an ongoing series of posters designed by graduates for the purpose of passing on advice and inspiration to first year students

but I’m not sure I’d twigged that there are a few contributors from around Birmingham, including Ben Javens, Jonny Costello (whose poster is below), Lee Basford and Luke Tonge.

Simon Peplow and Yee Ting Kuit both studied in Birmingham too. Let me know if I’ve missed anyone.

(Spotted by Helga Henry)

Sandford Jr sells screen printed clothes for kids up to the age of 7:

The desire to collaborate with artists to create something truly unique for babies and children as well as supporting artists along their careers has always been the driving force behind Sandford Jr

The featured artists are Lucy Mclauchlan, Leanne Jones and Ben Javens (who flagged this up on his blog).

An exhibition of original images inspired by the story of Coppélia. In a first-of-its-kind project for Birmingham Royal Ballet, 27 artists and designers have been invited to produce individual pieces of artwork based upon toymaker Doctor Coppélius, and his attempts to breathe life into his most prized creation

The exhibition has been pulled together by Rob Lindsay at Birmingham Royal Ballet and Claire Hartley.

It features the work of (deep breath…) Ashley O’Brien, Ben Javens, Chris Henley, Christine Hughes, Claire Hartley, Crayonfire, Darren John, Dave Hughes, Gavin Auty, Harriet Grey, The Hidden Dingbat Collective, Ian, Caulkett, Jamie Littler, Jimmy Rogers, Jo Spencer, Katie Parry, Luke Tonge, Mezzetty, Middle Boop, Nathan Monk, Rachel Tighe, Ryan Dean-Corke, Sam Pierpoint, Sarah Ray, Simon Wild, Studio Family and Sweaty Eskimo.

It’s all online so go and have a look. There’s some lovely work there.

It launched tonight for one night only (I was there – that photo stands as slightly blurry proof), although there are plans to exhibit the prints elsewhere and maybe sell them online or something.

It always seems to me that the illustrators around Birmingham are a very talented but criminally underserved bunch. When they get together and do something it tends to be really very good – see also the Not My Type exhibition that we hosted at the CiB shop last year.

Still, a very well done to everyone involved in this.

The Created in Birmingham closed its shutters for the last time at the end of the month. Someone kissed the feedback book:

International Dance Festival Birmingham came to an end too, while Ian looked forward to what was in store at the 2010 BASS Festival and I had a peek at the Lichfield Festival’s line-up.

RoguePlay left the Custard Factory, I noticed Writing West Midlands for the first time, Ikon announced their series of ‘Favourite Things’ talks, the Daze-Ray exhibition occupied a corner of the Jewellery Quarter and IPEX took over the NEC.

hobbypopMUSEUM spent some time at Eastside Projects, the annual Cure Leukemia Art Auction took place, Ben Javens made a tea towel, end-of-year-show season started up and there was a photography exhibition at the Custard Factory.

I went to visit the flashy gizmos at University of Birmingham’s Heritage and Culture Learning Hub too.

and, if you like, you can buy one here.

On a slightly related note, one of the strangest bits of merch I ever saw at a gig was Nick Cave tea towels.

The first of what might become a regular thing, Knowing Me, Knowing You was fun last week. As part of Capsule’s longest birthday party… ever, we got together and invited a bunch of interesting people along to introduce themselves and say (for the sake of getting a conversation going) what they might do if they were to get their hands on VIVID for a little while.

The kind participants were:

• Dan Davies
• Ben Waddington
• Fin & Ken from a new (currently nameless) housing co-op
• Sara from Needles and Hooks
• Mark Murphy from Surely?
• Stuart and Ben from First Fold Records (who’ve blogged about it)
• Sarah from Heat and Light
• James Yarker from Stan’s Cafe (well, I read out his submission)
• One of Eagle and Feather from Kipple
• Ben Javens

All ably compered by Jon Bounds with half-time entertainment provided by Charlie Pinder‘s cake orchestra.

Truth be told, we weren’t sure what people would come back with or what sort of direction the evening might take. As it turned out, ideas included:

• Social spaces
• Turning the place into a massive ball pool/packing it floor to ceiling with jelly
• Setting up a swapshop
• Using it as a place for realising unfinished ideas
• Creating an edgeless, white room and projecting images through hung pieces of perspex
• Kipple Live
• Artist talks

And some other things that escape me just at the moment. To be honest, the suggestions themselves weren’t the most crucial part of the evening. The point was really to get people out, meeting each other and sharing thoughts and ideas. As far as that goes I think the evening was a success.

Capsule have written up the event here with lots of lovely photos. Thanks to them, to everyone who took part and to those who came along to watch.

For the next CiB Project we’ve been asked to take part in Capsule‘s 10th birthday celebrations. We’re getting together a bunch of Birmingham creative types, putting them on a stage for 3 minutes and asking them ‘What would you do if you were given the run of a space like Vivid?’

Featured folks will include:

ATTA Girl, Scott Johnson aka Film Ficciones, Stephen Earl Rogers, James Yarker of Stans Cafe, local historian Ben Waddington, illustrator extraordinaire Ben Javens to name but a few

That list is from Capsule’s website.

There are 20 places left for spectators, so if you want to come along then please admin@capsule.org.uk. If it goes well it might be the first of many such events.

There’ll be full reporting back after the event, so if you can’t make it down then don’t worry.

In my opinion promoters Capsule utilize the magic of good illustration just right. Each piece of design they commission is executed with full force, and this ballsy,  risk taking approach is one reason why they run some of the most well recognised events around.

Ben Javens has created these posters for Capsules Jan / Feb events and they are quite typical of the bold,  hand printed style you can see on his weblog, he has some lovely bits for sale in his shop too.