And the creativity hasn’t been restricted to the classic etch-a-sketch picture, as artists have been actively encouraged to paint and take apart their red framed tablets to create something new.

All of the artworks will be displayed in a public exhibition between 1-16 October and the deadline for submissions is 5pm, 27 September 2011, so there’s still time to get etching. For details on how to get involved, contact learning@macarts.co.uk.

The Campaign for Drawing is running throughout October, with events taking place all over the world encouraging people of all ages to get creative with a pencil and paper.

There are plenty of events happening around the West Midlands, take a look at this list on the Campaign for Drawing website to find out what’s happening where and when.

mac also have a range of activities going on for The Big Draw, with a series of drawing stations positioned around the city, all ready for you to be inspired by Birmingham and start drawing. Plus there will be plenty of family events over October half term, with mono-printing, trails and inks.

In the meantime, if the idea of doodling has got you inspired, take a look at Draw and Fold Over. Feel free to share finished creations!

An outdoor dance spectacular that’s part of Birmingham Town Hall‘s 175th birthday celebrations. They’re hoping for up to have had up to 12,000 people take part. It’s being performed on Friday 9 October at 8pm and Saturday 10 October at 3pm and 8pm – and you can learn the steps half an hour before each performance.

It’s part of the People Dancing programme and there’s plenty more info on westmidlandsdance.com and the Bollywood Steps website.

Birmingham Poet Laureate Inaugral Reading

Tonight, at the Library Theatre, our new poet laureate, announced yesterday as Adrian Johnson (ACE West Mids Literature Officer), will be performing for the first time in his official capacity.

Info on the Birmingham Book Festival website.

Goings on in Digbeth

Nicky Getgood, on Digbeth is Good, has linked to a fair amount of interesting stuff happening:

• Eastside Studio are holding an Open Studio on Saturday afternoon from midday to 5pm to ‘celebrate the completion of carving the ‘Rugby Writers’ commission’
• Also on Saturday, VIVID are taking part in The Big Draw with a variety of artists getting visitors to interact with their work

UPDATE – Oops, cheers to Nicky Getgood for pointing out the next one is on Sunday 18 October:

• On Sunday Nikki Pugh is doing a GPS-assisted walk around “the perimeter of the regeneration area taking great care to stop, investigate, prod, document, tell stories about and explore things along the way”

Also, see the comments for more free stuff this weekend.