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Birmingham’s Big City Culture Goes International!

Subscribe to RSS RSSFriday, 19th February, 2010

The Chamberlain
Memorial Fountain
Chamberlain Square,
Birmingham B3 3DH
Tuesday 23 February 2010
1.00pm

Cllr Martin Mullaney, Chairman of the Birmingham Cultural Partnership, will be available for photographs with the recipients of international grants along with a flag representing each country to be visited.

Eight of Birmingham’s most inspirational cultural organisations have been given an opportunity to showcase their talents around the world.

The group has been awarded grants totalling £200,000 from a new innovative programme to enable home-grown talent, as diverse as ballet, Baroque, choral singing and contemporary jewellery, to take their offering to countries including China, the USA and Sweden.

The successful organisations include South Asian arts provider, Sampad; the Birmingham Royal Ballet, Punch Records; the Sonia Sabri Dance Company; Stan’s Café Theatre Company; choral singers, Ex Cathedra; Fierce Festival and the Birmingham City University School of Jewellery. Each organisation will receive funding from the International Partnership Programme (IPP) following a competitive bidding process.

The IPP Programme, which has been established by the Birmingham Cultural Partnership (BCP), aims to improve visitors' perceptions of Birmingham as a top tourist destination by raising the international profile of the city’s cultural offering.

Cllr Martin Mullaney, Chairman of the BCP said, "There are many very talented and innovative organisations in Birmingham that can take the city’s name and reputation for culture across the globe.

As well as the cultural exchanges that will result from this programme there will also be huge economic benefits for Birmingham promoting the city as a great place to live work and visit, attracting increased inward investment, business and tourism.

"It also helps us to showcase what Birmingham is capable of producing as part of our bid to be UK City of Culture in 2013."

Jack Cunningham, Dean of the School of Jewellery said, “This exciting opportunity will not only profile the School of Jewellery, but is an excellent vehicle for cultural exchange and will promote the rich heritage of Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, the city, and its creative industries."

Jeffrey Skidmore, Ex Cathedra’s Artistic Director, said: "We have been delighted to represent Birmingham on the European stage over a number of years, but have never before had the opportunity to take our work to the United States. Thanks to our CDs we already have fans there and, thanks to this grant, we will be able to raise our profile and promote Birmingham as an international centre of choral excellence."

Christopher Barron, Chief Executive of the Birmingham Royal Ballet, added, "Overseas touring for Birmingham Royal Ballet not only highlights the performance and outreach work of the company but also demonstrates the first rate dance and creativity in the City of Birmingham today."

Each project was assessed against a set of strict criteria as part of the selection process including the innovative nature of the proposal; the quality of the partnership/relationships being created; the likely potential for the project to lead to further joint work and the extent to which each programme will promote Birmingham’s profile internationally.