Ammo reckons Birmingham’s arts scene is too safe and middle-aged, claiming that rather than providing art that appeals to Brummies, “a human tide of middle class professionals floods Birmingham each day from the suburban shanty towns that ring our city”:

Groomed by the local authority and a small elite of ‘tastemakers’, half-a-dozen ‘flagship’ venues and ventures in the city centre now hoover up most of the taxpayer and corporate cash. Just like the banks, they’ve become ‘too big to fail’.

More and more their programming reflects the tastes – and train timetables – of an alien clique.

Meanwhile, Stan’s Cafe remind us that, as of 1 October, city council funding for some of the smaller organisations ended (see my post with bonus hedgehog vid here):

last time I did the sums it appeared 50% of the City’s revenue funded portfolio was being cut by 100% to save 2.6% of the Arts Revenue budget. I can’t conceive how the city missed out on its last two bids to be crowned a Capital/City of Culture.

That last bit was sarcastic, btw.

Punch are offering between £500 – £3000 through their BASS Commissions fund for artists to create new work in music, dance, spoken word and theatre.

Here’s the themes that they’re wanting commissioned pieces to explore;

Musical Revolutionaries: – artists who have changed the face of Black music

Promoting the next generation – what is the next big thing?

Showcases for heroes in the emergence of Dubstep, Hip Hop, Afrobeat Jazz.

May the Circle be Unbroken: Sounds that have made the soundtrack to changes in society such as Steel Pulse or Gospel singers

Spins and Flips: revolutions on the dance floor

Transformations: can you through words imagine new ways to present work or new stages to present it

There’s also a BASS Talent Award to be claimed, in association with Aspire 4u. Young people aged between 16-24 will have the opportunity to produce a specially commissioned performance, with an award of up to £1000.

For more information and how to apply, visit the Punch website. Deadline for applications is 12 noon on 14 February 2011.

On 20 November mac and The New Black, supported by Punch, will be hosting a screening of A Slice of Fela, based on the life and music of legendary Afrobeat musician and social political icon Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.

The screening is part of the 50th anniversary of Nigerian independence, and will feature excerpts from various documentaries and recorded concerts.

A Q&A panel will follow the screening, with Rikki Stein, Fela’s long-time manager, artist Lemi Ghariokwu, who designed Fela’s album sleeves, former editor of Black Music and Jazz Chris May and personal friend of Fela, JK, will share their memories of the man and his music.

The celebrations start at 4.30pm, with a DJ in Bridges Café Bar from 6pm after the screening.

To book your tickets, call mac on 0121 446 3232 or via the website.

Punch in collaboration with Apples and Snakes, present Tuned On, a development session for performance poets. The event will take place at mac on 20 November from 4 – 6pm.

Artists confirmed to appear on the panel are Kat Francois, OneNess, El Crisis and Chris Redmond, who will be led by Rob Taylor, discussing the creative business side of spoken word, along with their artistic journey and making a living as spoken word poets, before opening the floor to questions.

This will be a great opportunity to meet other members of the West Midland’s spoken word community, set up collaborations and find out about events and performance opportunities.

Tuned On is free to attend, RSVP to bohdan@applesandsnakes.org.uk

Ok, so it’s easy to be cynical about these things (and it’s open season on the Birmingham Post site – all the winners’ profiles are commentable), but there’s little sense in detracting from the recognition given to the following folks who work hard on the city’s arts & culture scene.

So, from CiB (hating the game, not the playa since 2007) hearty congrats go to:

• 18. Dorothy Wilson, Midlands Arts Centre
• 25. David Bintley, Birmingham Royal Ballet
• 26. Amajit Talwar, Punch
• 29. Graham Vick, Birmingham Opera Company
• 30. Soweto Kinch, Musician
• 35. Mark Ball, Royal Shakespeare Company and Fierce!
• 39. Sarah Gee, Indigo
• 43. Sandra Hall, Friction Arts
• 49. Stuart Griffiths, Birmingham Hippodrome

While I’m at it, the Birmingham meeja luminaries who would like to thank their friends, family, deity of choice, etc and so on are:

• 7. Sir Michael Lyons, BBC Trust
• 14. Jon Bounds, Blogger
• 15. Suzie Norton, Screen West Midlands
• 20. Steve Dyson, Birmingham Mail
• 28. Ian Squires, ITV
• 31. Jonnie Turpie, Maverick TV
• 41. Gurjeet Kaur Bains, The Sikh Times

The big list of movers and shakers is on the Birmingham Post website which, like I say, they’ve made an effort to do all nice so you can comment on how brilliant and deserving everyone is.

But feel free to vent your spleen in the comments here if you feel the need.