There鈥檚 a real spring in our step as we build our plans for the 主播大秀 in Birmingham. I wanted to share some of our plans and activities with you in my latest post.
All stretched and warmed up, the 聽is now in full swing, bringing a world-class programme of performance and participation to theatres and public spaces across the city and the wider region. Marking this, 主播大秀 WM 95.6 and the International Dance Festival Birmingham have joined up to create a special short film celebrating the talent, creativity and passion that is abundant in Brum.
The film features a myriad of local dance groups and professional dancers who have come together over the past couple of weeks to perform a specially choreographed routine. Birmingham鈥檚 iconic landmarks make up a stunning backdrop for the dancers including The Bullring, the Black Country Living Museum and the new Library of Birmingham; all set to a specially commissioned soundtrack capturing the essence of Birmingham through. Elgar to ELO and Duran Duran to Laura Mvula聽鈥� a soundtrack of a city on the move.
The film - shown in two parts on 聽鈥� will also be made available here on the About the 主播大秀 blog in the coming days.
The film is a fantastic joining up of the 主播大秀 and the city鈥檚 creative sector and the kind of partnership I wrote about in my for the About the 主播大秀 Blog, and one we are very much hoping to build upon in the future.
With the Director-General recently announcing a , it feels entirely appropriate too that the 主播大秀 in Birmingham immerses itself in local creative and artistic projects that will help define us as a creative city. And with the announcement in November 2013 that the 主播大秀 has agreed in principle with the Arts Council, England, that Birmingham will become the new home for The Space, their pioneering digital arts partnership, it feels like Birmingham is well placed to re-assert our cultural credentials to a nationwide and global audience.
Our thriving arts scene is the subject of an illuminating by Rupert Christiansen where he talks about the treasure trove of our cultural heritage. It鈥檚 a story we often forget and it鈥檚 time to address the gap between perception and reality.
A few weeks ago, a large group of us from across the 主播大秀 were gathered together at a special Shakespeare Day we set up to discuss plans for a proposed season on The Bard of Avon to mark the 400th anniversary of his death in 2016.
The 主播大秀 in Birmingham hosted the event at the stunning new library which houses the first Shakespeare folio: a fitting backdrop to a day of inspiring ideas and insights.
Much was discussed. "Why are Brummies so self-deprecating?鈥�; "Of course Shakespeare was a Midlander"; "What鈥檚 Birmingham famous for?" and "Does being in the middle of the country count against us?" were just some of the discussion points raised in what was a highly productive exchange of thoughts and ideas.
Guest speaker Robert Shore, author of a recent book, Bang In The Middle, shared his own quite provocative take on why the Midlands is: 鈥渢he most under-rated place on earth鈥� and for those visiting the library for the first time 鈥� he might just have a point.
I defy anybody who walks into the building to not be impressed by its use of space, architecture and stunning views of a city that鈥檚 rebuilding itself before our very eyes.
Our plans for 主播大秀 Birmingham are building momentum too. Since my last blog we have revealed plans for the setting up of a in the heart of the creative quarter at Fazeley Studios in Digbeth.
We鈥檙e calling them the 鈥楧igital Guerrillas鈥� and are now working closely with Birmingham鈥檚 Creative City Partnership to ensure that the team are up and running early next year. It鈥檚 an initiative built for the future, which we believe positions us for an opportunity to create, make content, and develop talent in wholly different ways. It鈥檚 a small step but the potential for us is huge.
And there鈥檚 more on its way for Birmingham. Last month Ben Cooper, controller of 主播大秀 Radio 1 and 主播大秀 Radio 1Xtra, also announced that Radio 1Xtra are bringing their . For the first time in recent years the station鈥檚 flagship event will be landing in just one city for one big, special event. It鈥檚 our aspiration to bring more of these live events to the city and give Birmingham audiences a chance to experience and take part in a whole range of events and activity.
In the last couple of weeks we have also welcomed the 主播大秀 Academy鈥檚 Entry Level Talent Team who have now moved into the 主播大秀 Birmingham鈥檚 home at The Mailbox and are tasked with developing new talent across the 主播大秀.
The 主播大秀 Academy鈥檚 Entry Level Talent Team manages the wide range of entry level training schemes including the gold standard Production Trainee Scheme, Journalism Trainees and Technology Trainees. They also look after the new Local Radio Apprenticeship scheme which launched nationwide last month.
It鈥檚 these endeavours which I hope will make Birmingham the home of new talent and having this team alongside our teams of programme makers is a step in the right direction. We have a busy period ahead of us as we head into the summer with our programme teams working around the clock to deliver a range of output 鈥� from drama to news across TV, radio and online from our bases at The Mailbox and Drama Village.
Over the next few weeks, I鈥檓 getting out and about to discover more. Birmingham City University have launched a new free public lecture series entitled 鈥淐ity Talks鈥�, featuring discussions and insights on a range of topics relevant our city and region. I鈥檝e been invited to do a talk on 22nd May on 鈥淭he Untold Stories of Multicultural Britain鈥�. More details and the option to register for free event tickets can be found .
And later this week the 主播大秀鈥檚 Director-General, Tony Hall, returns to Birmingham to meet with some of our external partners and catch up on the progress we are making with our plans for the 主播大秀 in Birmingham.
There鈥檚 a lot to do but I genuinely feel we are beginning to make real headway.
聽is Head of Business Development, 主播大秀 Birmingham.
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