We have another opportunity for creatives to get involved with the Library of Birmingham’s Discovery Season. We are seeking artists to lead food-based activities, that will contribute to Harvesting Stories, a season of food-related activity to celebrate the culinary heritage of the city and showcase the new Library of Birmingham.

There will be three loosely themed ‘public picnics’ – Play, Film and Stories – and we are looking for artists to deliver public engagement projects on one of the following dates.

PLAY
Sunday 8 September, 12-4

FILM
Sunday 20 October, 12-4

STORIES
Saturday 14 December, 12-4

If you are interested please submit your idea, together with a budget (maximum £500) and your CV. We will not consider applicants who do not supply all of the necessary information.

Email your submission and queries to [email protected] by 1 August 2013.

Image courtesy of http://supergrouplondon.co.uk

Capsule have commissioned Morag Myerscough to design a bespoke space that, during the four month Discovery season for the opening of the Library of Birmingham, will house a series of creative residencies.

The build of the space, named the Pavilion, is well under way and is looking fantastic.

Image courtesy of http://supergrouplondon.co.uk  

Morag also gave a really interesting and insightful talk to the Birmingham 2022 group. The award winning designer talked about her working process and the various forms of inspiration she finds in her travels.

Morag Myerscough talking to the group of 16-24 year olds who make up Birmingham 2022

Capsule first worked with Morag Myercough and her team in the bold design of the Home of Metal exhibition at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery.

Snapshot of the Home of Metal exhibition at BM&AG

Australian producers Super Critical Mass have been commissioned to present Together We Breathe, a large-scale project to celebrate the opening of the Library of Birmingham, and we’re looking for players to help us make this a truly a magnificent spectacle!

A mass of brass players from the region will be positioned throughout the new library building, filling the air with a dramatic opening fanfare. From the deep throb of tuba, the wash of trombone, and the sinewy swirl

of trumpets, audiences will be welcomed to the Library of Birmingham by a forest of brass. This is a really great opportunity to part of the

opening of a crucial new cultural building in the region, and it’ll all be filmed for BBC’s Culture Show.

Performers:

We are currently looking to work with existing brass bands and players who meet the following criteria:

– owns or has access to their own brass instrument

– has achieved Grade 3 (or equivalent) on their brass instrument

– is available for a workshop, rehearsal and performance on the dates detailed below

– is happy to be filmed as part of the BBC’s Culture Show feature on this event

Schedule:

– Workshop
Saturday 31st August :time TBC

– Rehearsal
Sunday 1st September: times tbc

– Performance
Tuesday 3rd September: 9am – 1pm

Application:

Please email [email protected] by 5pm on Monday 29th July with your interest. We will then send you a short registration form.

100 flutes at Carriage Works, Sydney

The Birmingham 2022 project aims to provide a space for unique perspectives on the current and future cultural offer for young people in Birmingham. Capsule are producing this project with Fused Magazine, Amy Martin, mac, Ideas Tap and is part of the Library of Birmingham opening season. A group of young people are working together over 6 months to generate alternative visions for the future of arts and culture in Birmingham,and will work as a team to create a professional-standard printed magazine-style brochure for the Discovery Festival of the New Library of Birmingham. We’ve put together an editorial team and now we are looking for a designer to jump on board and get involved…

JOB DETAILS

We’re looking for an experienced and talented all-round graphics whizz to work on a magazine layout project with up to 15 young people over the summer of 2013.

You’ll be working with a team of facilitators on an intensive project to produce the official brochure of the ‘Discovery Season’ for the opening of Birmingham’s new Library based around the designed Discovery Season logo.

During a 2 week summer school (based in Birmingham city centre) an editorial team will produce text, images and artwork. We’re looking for an individual to work closely with the group (during the second week) to help turn their vision of the brochure in to reality with a highly professional finished product.

Download the Job Description here: www.fusedmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/GD_JobDescription.pdf

You can keep up with Birmingham 2022 project via birmingham2022.wordpress.com

Highlights of the new Library of Birmingham’s four-month Discovery Season, which will run from the opening on Tuesday 3rd September until 31st December, are announced. Arts Council England support for the Discovery Season was confirmed earlier this year.

Taking its inspiration from the Library’s internationally-important archives and special collections, the Discovery Season will include:

Playground of Discovery – a specially-commissioned Cabinet of Curiosities created by multi-award- winning artist, Morag Myerscough, housing a rolling programme of creative residencies throughout the Season. Capsule are taking applications for the residency programme until Monday 29th April, learn more here. The Commentators from Stan’s Café, the Birmingham-based artists’ group, will be broadcasting from the Playground of Discovery, as the first of the creative residencies, in the opening week.

