The Created in Birmingham closed its shutters for the last time at the end of the month. Someone kissed the feedback book:

International Dance Festival Birmingham came to an end too, while Ian looked forward to what was in store at the 2010 BASS Festival and I had a peek at the Lichfield Festival’s line-up.

RoguePlay left the Custard Factory, I noticed Writing West Midlands for the first time, Ikon announced their series of ‘Favourite Things’ talks, the Daze-Ray exhibition occupied a corner of the Jewellery Quarter and IPEX took over the NEC.

hobbypopMUSEUM spent some time at Eastside Projects, the annual Cure Leukemia Art Auction took place, Ben Javens made a tea towel, end-of-year-show season started up and there was a photography exhibition at the Custard Factory.

I went to visit the flashy gizmos at University of Birmingham’s Heritage and Culture Learning Hub too.

The Story Exchange is the visually enchanting invention of Birmingham-based Needle & Thread Theatre, and will be captivating story-lovers, story-tellers, and strays over four days in the Created in Birmingham shop at Bullring from Thursday 13 May until 16 May.

Here’s the blurb (pun intended) for you:

You are invited to browse, peruse and explore the leafy pages of the sumptuous second-hand books. Once you’ve found a treasure to take away we won’t require your pounds or pennies as payment, all we ask in return is a story of your own – fairy-tales; folk-tales; fond memories and funny stories from everyday life are all welcome.

Artistic director Natalie Wilson can be contacted for more info at needleandthreadtheatre@yahoo.co.uk or on 07530 939 380.

There’s a PILOT night tomorrow – an evening of ‘new, untested shorts from some of the UK’s most exciting theatre companies’. AE Harris are housing and Kindle Theatre are hosting. It’s only a fiver so get down by 7.30pm for this little lot:

The line up will include performances from Needle & Thread Theatre’s continuing project The Story Exchange, a brick built Ziggurat from The Resurrectionists, a comic twist on a Greek myth from The Company Project, a public pillory from Mark Butcher, an operatic performance from Kirsty Lothian and the dulcet tones of Greg McLaren from Stoke Newington International Airport.

The evening will be fanfared by the City Sings Trumpeters and serenaded by The Mellow Peaches