On 24 September – 1 October, Friction Arts are holding Inside Out Festival. With artists, installations and performances all hosted at The Edge, the festival will also showcase performances, installations and interventions across Digbeth.

The idea behind this mini-fest is to continue to connect the communities around our HQ – The Edge, through a shared experience of contemporary art – in and around the streets of Digbeth.

There’ll be a series of art trails around the area, taking in works specially made for the festival, but also the street art and built environment of this very special district.

The programme so far has events running across the opening weekend, with a launch party on 24 September in association with Sonic Asylum, featuring live music, installations and artwork. Other events will include art trails, live art and an artist’s brunch.

For more information on currently listed events, plus updates and information on volunteering, take a look at their website.

Just a quick round up of everything going on this weekend, there’s a lot and we wouldn’t want you to forget and miss out on anything!

Cum Clubbing – Hosted by VIVID, this art party does not look like something to be missed (although it’s happening now, so get down quick). From 8pm – late, VIVID’s project space will be taken over by live music, DJs and visual artists who’ll conspire to create an excitingly strange evening of camp disco. Tickets are £5.

To save time I’m going to be both lazy and efficient, and link you to everyone else who’s been talking about this. Take a look at Digbeth is Good, More Canals than Venice, brianduffyhasabigbrain, and Birmingham: It’s Not Shit.

Zine Festival – Not put off by the scale of Artsfest, this niche festival has a weekend full of events for you to get involved in.

• Starting this evening at The Edge is a screening of ‘$100 & A T-Shirt‘, Joe Biel’s documentary on zine culture. Entry is a £1, which also gets you a bag of popcorn, along with a talk from Pete Ashton and Rob Horrocks on the emergence of the small press comics scene and music zine influence in the 80s.
• The Victoria is host to the Zine Fair on Saturday from 12 – 6pm, along with a workshop from 2 – 2.30pm with Peter Lally, as he runs through the history of Alternative Press and curates a Q&A session on running your own zine events.
• At 5 – 6.30pm Island Bar are inviting zine fans to ‘Drop in + Draw’, offering a pencil and paper to unwind with, before the party starts with the Atta Girl Zine Party, 8pm – 2am.
• From 6.30 – 8.30pm, Get A Grip will be guiding guests through the process of making your very own totally unique t-shirt. T-shirt, equipment, inks, images and expertise supplied for £20 per person. If you fancy it, book in advance, more details here.
• Sunday will be a chilled out picnic in Cannon Hill Park at 1 – 4pm. With nothing for sale and free to attend, the party will be meeting at mac.

Artsfest – As already mentioned, the weekend of free arts events kicks off this evening and will continue to entertain through to Sunday night. With live performances coming from Centenary Square and Chamberlain Square, along with short films and animations screened at the Crescent, plus various performances and workshops held at theaters and bars across the city, don’t let the miserable weather deter you from leaving the house!

There are two parts to this one:

• A debate on Thurs 3 June
• An installation by Raycho Stanev from 3-19 June

Both at Friction Arts’ The Edge. Having seen mentions of this all over the place I’m guessing it’s going to be reasonably popular, which is good.

Nicky Digbeth gives the info:

The Great Excursion will be in Friction Arts’ home The Edge, Cheapside 3rd-19th June, and will kick off with a Critical Debate from 6pm this Thurs 3rd June, with a panel that includes Ammo Talwar (Punch), Paul Murphy (The Destroyers), Mukhtar Dar (The Drum) and Paradox (Munchbreak)

The debate is also part of the BASS Festival, which kicks off today.

science fiction treats culled from the Outer Spaceways. Our Prime Directive will be, as ever, Lost Movies, Cult Obscurities and Films You Probably Shouldn’t Be Watching!

and

SubAtomic Sounds by TWIGGY AND THE K-MESONS and MICRONORMOUS, and 99.9% probability (and rising…) of an improvised Theremin set!

To get upfront info and money-saving invites ask them nicely be sending a text 07887 956297 or an email to outersight@live.com

Here’s the flyer:

While I will be looking at galleries such as RBSA and Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery I would also like to look at something less conventional such as street art and something with a more independent edge

The first few things that sprung to mind (thinking mainly of galleries) were:

• Ikon Gallery
• Eastside Projects
• The Edge
• Urban Art Bar
• Gallery of Owls (although I’ve not visited and am struggling to find out much about this place)
• Purple Gallery
• Hedz (for street art stuff)

What have I missed?

Aside from the Ikon Eastside closing party there are a fair number of Halloween-themed things going on.  These are they (all happening on Friday 31 October, except the last two):

• The National Trust are putting on events in the back to back buildings (50-54 Inge Street/55–63 Hurst Street, Birmingham).  From 11.30am – 4pm they’ve got some nice events for the kiddies, then from 7pm to 9.30pm they’re “offering visitors a unique opportunity to linger for a while in our shadow-laden rooms, and silently reflect on the atmosphere of the back houses lit by candles, fires and oil lamps”
• The Town Hall are showing Nosferatu with an organ accompaniment by Nigel Ogden
• The Light House are showing Dracula, the Hammer version with Christopher Lee
• The Local Shorts Film Club are running a Halloween special at the Library Theatre
• Vivid are showing a slowed-down version of Psycho that will last a full 24 hours.  It starts at 9pm on Friday 31st and ends at 9pm the next day.  Entry is free
• At the Old Joint Stock Theatre, “Gemini present an evening of ghostly tales around the history of the Old Joint Stock followed by readings from a Medium”.  The night’s called Ghostly Histories and perhaps the scariest part is that the blurb mentions “clairvoyants with solid reputations”
• And on 1 November the Outer Edge’s next event at The Edge features “some obscure 3D horror and live horror sound effects from DJ FreakBeat”. Email outersight@live.com or text 07887 956297 for info.
• Also on 1 November, Capsule/ATP are putting on a Halloween show.

Thanks to the West Mids Life blog for a leg up compiling this.  Is there anything good I’ve missed?

We need some volunteers to come along this Thursday 25th September to help clear the space. If you can’t make it then but have some other time over the next couple of weeks we still need your help. We will provide beer, tea coffee and snacks for all who can help, as well as our eternal gratitude and one in the favour bank. Get in touch if you can help – it’s bound to be a laugh – and wear old clothes!

If you wish to contact us try the Edge telephone number: +44(0)121 772 6160 or +44(0)121 772 5185 or in absolute emergencies on the mobile 07970 221708 or alternatively, alternatively you can email us at info@livearts.co.uk

If anyone can help them out then give them a shout.

via Spaghetti Gazetti