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Hippodrome Plus - Summer in Southside Sat 9th, 16th, 23rd & Sun 24th August
click here to find out how you can get involved!
Only Remembered with Michael Morpurgo
Click here to find out how you can be part of this.
Russell Brand - The Messiah Complex
CLICK HERE to read all about it and find out when he is next in Birmingham!
Time Travel hits the hippodrome as War Horse gallops into Birmingham
CLICK HERE to read about the one of a kind sleepover on October 25th that will whisk you back in time to the 1914 French Country Side
Star studded Snow White meets the press...
Summer with the Birmingham Hippodrome
As summer draws to a close, soak up the last few days of sunshine with a range of FREE events!
The 4 Squares Weekender is a series of events leading up to the opening of the new Birmingham library.
Head down to Victoria Square this weekend (6th - 8th September 13) and take part in this FREE celebration of the arts!
Just in case you missed the subtle hints, it is all FREE!
To see the 4 Squares Weekender Timetable.
To find out how the Hippodrome is getting
involved.
On Friday 12th July the Patrick Center at the Birmingham Hippodrome found itself occupied by the youth of the West Midlands who wanted to remind the adults in charge just why the arts are so important.
The evening's events opened by showcasing some of the talent that Birmingham's youths have to show. Performances varied from singing accompanied by guitars to spoken word performances to dance. Even Birmingham's previous poet laureate, Spoz, joined in with the festivities in a father and son duo. With so many fantastic performances it would be impossible to pick out a few to write about. Let me assure you though, one after another proved just how important it is to make sure that these opportunities remain available to anyone who wants to make use of them.
The debate was split into three parts:
Make it inspiring and they will come
Each table separated to discuss this statement before feeding back to the group. Several themes seemed to arise from this topic.
• Experience and passion would be more likely to inspire youths to take part in the arts.
• Events need to advertise more through schools and social networking so that people are
aware of the events that are on offer to them.
• The accessibility of various groups and events need to be improved to that youths can
reach them easily.
• Big and small organisations should partner up in order to help support the smaller
organisations and ensure that they can be continued.
• For people to be aware of events they need to already belong to a group and so
organisations need to reach out beyond this.
The conversation continued:
Young People have all that they need to enjoy a fulfilling creative life beyond education
• Young people are pushed into not viewing the arts as a viable career path.
• People who are already part of the industry should be hired as teachers.
• The arts need to have a more dominant part in the school curriculum.
• Arts degrees are undervalued.
• There are countless volunteer positions but no paid work in the industry. People cannot be
expected to always work for free, they need to make a living.
Finally a panel was called together consisting of council members, radio DJs and others who are dominant in the Birmingham arts and culture world.
Setting the scene: arts and culture has been banned, made illegal, what is missing from life? Would you let it happen? How would you make your feelings known?
Young People are in a better position to bring about change and influence important decisions than ever before.
Val Birchall
(Assistant Director, Culture & Visitor Economy, Birmingham City Council)
She said that without the arts, people will lose everything that provokes the feelings that only art and culture can provide. She also claims that today’s youth are louder and have much more power than they used to.
Sally Taylor
(Service Director Children’s Services Birmingham City Council)
Sally said that without the arts people wouldn’t have the experience that would lead them to be inspired to make big changes. As a mother to children who are trying to join the arts industry, she says she sees the struggles they face to find work.
Richard Hayhow
(Director, Open Theatre Company)
Richard works with actors who have learning disabilities and he would like to see those with disabilities become more involved with the arts.
Finally the questions were opened up to the floor:
How would you prevent the arts from being banned?
Nikki Tapper
(Broadcaster at BBC WM)
Nikki argued that human nature needs the arts but, ‘The key is in your hands’.
‘All Art is useless’ Would you give your job to a young person?
Richard Burden
(Labour MP for Northfield)
Art and culture is about being together. He suggests that it will never be banned by decision but could one day be stifled by neglect.
Richard Hayhow
He says that rather than give up his own job, he wants to create more jobs for youth.
Sally Taylor
She believes that ticket prices should decrease.
Ansia Haghadi
(Beatfreeks & Youth Arts Summit Steering Group Member)
Ansia declares that the arts gives people a sense of identity and that all humans need the arts. She states that it is time to take the power back and that the industry needs more young leaders. She encourages all the young people out there to never stop speaking up for the arts.
My own final thoughts: As a young person who wants a career in the industry and as an avid arts lover, I agree that it is vital to keep this discussion at the top of our priorities. After all, it is up to us to make sure that the industry will always be around. Sadly with the high prices of tickets, it is becoming very difficult for youths to go and appreciate all the arts and culture their city has to offer. I fear that one day this will lead to the downfall of the arts. I feel that youths are mainly influenced by their schools and their peers. Therefore it is vital for youths to feel at any age that if they enjoy the arts, then it is a totally acceptable career path to follow. If we are discouraged to take this route from a young age eventually there will be no one to teach those who are interested. Unfortunately the final voices in this debate did not seem to belong to the youths that took part at all but were dominated by the panel members.
Let’s just hope that Val Birchall and the other council members will act on what they heard last night!
Find Out More!
Find Out More!
Speak up!
Let's hear it for West End Live
WhatsOnStage 'tweet team' member Tal Fox sings the praises of West End Live, which took over Trafalgar Square this weekend (22 and 23 June 2013)
By Guest Contributor • 24 Jun 2013 • London
This is the fifth year I've been coming along to West End Live and the excitement leading up to the event never wavers. If you have ever been you will know what I'm talking about, but if you haven't allow me to paint you a small picture that should hopefully convince you that this is where you want to be next year...
Standing in the queue that surrounds Trafalgar Square a sea of show t-shirts sail past - Wicked, Jersey Boys, Rock of Ages (to name a few I spotted) - the crowd excitedly compares which acts they have come to see that day. Then the gates open…Click here to read the rest!
A pilgrimage for all theatre lovers!
Come down to Trafalgar Square, London this weekend (22nd-23rd June 2013) for a taster of everything the West End has to offer!
WEST END LIVE WEBSITE
Even if you're an outer towner, everything has to go on tour eventually!
Bring the whole family!
Even if musical theatre is not their thing, there are stalls showing the best attractions London has to offer.
The best part is, it's all free!
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