE Agency lifeagency.co.uk & Jonny Costello adultartclub.com

Volunteer opportunities

We’re actively seeking volunteers to join our Glug Birmingham team, providing support across each aspect of the event. You’ll be given the opportunity to get involved in a wide range of activities including social media, blogging, copy writing, art curation, marketing, sales, helping set up on the day, meeting and greeting, socialising with gluggers and supporting participants, speakers and artists.

Dates: October 20th – November 21st  | various hours (flexible) | unpaid

Confident, friendly and approachable volunteers are welcome to apply – whether you’re a young professional, recent graduate or student.

Interested? We’d love to hear from you! Get in touch for more details: lisa@inkygoodness.com

Glug Birmingham is proudly supported by

Glug – More Notworking™ than Networking

Glug is a series of events for the design and creative community. Our showcase event is held in London but there are now 8 other events around the world. Based around a series of talks and informal networking, Glug has become one of the most exciting, credible and well attended creative events around.

Established in 2007, it’s an eclectic mix of people from all creative walks of life; from advertising and graphic design through to fashion and architecture. Glug started as a handful of mates talking shop in an East London pub. Two years later and it’s an international and national event with over 8000 signed-up members on MeetUp.

Over this time we’ve had great talks, film preview, live art, installations and exhibitions from the likes of Airside, Anthony Burrill, I Love Dust, Jason Bruges Studio, usTwo™, Mainframe, Marc Kremers, Noma Bar, Wolff Olins and Why Not Associates.

Currently Glug events are popping up in: London, New York City, Birmingham, Beijing, Brighton, Edinburgh, Auckland & Nottingham.

So there it is, get yourselves down! New Gluggers are always welcome to come along and see what it’s all about, so bring a friend and get Notworking™

glugevents.com #GlugBrum

Everything is coming together for Thursday’s Glug Birmingham MIDLAND MASTERS launch at Fazeley Studios, curated by Created in Birmingham and Inkygoodness.

Not only are we excited for the seven inspiring speakers, live drawing, screen-printing, magazine launch, BBQ, cakes and bar, but we’re really really looking forward to the pop-up art market, featuring all kinds of great Midlands-based designer/makers.

(I’ve already got my sights set on prints for my new studio!)

Here’s a handy visual of what to expect:

• Codswallop Collective (Art prints)
• Working Clasp (Jewellery)
• Hero of Switzerland (Art prints)
• LizzLizz (Comics)
• PROVIDE (Clothing & Accessories)
• Bethany Thompson (Art prints)
• Sam Pierpoint (Handpainted shoes)
• Belle Tragedie (Prints & cards)
• Karoline Rerrie (Prints & cards)

We have one place available in our pop-up market due to a cancellation – if you want to have a stall please contact hello@inkygoodness.com today Monday 18th Aug (stalls are free of charge for our Glug Brum launch)

Tickets for Glug Birmingham are priced £7.50 and available on eventbrite: www.glug-brum.eventbrite.com and don’t forget your free Spot*Light after-party ticket!

First 100 Gluggers through the door gets an A2 Screenprint designed by Alex Fowkes, printed by White Duck Screenprint. 

With just over a week to go, momentum is building for Glug Birmingham: MIDLAND MASTERS, an event curated by Created in Birmingham and Inkygoodness, in association with Glug, hosted at Fazeley Studios.

You may have already seen our promotional beermats and flyers around and about, as well as our beautiful (even if I do say so myself) riso print programmes, printed by Hato Press. The poster inside has been designed by headline speaker Alex Fowkes – pictured above) with the programme design by me.

There’s a fair bit going on as part of the evening event so we’ve broken it down for you:

Seven inspiring speakers:

• PROVIDE (Matt Nation) Starting from the bottom (and we’ll probably be here a while)
• Hero of Switzerland & FRUKT (Dan Button) Doing a Hobby for a Living
• Waste Studio (Norm Hayes) Apple P Cuppa Tea
• Studio Output (Alun Edwards & Chris Allwood) New Challenges
• Well Made Studio (Gemma Germains) No Friends in Business
• Alex Fowkes Process is Just as Important as Product

Nine stalls in our pop-up market:

• Codswallop Collective (Art prints)
• Brothers of the Stripe (Prints & originals)
• Working Clasp (Jewellery)
• Mike Stimpson (Photography)
• Hero of Switzerland (Art prints)
• LizzLizz (Comics)
• PROVIDE (Clothing & Accessories)
• Bethany Thompson (Art prints)
• Sam Pierpoint (Handpainted shoes)

Live drawing from Brothers of the Stripe, taking place in the Fazeley Studios courtyard (where you’ll find the BBQ too)

Live t-shirt silk-screen printing from Waste Studio.

