This looks to be an extremely exciting opportunity for theatre producers in the city centre as Sheffield’s Point Blank Theatre takes up residency in the now empty (used as the Christmas pop-up shop last year) unit on New Street. Here is a description for the unit that will be called Make.Shift:

Point Blank Theatre has secured the short-term lease on an empty shop unit in a prime location on New Street, right in the heart of Birmingham’s bustling city centre. During this time the space will be used by local theatre-makers to collaborate, network, and rehearse.

The shop unit will also play host to the Three-Week Window Festival, a brand new festival for Birmingham curated by local theatre companies Little Earthquake and Tin Box.

The Three Week Window Festival has been open for submissions but is in the last few days of application. Here is a description of what looks to be a great event:

Local theatre companies Little Earthquake and Tin Box are curating a new festival in the unit between Monday 3^rd and Sunday 23^rd September 2012 called Three-Week Window. 

The shop unit has a large street-level window measuring 5 and a half metres wide by 2 and a half metres tall, and thousands of people walk past it every day. We’re looking for up to 18 artists, companies or organisations who would each like to take over the shop window for a single day. Whatever you decide to do in the window is up to you…

Perhaps you’re a theatre-maker with an idea for a performance; an installation artist who could transform the window into something unique; or a visual artist who would like to display their work. Whoever you are, whatever you do, we’re keen to hear about ideas that will turn heads and stop people in their tracks for three special weeks in September.

The full criteria for performers is available here, but it seems as if the huge shop windows will become a theatre stage where passers by can stop and watch performers behind the glass.

I think this pop-up culture is outstanding and will hopefully inspire and open up even more opportunities for Birmingham to use its empty spaces more creatively – especially for local companies such as Tin Box.

Find out more on the Make.Shift website.

They have an open call for artists of all disciplines for the festival, there’s more information about this on their website.

Brilliantly Birmingham will have a temporary shop at the Pavillions from 5-24 December.

Some of the designers selling their work in the Pavilions include designers from Design Space, an incubation scheme in the Jewellery Quarter which was set up by Birmingham City Council to support new talent in the area

Meanwhile quite literally everyone else has pointed out that the Swifty Pop-Up Shop will be at the Sauce Gallery at the Custard Factory from 10 Dec to 10 Jan. Swifty is a typographer, artist and sleeve designer – he worked at The Face before later becoming art editor at Straight No Chaser.

OH. MY. SWEET. LORD. I’ve just found out he did the ‘If in doubt play Stevie’ print that I once saw years ago and have hankered after ever since. Ok, I’m excited about this now.

The shop will sell:

Everything from originals and one off prints to T-shirts, skateboards and stickers

But whatever, I just want that print. Oh aye, Punch Records are involved with this one too. Here’s a pic: