Spring Events 2011

Where to Find Us

AD O

FIVE S Y WA

WA Y XP RES S

NE TO

Jan – May

A47 DIGBETH

DIG BET HH IGH ST

LEE

NEWTOWN

CENTRA L BIRMING HAM

HIGHGATE

HA RBO RNE A3

L EY R D A4 35

BR A 38 TO JUNC 4

mac Cannon Hill Park Birmingham B12 9QH Sales and Information: 0121 446 3232 Registered company no: 718349 Registered charity no: 528979

PER

SELLY OAK

RE R OA

IST

44 1

SHO

COUNTY CRICKE T GROUN D

ED G BA

Sales & Information 0121 446 3232 www.macarts.co.uk

Spring 2011

A34 M O

You can find us by walking through Edgbaston Mill or driving along Queen’s Ride, where there is a large, free car park and bicycle stands at the front and rear of the building.

HOCKLEY

W A 4 57

EY DL IN CE R A B PL

N CO

mac is easily accessible using all the major city road routes and is served by a number of buses from Birmingham City Centre including 1,35,45,47,62 and 63.

A38

ROW A34

41 HILL A ON I T U STIT

mac is situated only a few minutes from Birmingham’s City Centre, located in Cannon Hill Park, opposite the County Cricket Ground on Edgbaston Road, off Pershore Road (A441) and Bristol Road (A38).

JUNC. 6

STO N RO A

Inside

Welcome In these pages you’ll find out about some of the events coming to mac. You’ll find out about how and why we work with artists, with the public, with festivals and other venues.

Sales & Information 0121 446 3232

www.macarts.co.uk

Inside Food and Drink

Theatre

Spoken Word

Family

Music

Register on our website to get regular updates about exclusive offers, additional events and all manner of exciting opportunities.

Storytelling

Fierce & Flatpack

Comedy

Dance

Focus on Film

macarts.co.uk

Visual Arts

Development

Venue Hire

Kathakbox Page 34

And the Rain Falls Down Page 16

Shlomo Page 21

The Woods Page 5

Visitor Information 43 Diary

mac Opening Times

Gallery Opening Times

We are open from 9am – 11pm daily

Open Tuesday – Saturday, Noon – 8pm Sunday, 11am – 4pm Bank Holiday noon – 8pm

Sales and Information lines are open 9am – 8.45pm daily

Times apply except where otherwise indicated.

THIS IS NOT A BROCHURE. THIS IS A SLICE OF LIFE There’s always more at macarts.co.uk

Food & Drink

Food & Drink www.macarts.co.uk

Pho tog rah py :S im on H

ad ley

Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

Food & Drink

Spring Deals

mac is home to Bridges Café Bar and the Arena Bar. With a light, friendly and relaxed atmosphere Bridges Café Bar is the perfect place to indulge, serving a wide range of freshly made food and drinks including a deliciously tempting selection of daily specials, pastries, glorious cakes, hot and cold sandwiches, main meals and jacket potatoes. Bridges Café Bar also stocks a variety of beverages from coffee and fruit teas to lager and wines.

Daytime Deal

The Arena Bar is an intimate space where you can sup your pint of Real Ale, share a bottle of wine before or after a film, or grab a glass during an interval.

Tea or Coffee with a slice of homemade cake £3.50 (We like the chocolate fudge.. no the caramel cake... maybe the coffee cake... good job there are seven days in a week to try these).

Anytime Deal Mini Pizza with a bit of salad and any soft drink for just £5 – good for filling up before catching a film.

Teatime Treats

Available between 5pm – 8.30pm 2 courses for £10 either starter and main or main and desert from our offer boards.

Social Butterfly Deal Buy a bottle of wine or two large soft drinks and get a free antipasti platter for two (either meat or vegetarian). Very Continental.

This season we also have a number of delectable deals to complement your visit to mac...

All of our food is always fresh, locally sourced wherever possible and ethically produced.

Real Ale

After much popular demand, Draught Real Ale has made a welcome return to our Arena Bar, with two beers from local brewers Purity now available.

Opening Times Bridges Café Bar, 9am – 11pm

(Hot food 9am – 8.30pm) Snacks available until 11pm

Arena Bar, 6pm – 11pm

Performance

Theatre

Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

www.macarts.co.uk

Jane Packman Company and mac present

The Woods Thu 27 Jan - Sun 27 Feb janepackman.co.uk

Following the success of her one-on-one performance piece, Treasured – A Secret Journey, we are working with local artist Jane Packman and her company on an ambitious work that transforms our vast gallery into a vibrant creative space.

The Woods is a sensory environment to be encountered as a group during the performance or explored individually as an installation. We invite you to engage and explore, and we hope that you leave inspired.

Performance

Installation

Gallery, Duration 1hr, Age 14+

Sat 29 Jan - Sun 27 Feb

£10 (£7) (£7/£5 Sunday concession)

Gallery & Studio Gallery, Free admission

Workshops

Previews: Thu 27 & Fri 28 Jan, 8.30pm

Open: Tuesday until Thursday, 10.30am - 5pm; Friday, 10.30am - 7pm

Wks commencing 31 Jan & 7 Feb: Wed 8:30pm Thu 6:30pm 8:30pm Fri 8:30pm Sat 6:30pm 8:30pm

A Walk through the Woods

Saturday and Sunday, 10.30am – 2pm. Closed Monday, except Bank Holidays

Wks commencing 14 & 21 Feb: Wed 6:30pm 8:30pm Thu 6:30pm 8.30pm Fri 8:30pm Sat 3:00pm 6:30pm 8:30pm Sun 3:00pm 6:30pm (20th only) Influenced by an autumn spent under the trees, nature writing and personal stories of letting go, this brave and moving performance is based on the concept of a grief cycle.

The Woods is intense and poetic - using narrative and gentle audience engagement to create an immersive experience which takes you deep into the richly textured world of the woods and the imagination.

Jane Packman Company returns to mac to create a sensory space for you to explore. Influenced by woodland and the architecture of the gallery, the provocative nature of the installation offers you the space to invent or project your own narratives or scenarios, or to just take a seat and contemplate. Based in Birmingham, the company devises new theatre with a team of performers and designers.

“ A deft and imaginative experience from a new company with great potential.” The Guardian on Treasured, 2010 “ Wonderful, enthralling experience, that transported me somewhere! I felt relaxed and alive! Thank you.” Audience response to Treasured, 2010

Commissioned by mac and supported by Arts Council England and Birmingham City Council Previous developments were funded by China Plate, The Sir Barry Jackson Trust and ACE Funders

Image: Chris Keenan

Sat 5 and Sat 12 Feb, 2-6pm Free admission, all ages welcome Gallery, no experience necessary Drop in, like a leaf in autumn, and take an informal guided walk through the wood with former Birmingham poet laureate Adrian Johnson, a sharp wooden pencil and some leaves of paper. Marvel and wonder at the curious, imagined landscape of artist Jane Packman and listen out for ’the song of the wooden pencil’, together with friends and family.

The Woods: Expressive Image Transfer Workshop Sun 13 Feb or Tue 22 Feb, 10am-4pm (inc lunch break) Tickets £25 (£20) per session, Age: Adults Drawing & Painting/Gallery No experience necessary Explore the connections and disconnections between people and nature through a visual art format. Using reproductions of old family photographs and appropriate secondary imagery, you will be introduced to various image transfer techniques to create richly textured mixed media artworks made from webs of associations, reflections of memories and lost secrets of the imagination.

Devising Masterclass with Jane Packman Sat 19 Feb, 1-4pm Tickets £15 (£12), Age: Adults English Studio No experience necessary To explore your imagination, and learn new techniques, take part in this master-class in devised performance. Jane Packman, director of The Woods, offers a unique insight into the devising techniques she uses to develop her projects. You will use sources from multiple art forms - including poetry, film, visual art - as creative stimuli to inspire ideas and experiment. By the end of the class you will have made something, stretched your imagination and had fun with a new group of people.

Into the Woods Sat 26 and Sun 27 Feb, 10-4.30pm (inc lunch break) Tickets £80 (£70), Age: Adults Drawing & Painting What is it about going into the woods? Think Hansel and Gretel, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, or the Blair Witch project and come and explore the fascination of forests through creative writing and visual art. Inspired by the work, get lost in trees and foliage and surprise yourself as you transform ideas and impressions into stories and art. No prior experience necessary in visual art or creative writing.

Performance

Theatre

Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

www.macarts.co.uk

Women and Theatre

The Palace of Wasted Dreams Thu 3 – Sat 5 Feb, 8pm Wed 9 – Sat 12 Feb, 8pm Tickets £12 (£9) Theatre Age 14+ womenandtheatre.co.uk It’s here, it’s arrived. Come on in. The Palace of Wasted Dreams.