AMMO Magazine special edition launch party.

FREE screen print, designed by Alex Fowkes, printed by Whiteduck Screenprint (for the first 100 guests to sign in!) as well as tasty treats from Paisley Immy.

All of this will be taking place at Fazeley Studios, 6pm-11pm. To finish, we’re holding an after-party at Spot*Light, 10pm-1am.

Tickets are available on eventbrite, priced £7.50.

(There’s a free drink with your ticket too, not bad, hey.)

Hope to see you there!

We’re thrilled to be joining forces with Inkygoodness & Glug to present Glug Birmingham: Midland Masters – a series of talks by local designers, illustrators and studios celebrating the creative talent of the Midlands.

What is Glug?

Glug is a series of events for the design and creative community. Their showcase event is held in London but there are now 6 other events around the world. Based around a series of talks and informal networking, Glug has become one of the most exciting, credible and well attended creative events around.

Studio Output

Studio Output are a creative agency making still, moving and interactive work. And whatever the medium, they have one aim in mind: to make amazing work. Work that goes far beyond ticking the boxes on a brief. Work that takes you by surprise, makes you see things differently, and inspires you to share it with other people. Truly creative work, that will be remembered. Glug exists thanks to Studio Output.

Waste Studio

Waste is an award winning independent creative agency based in Nottingham, UK. We’re a collaborative, diverse, and forward thinking team who have a geniune passion for what we do. We deliver considered and engaging design for a wide range of clients across both the private and public sectors. Waste have curated events and collaborated on projects in the Midlands since 2004.  Waste were invited by Type and Birmingham Institute of Art & Design (BIAD) at Birmingham City University to be involved in the production of ‘The House of Caslon’. 

Matt Nation – PROVIDE

PROVIDE is an experiment. We’re following our passions, interests, beliefs and ideals wherever they take us and collecting curious, inspiring and talented people along the way. We produce a graphic-led line of clothing and accessories which we sell alongside books, magazines and other things we love in our retail shop in Digbeth, Birmingham. Everything we do is motivated by three simple choices; Choose Adventure. Embrace Failure. Defy Impossible.

Gemma Germains – Well Made Studio

Well Made Studio are a design studio based in Liverpool, specialising in design for brands, realised through well considered and emotionally engaging print and digital projects.

Dan Button – FRUKT | Hero Of Switzerland

Co founder and Creative Director of illustration collective Hero of Switzerland, Dan Button is also Senior Designer at FRUKT Source, a creative agency specialising in music, entertainment and lifestyle marketing trends from across the globe.

@FRUKTsource | wearefrukt.com | @heroswitzerland |heroofswitzerland.com

The venue

We’re taking over Fazeley Studios in Digbeth.

Tickets

Tickets are – £7.50 for an early bird.
Glug combo pass* – £20 (Save £2.50) – Limited availability. 

*Inclusive access to all three Glug ‘Midland Makers’ events in August, November & March. (Dates and speaker info tba.)

Tickets are on sale via Eventbrite. 

Stalls

Are you a Midlands based illustrator, designer or creative? Are you interested in a FREE stall to sell your wares to Glug attendees? You’re in luck! A limited number of stalls will be available at each of our #GlugBrum events. Register your interest by emailing submissions@inkygoodness.com with ‘Glug Brum’ in the subject line. Please include a link to your website and a brief introduction – no attachments please.

Sponsorship

If you’re a local business and interested in sponsorship opportunities, please contact glug@inkygoodness.com for a sponsor pack.

Phew, that’s a lot of information

To keep up to date with everything Glug Birmingham:

www.createdinbirmingham.com • facebook • twitter

www.inkygoodness.com • facebook • twitter

www.glugevents.com • facebook • twitter

We also have set up a facebook event.

