Last Thursday evening was an incredibly varied one for me. It started with the Social Media Surgery organised by Nick Booth in Fazeley Studios, where we gave social media advice and help to people from local voluntary and community groups. This was the Social Media Surgery’s first birthday and it’s come on in leaps and bounds since its humble beginnings as a one-off event in the BVSC building. Many happy returns.
I thought I’d also better check out the art launches of that evening – Ryokji Ikeda’s data.tron at Ikon Eastside (pictured above) and Jordan McKenzie’s live performance piece Day Into Night at VIVID.
Like the blurb said, Ryoji Ikeda’s video art is ‘truly engrossing’ – I found the rows after rows of data speeding by on the big screen kind of hypnotic and I kept glazing over, like my brain was tuning into its white noise. Or maybe I was just a bit tired. The exhibition is on until 8th Nov, shortly after which it will become part of the Ikon Eastside closing party on 12th Nov.
I popped into VIVID on my way back but found I couldn’t really get into it – Jordan McKenzie was in the corner of a cold, dark room repeatedly lighting matches off the wall. I think the best thing about it was the burnt-out match smell that hit me as soon as I walked into the room. You can re-watch VIVID’s recording of the piece.
After that I made my way to Manzil’s curry house for a spot of dinner, but found myself distracted by a late-night student sale at COW Vintage store. This is a great business booster of theirs – give the fresher students an after-dark party of beer, cakes and pumping music and rake in their student loans through the cash tills. It worked, too.
After purchasing a rather fetching yellow bangle, I made my way to Manzil’s on Digbeth High Street to celebrate photographer Karen Strunk’s birthday in style. The curry was up to its usual delicious standard and was nicely polished off with birthday cake and modeling balloons, courtesy of her magician friend Pat.
What do bloggers look like? – Asks Nick Booth after yesterday’s Social Media Surgery at BVSC. Like anyone really, going from this film (except for Danny Smith, who looks like a Smurf with his blue hair). Great to see Lizzy Piffany of Wrote Under fame was there and has gotten the blogging bug too. She’ll no-doubt be posting all her open-mic shenanigans in the pubs of Digbeth and beyond.
We have a really strong belief in Digital Birmingham in the power of digital technologies to increase civic engagement and Birmingham is really ahead of the game when it comes to having an online community which has come together to do just this.
The third social media surgery for voluntary and community groups in Birmingham is next Wednesday, January 28th 2009 at BSVC 138 Digbeth, B5 6DR. Please feel free to drop in anytime between 5.30pm and 7pm where volunteers from the Birmingham bloggers group will show you how you can make best use of social media. It doesn’t matter if you are the head of communications at a major charity or an active citizen in your neighbourhood, if you’re at all curious come along.
The Social Media Surgery for Birmingham’s voluntary organisations happened on Wednesday at the BVSC on Digbeth High Street, and again the turn-out was fantastic. In the Birmingham Bloggers Group’s reflections I was listed as a helper but thanks to my crappy laptop being unable to hook up to the wireless, I suspect I’d have been more help giving John Mostyn a hand with the tea. It will be great to see the blogs that are born from it, I’m especially interested in the Birmingham Ramblers’ Association Get Walking Keep Walking project, which is planning urban tours of the city.
I really do think I learnt more than taught at the event. Jon Bounds took me through mysociety and its various projects, my favorite being Fix My Street, where you can report, view or discuss local problems. And I got some gems from wisdom from Stef Lewandowski in a spick and span Hennessey’s pub afterwards, who had some great ideas for Digbeth is Good – watch this space!
I’m hoping these surgeries become a regular fixture, as much for my benefit as for the voluntary organisations!
Eastside City Farm – Another great idea for guerilla gardening, this time from Andrew Hemmings. Turn all the building sites abandoned due to the credit crunch into gardens, allotments and mini-farms. Bloody brilliant idea, count me IN!
Blog Action Day social media surgery at BVSC tomorrow – Nick Booth serves a reminder by taking stock of who’s coming and what’s on offer for voluntary and community groups coming in need of advice. Social media surgery is tomorrow (Wednesday, October 15th 2008) at BVSC 5.30pm to 7.30 pm. ‘Come when you can for some free, friendly, one to one support.’
Plus+: Call for volunteers – Plus is looking enthusiastic, hardworking and motivated volunteers, with a passionate interest in graphic design and the creative industries in general, or arts festivals in particular or those who just want to share time and energy for the event. Plus 2008 is going to be held in Digbeth at Fazeley Studios from the 5 – 8 of November.
Custard Factory – Lost in S.P.A.C.E. – That’s lost in the ‘Society for the Promotion of Artistic and Creative Enterprise’. The first exhibition will be held in the Custard Factory Gallery and runs from Thursday 23rd until Thursday 30th of October and features work from painters, furniture makers, jewellery designers and milliners amongst others. Entry is free, so becoming the next Saatchi and Saatchi art collector needn’t cost the earth.
Make Thursday 9th October an essential date for your diary! – Jibbering is proud to invite you all to the Birmingham leg of The Shambala Art Exhibition Launch, at the incredible Wild Building, 104-108 Floodgate Street, Digbeth, from 7pm til Midnight. The exhibition features the work of 30 heavyweight, cutting edge, internationally acclaimed artists.
Blog Action Day 2008: Poverty – Birmingham does it with a Social Media Surgery for Birmingham community and voluntary groups 5.30-9.00pm on Wednesday 15th October at BVSC, 138 Digbeth B5 6DR. If you’re social media savvy and have the time to spare, get in touch with Nick Booth.
Emilie Autumn at Barfly on 3rd October – bit of a shaky Youtube camera video, but I missed the performance and this makes me think she’s kooky-bonkers-crazy in a kind of good way.
Digbeth/Deritend Conservation Area – ‘Birmingham City Council has prepared a draft Conservation Area Appraisal and draft Supplementary Planning Policies for Digbeth, Deritend and Bordesley High Streets (Digbeth/Deritend) Conservation Area. Public consultation on the document will run for a period of six weeks from Monday 6th October to Friday 14th November 2008. Your comments are welcomed.’
