[Update: It seems like this is coming out of the Visual for Business people]
Fused have transcribed a flyer detailing some interesting events at the Hippodrome next week, which I will proceed to copy verbatim:
Culture & Identity The Role of Place in Shaping the Arts
Tuesday 8th April, 6.30pmâ€8pmChair: Robert Yates
Speakers: Richard Billingham †Artist, Turner Prize nominee, Catherine O’Flynn †Writer, Costa First Novel Award winner 2007, James Yarker †Director, Stan’s Cafe
Why Should We Care About Creativity In the West Midlands?
Wednesday 9th April, 6.30pmâ€8pmChair: Robert Yates
Speakers: Soweto Kinch †Musician, MOBO Award winner & Mercury Award nominee, Stuart Murphy †Creative Director, TwoFour / Former Controller BBC3, Matt Price †Writer / Curator, Gavin Wade †Artist, Founder Eastside Projects
‘Future of Sound’ Birmingham Showcase
Thursday 10th April, 6.30pmâ€9pmIncluding: Sykes, Director Cybersonica Martyn Ware, Modified Toy Orchestra, Soweto Kinch, The Sancho Plan, And local Birmingham artists.
Tickets are free and will be allocated on a first come first served basis. To book please contact Arts Co on 020 7723 0285 / info@artsâ€co.com
These look to be rather essential.
More top-down bollocks we don’t need, stuffed full of the usual wannabes who should really bog off to London and let Brum get on with the grassroots stuff we need to develop. As far as I know this was organised by agencies (and put together by a London-based org). Also, as far as I am aware, some of the artists on the bill weren’t even asked to be involved, but were put on the publicity without their say-so, typical. I’d like to see more artist-led stuff like this, rather than allowing others to impose it on us (and, yes, I have, do and will). Join me in boycotting this event and let’s get off our butts and show them who is really in charge of the arts – artists!
Without getting into the politics of whatever you’re on about, Mr Ethics, I’d suggest getting more grassroots stuff going on and, most importantly, documenting it online. That way there won’t be a need for the top-down bollocks.
Personally even if the talks are wank it’ll be a nice chance to go for a drink with some folks. I haven’t caught up with Matt Price for a while, for example, and he’s a dead interesting chap.
Oh how this city hates success. We should be celebrating the achievements of the speakers and participants (who are in actual fact mainly local). But……..lets not limit ourselves to local ideas for local people particularly in light of the fact that you may well represent the local. Please, Dr whinging, parochial curmudgeon keep your generalisations and ill formed assumptions to yourself. Frankly I’m glad you will be boycotting the events because there will be more room for people able to articulate a wider perspective on the art world than that which lies in your front room.