We’re very pleased to announce we are going to have our first CiB Charity of the Year.

*round of applause*

As you know, Created in Birmingham is a blog linking up creative and artistic communities: we find out what’s going on in the area and promote it voluntarily. Whilst that’s in itself is a good thing, we feel that we’re in the position to be able to go one step further in helping those communities. We’re joining forces with The CAW Foundation (CAW stands for Creatives at Work) to fundraise for Artistic, Cultural, Sporting and Social Change projects in Birmingham, and the funds will be administered by the Birmingham & Black Country Community Foundation.

More specifically, we’ll be raising money to support projects that work with young people and disadvantaged groups, empowering them to change their outlook and opportunities in life. Together CAW and CiB will have complete control over how the money we raise will be spent – we will help The CAW Foundation team decide which worthy good causes and charities that are already doing amazing work in our local communities will benefit from CAW Grants. We have an effective way of having a say of where the money goes, directing funds raised into the heart of our local communities, encouraging activities that benefit us all.

The CAW Foundation is all about ‘Creatives at work for the next generation’ so – it really is the perfect partnership for our creative community of CiB to make a change and have a real impact on helping to inspire and shape the future professionals of our sector.

Rob Langley-Swain founded The CAW Foundation in August 2012 and had this to say about our new partnership:

I’m thrilled that CiB have chosen CAW as their Charity of the Year for the next 12 months. I set up The CAW Foundation because I felt there was a real gap and a need for people to support small, grass roots good causes and charities that have suffered from funding and grant cuts from the likes of The Arts Council and Local Authorities. I witnessed a number of amazing charities shut down or diminish their creative output because of lost funding and decided I couldn’t just stand by and let it happen.

The CAW Foundation’s ambition is to raise at least £50,000 by 2015 – 60% of everything we raise will go in to a long term legacy trust fund, which will then earn interest and pay out to good causes long in to the future. 40% of funds raised each year will be spent immediately in small grants to good causes that meet our funding criteria and can demonstrate what impact they’ll have on Young People and deprived communities – through Artistic, Cultural, Sporting or Social Change projects.

In the past 11 months we have managed to raise a very respectable £13,000 and we are set to make our first round of Grants to good causes in September. Having the support of CiB’s community is going to be a real boost and enable us to reach even more young people through numerous projects with our grant making – and ultimately that is what it is all about. We can’t wait to get cracking on some creative fundraising!

This is just an introduction to CiB’s Charity of the Year intentions: you’ll notice we’ve added a widget on the right handside of the page that links to our justgiving page – which is a little inactive at the moment whilst we’re event planning –  throughout the year we will be holding fundraising events and other fun things. The basic idea being we’ll start doing CiB stuff in real life (not just online), and raise money for good causes at the same time.

We’ve just hit 10,000 followers on twitter, so we decided on the figure of £10,000 to begin with.

If you have any questions, have ideas, or would like to get involved, then speak to me about it by emailing createdinbirmingham@gmail.com with FAO Kerry in the subject line.

We get plenty of emails from people wanting to contribute to the blog but the answer’s always the same – put that stuff on your own blog and perhaps we’ll link to it. Mainly that’s because CiB’s always been about encouraging others to have their own outlets for expression.

We probably won’t be able to post everything but maybe this’ll turn into a regular thing. Or maybe we’ll give March over entirely to guest posts and never do it again. Who knows? Maybe we won’t get much of a response and we’ll forget this post ever happened.

Topics for discussion

That’s up to you, just don’t get us into too much trouble.

Maybe there’s an area we don’t do a very good job of covering, or something you want to have a rant about (opinions are good) or maybe there’s something that you know that you want to share.

You may know of an undiscovered portion of Birmingham that deserves a mention, or want to feature some amazing local talent you’ve come across. Maybe there’s a problem that’s not being addressed. Whatever you have to say, we’re open to ideas.

Format

Text, video, photo – whatever suits you best.

A note about self-promotion

This isn’t an opportunity for some free press, advertising space or link spam. If you want to promote yourself/your clients then by all means advertise with us or get in touch with us in the usual way.

How to get involved

Simply click this link and fill out this form. At this stage we just want to know who you are and roughly what you’d like to talk about.