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.

We had Flatpack in last week – they gave out brochures and also installed David Hurley‘s installation ‘A Thought. An Afterthought‘. This week International Dance Festival Birmingham are taking up residence to promote the impressive line-up they’ve assembled.

For Good Friday and Easter Saturday Sarah Loves… has arranged for Sam Pierpoint to take up residence in the shop window:

Sam takes a plain pair of shoes of your choice and transforms them into original works of art entirely unique to you. Transporting her studio to the window of the temporary Bullring shop she will be inviting people to engage with her process and inspire new designs

But c’mere, there’s more. The following weekend the shop will be hosting a knit-in by Stitches and Hos. Click the link for all the info. Here’s the eflyer thing for it:

Sam Pierpoint is an illustrator and designer based in Birmingham and Southampton. She completed a BA in Graphic Design with a 2:1 at The Nottingham Trent University. She’s an illustrator by day and a techno dj by night with a passion for quirky shapes and patterns, unconventional colour schemes, jazz, soul, tech, minimal, house and general obscurity in all it’s glory!

By layering and a diverse range of papers, building her work in 3d and breaking away from the standard rule of illustrating on the page, Sam has made her work come to life and is excited about how much further she can push her style.

She’s on Twitter and has a Tumblr too.