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Birmingham blogging to win title

Subscribe to RSS RSSWednesday, 21st April, 2010

With Birmingham’s 24 hour live blogging event – ‘The Big Culture Blog' – now only days away, organisations big and small across the city are getting ready to contribute to a unique cultural map of the city that will be sent to bid judges to show just how much goes on in Birmingham and how important culture, in all its many forms, is to the city.

Due to take place between Noon on Friday 23rd April and Noon on Saturday 24th April, the Big Culture Blog has been set up to allow everyone living in or visiting the city to contribute to the bid by letting the judging panel know what kinds of cultural activities are happening in the city in just a single day.

As simple as sending a brief email from a pc, laptop or mobile device, contributors can also add images or video from the event by attaching files to their emails.

The results will appear on a special website www.birminghamculture.org/blog throughout the 24 hour event.

During the 24 hours there is a spectacular array of events for people to blog from or about.

Here are just a few:

Spotlight Stage School in Castle Bromwich has a packed Saturday morning of dance, drama, singing & gymnastics with over 350 young people taking part

The Hippodrome has a performance by Mark Morris, described as the Mozart of Modern Dance

The Birmingham Book Club has a regular social meet-up on Friday night for their many book-loving members

A St Georges Day craft workshop for families is being held on Saturday morning at Birmingham Museum

Birmingham REP features a performance of Respect, a hard hitting play about four teenagers on a trip to Cologne

The Glee Club has a packed night of stand-up comedy

The Hare and Hounds in Kings Heath opens its doors at 10.00 on Saturday to welcome jazz legend SNOWBOY and JAZZIFUNK resident Bruce Q from Liquid Fusion Music

At the IKON Gallery, Palestinian artist Shuruq Harb shows A Book of Signatures (2009), a work which contains the signatures of 250 individuals named Mohammed

And the O2 Academy will be packed on Friday night with fans of up-and-coming bands Brigade, Telegraphs and Island Three.

Vicky Richards, who runs Spotlight Stage School, is getting firmly behind the Big Culture Blog in Spotlight’s 10th Anniversary Year. Her students have performed at venues across the UK, including the West End and recently filmed scenes for BBC drama series Waterloo Road.

She said: “I fully support the Birmingham bid - our city is full of emerging talent, and becoming the UK City of Culture will undoubtedly help the young people I teach succeed in the world of performing arts".

George Powell of Jazzifunk, promoter of the event at the Hare and Hounds, believes Birmingham has a strong case to make to be UK City of Culture: “Birmingham has a strong multicultural community; the city offers excellent arts and entertainment, restaurants, accommodation, transport links and excellent schools, colleges and universities. There’s always something to do in the city 7 days a week.”

Sharon Lea, Strategic Director of Environment & Culture, is delighted with the enthusiasm of both Birmingham’s cultural community and its local residents. She said today: "What better way to show the judging panel the glorious diversity of Birmingham's cultural offering, as well as the passion for culture of local people and the enthusiasm of residents for bidding for and winning the UK City of Culture title."

It’s easy to take part in the Big Culture Blog. All you need to do is:

Between Noon on Friday 23rd April and Noon on Saturday 24th April...

Send an email to blog@birminghamculture.org  saying what kind of cultural activity you are involved in or attending

You can attach images and videos but please check if you need permission from the venue or artists first

Make sure you tell us where you are from, so we can plot everyone’s involvement on a giant map of the city and region!

ENDS

Further information can be obtained from Geoff Coleman on 303 3501 or Deborah Smith on 07881 500 557.