City Curator Highlights: Week Five
14 June 2024
100 Days of Creativity: City Curator Highlights
City Curator Highlights: Week 5
I hope you’ve all had a chance to go and visit our flagship outdoor exhibition, Birmingham Creates: The Open. With thanks to the fantastic artists that submitted their work it really is bringing such colour and life to both Snow Hill Square and Victoria Square. Free to visit, and a must as the sunshine fights its way through the clouds…
Now, as I look ahead to week 5 of this celebration, I’m excited to showcase some more fantastic events brought to you by incredibly talented organisers and producers.
Here are my four highlights for 17 June – 23 June:
Birmingham City University Presents – 1000 Threads
Oozells Square
18 June
Ever since I heard this event was in the pipeline, I’ve been buzzing about it. A graduate fashion show featuring 11 emerging designers, hosted by the BBC’s Natalie Graham and set against the stunning backdrop of Oozells Square and Ikon Gallery (one of my favourite buildings).
What’s not to love?
Go for the clothes but the entertainment looks set to be great too – merging the worlds of music, dance and fashion, this is set to be iconic and I cannot wait to see it!
Read more here: https://stylebham.com/1000-threads-birminghams-city-university/
Japanese Sake Drink and Draw with Flic!
Fox & Chance
18 June
This event combines some of my favourite things so it absolutely had to feature in my highlights. Head down to one of the city’s top bars, Fox & Chance, for a night of drinking and drawing!
I’ve been to a couple of Flic’s Drink & Draw events before, they are great fun and a really lovely way to meet people if you’re in the market for some new pals. This one is a bit special though, it’s a collaboration between Flic and Sam, Founder of the Sake Events Company (you’ll know him as the former owner of The Pineapple Club).
Attendees will be treated to a tasting of four Japanese sakes whilst Flic leads an informal drawing session.
Tickets here: https://www.kokushu.info/events/p/japanese-sake-drink-and-draw-with-flic
Rocketman Film with Live Orchestra
Symphony Hall
22 June
I love watching films, all the more so when they are presented in an immersive way. I’m a big fan of the likes of Secret Cinema & The Wine Events Company who both do this wonderfully, and in very different ways.
I’ve been to a couple of B:Music’s events like this one – most memorably a Christmas screening of Love Actually presented in the same way as Rocketman will be – with a full orchestra performing the soundtrack live to picture.
What a great way to spend the evening, watching an Oscar-award movie charting the life of the legend that is Elton John with a live orchestra bringing the ace music in this film to the forefront.
The Hidden Lives of Plants: Botanical Illustrations from the V&A
The Barber Institute of Fine Arts
22 June onwards
One of the latest additions to the 100 Days of Creativity programme – and I really love that our listings are evolving and growing week by week – so do keep checking back for more inspiration on what to do this summer.
This is the first show in a new annual exhibition partnership between the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Barber and the University’s Department of Art History, Curating and Visual Studies.
The MA students that have developed this exhibition have selected some of the most interesting and beautiful illustrations from the V&A’s 1,000 botanical illustrations strong collection! These are presented alongside items from the University of Birmingham’s Winterbourne House and Garden and Cadbury Research Library.
Alex Nicholson-Evans
13 June 2024