In a collaboration with Flatpack Festival, a weekend of cabaret and cinema to celebrate Birmingham’s long and colourful association with Early Cinema and the development of the Magic Lantern with a focus on the Library of Birmingham’s archive of 60,000 lantern slides dating from around 1890 to 1940

Theatre Jukebox by Stand + Stare

A trail of artworks will be situated across the building, each making reference to the Library’s rich collections and archives. To include Theatre Jukebox created by Stand + Stare using the Library’s Wingate Bett Transport Ticket collection, an arcade-style cabinet installation that plays stories instead of records housed on the Library’s fourth floor

The Library of Lost Books – an exhibition celebrating the history of the book, with related workshops, featuring contemporary artists and printmakers, inspired by and breathing new life into books that have reached the end of their natural lives

Carol Ann Duffy and Lionel Shriver will appear at October’s Birmingham Literature Festival (formerly the Birmingham Book Festival)

Reference Works, an exhibition of Birmingham’s largest ever photography commission which has seen four photographers – Michael Collins, Brian Griffin, Andrew Lacon and Stuart Whipps – create work in response to the building of the Library of Birmingham

Volume, the Birmingham Art, Book and Print Fair in December has been created as a unique event for the Discovery Season by bringing together existing organisations in collaboration (Writing West Midlands, Birmingham Zine Festival, An Endless Supply, BCU Typography Hub, Grand Union and Eastside Projects). Volume will open with a keynote speech from artist, musician and writer, Bill Drummond.

The Discovery Season is being produced on behalf of the Library of Birmingham by Capsule and is supported by Arts Council England.

The Season will throw a completely new light on the Library’s collections and bring to life the library’s stunning new spaces with installations, events, performances, workshops, and music and dance for every age and interest.

Robinson Crusoe, The Clever Cats & Co. (1881) London: Thomas Nelson and Sons. Parker Collection

The Library of Birmingham have been releasing images from the Parker Collection via their website and we must say, a lot of them are right up Capsule’s alley (animals in clothes you say?).

We’ve just announced a number of opportunities for artists to develop and exhibit work as part of the Library of Birmingham opening season. One opportunity is to develop a number of illustrative characters to be displayed in the Children’s Library. Artists might draw inspiration from the Parker Collection of Children’s Book and Games and can find more information via www.libraryofbirmingham.com/parkercollectiongallery

More information on this commission, as well as the Creative Residencies programme can be found via www.capsule.org.uk/project/library-of-birmingham-opening-season where you

can download the briefs and assessment criteria.

Sketched design by Studio Myerscough

We have announced two call outs for artists to produce exciting work for the Library of Birmingham opening season, curated by Capsule. We are looking for artists/organisations to take on week long residencies within an exciting space designed by Studio Myerscough (draft image above), and we will also commission an artist/illustrator to create new work to sit in the new Children’s Library.

See below for more information and details on how to apply. You can learn more about the opening season for this exciting new public space in Birmingham via www.capsule.org.uk/project/library-of-birmingham-opening-season

Children’s Library commission

Artwork: We require a series of illustrations – of characters and their environment – that will be produced as large-scale soft toys/furniture and as vinyl illustrations on specified walls and floor. It is expected that children will be able to develop their own narratives and play with the characters in both informal and workshop contexts.

Schools Workshops: Artists will be encouraged to research or test their ideas in consultation with local children through the Library of Birmingham’s established relationship with local schools (4 – 11 yrs). Where community engagement is not normally part of the artist’s practice, Capsule will work with them to realise appropriate workshops and activity, bringing in additional personnel as required.

Click through for further information, including how to apply, fee and criteria.

Creative Residencies

As part of the Discovery Season Capsule and Library of Birmingham are inviting artists, creative practitioners and arts organisations to propose ideas for week-long residencies in the ‘Playground of Discovery’: an exciting and dynamic structure designed by Studio Myerscough to be situated in the foyer.

Residencies will need to offer free drop-in activity for visitors to the Library of Birmingham around the central principle of Discovery. The structure will be able to accommodate between 10- 20 people. All residencies must engage with visitors to Library of Birmingham and offer opportunities for them to actively participate. Unless otherwise stated, you will be required to work with all ages.

Click through for further information, including how to apply, fee and criteria.

Deadline for both opportunities is 5pm on Monday 29^th April

Final call out for young creatives to apply for Birmingham 2022 – a fantastic opportunity to generate alternative vision for the future of arts and culture in Birmingham and learn real skills in journalism. In partnership with Fused Magazine and IdeasTap, this project will feed into the Capsule curated opening season for Library of Birmingham.

This brief closes on Friday 1 March at 5pm and is open to IdeasTap members aged 16 to 24 and living in the West Midlands.

The group of 20 young creatives will produce and create all of the following:
• Content for a new website for young people by young people
• A real-time capsule, which will be placed in the new Library of Birmingham and unearthed in 10 years time
• A professional standard print magazine-style brochure for the Library of Birmingham opening season with a distribution of 50,000

If you win, you will also receive:
• A unique personal development opportunity
• The chance to develop both your artistic and employment skills
• Careers development within the creative and cultural industries
• An opportunity to share your views with cultural organisations and other young people
• £50 – to cover initial expenses
• The opportunity to meet and work with industry folks and mentors

For more information and details on how to apply visit IdeasTap

Best of luck!