Licensed for laughing, crying, dancing, singing, surprising and thinking on. A place where anything can happen, and something always does... Whether you’ve been before or it’s your very first time, come on down to the Palace. The Palace of Wasted Dreams is the culmination of a two-year project called Wasted, a new participatory musical theatre project exploring and giving voice to women’s relationship with alcohol. An essential night out, an intoxicating total live theatre experience. Non-drinkers very welcome. Produced in association with mac.

Foursight Theatre & Teatro do Montemuro Pertencia: The Butcher Baby’s Tale Fri 25 Mar, 8pm Tickets £12 (£9) Theatre Age 14+ foursighttheatre.co.uk teatromontemuro.com Pertencia is a wetnurse. She works for The Butcher. For this is no ordinary shop and this is no ordinary butcher. Foursight Theatre, a female-led company from urban Wolverhampton, and Teatro do Montemuro, a male-led company from rural Portugal have joined forces for this bi-lingual collaboration which blends Portuguese, English, live music, song and physicality. The tale weaves moving tales of displaced children, lost parents and a heart-stopping revelation to mix absurd fantasy with heart-rending reality. A co-production with The Courtyard, Herefordshire’s centre for the arts.

Performance

Theatre

www.macarts.co.uk

s rri

Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

e: A

Limit cap ed boo acity, k ea rly!

Caroline Horton You’re Not Like The Other Girls Chrissy Tue 29 & Wed 30 Mar, 8pm Tickets £10 (£7) Theatre Age 13+ carolinehorton.net It’s 1945 and Christiane waits for a ticket to England that will reunite her with her fiancé. While she waits, this irrepressible mademoiselle recounts her Parisian childhood and the love story between her - an eccentric, acutely myopic Parisian - and a tongue-tied English teacher from Staffordshire. A tender, comic portrayal of one woman’s experience of love and war. Winner of The Stage Awards Best Solo Performer 2010

***** What’s On Stage

**** Time Out

**** Evening Standard

Created and performed by Caroline Horton.

The Plasticine Men Keepers Sat 9 Apr, 8pm Tickets £10 (£7) Theatre theplasticinemen.co.uk Based on an extraordinary 200-year-old true story, far off the Welsh coast, one man faced an ordeal so diabolical that it would go down in maritime legend, changing the way lighthouses were run forever. Using original live music and little more than a ladder and a trapdoor, The Plasticine Men conjure up the confines of the infamous Smalls Lighthouse and the stormy companionship of its two keepers.

Leo Kay It’s Like He’s Knocking Tue 26 - Sat 30 Apr, 8pm Tickets £12 (£9) unfinished-business.org.uk “ Telling it how it is even if you don’t quite know how it was.” A stripped back performance incorporating storytelling, dance theatre and Afro-Brazillian percussion. Set in the intimacy of a bed-sit, It’s Like He’s Knocking depicts a collage of moments taken from the lives of three generations of men. Drink a toast to loved ones, bet on some cards and close your eyes to remember your past. **** The List (Edinburgh)

“ A beautifully crafted piece of no-frills physical theatre” Lyn Gardner, The Guardian “Something special” The Observer Winners of ThreeWeeks Editor’s Award. Shortlisted in the Best Ensemble Category by The Stage. Nominated for Total Theatre Award.

Secret Birmingham location (to be revealed upon booking)

Workshops Mon 25 Apr, 2-8.30pm and Tue 26 Apr, 10am-2pm Tickets £15 (£12) Randle Studio & an offsite location (within walking distance of mac)

Level: Intermediate/Advance Age: Adults Artist Tutor: Leo Kay This is a fantastic opportunity to work with innovative and experienced theatre maker Leo Kay. Leo has experience with many forms of theatre making including dance theatre, clowning, puppetry, combined art form performance, intimate performance, absurdism and text driven spoken word. Looking at contemporary performance making, this series of workshops will explore the processes employed when making the show It’s Like He’s Knocking.

Commissioned by China Plate, Warwick Arts Centre and mac.

Performance

Theatre

Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

www.macarts.co.uk

Limit cap ed boo acity, k ea rly!

Foster & Déchery EPIC

Shams REYKJAVIK

Sat 7 May, 8pm Tickets £10 (£7) Theatre chloédéchery.com

Tue 17 – Sat 21 May, 7 & 9pm* Tickets £12 (£9) Foyle Studio shams.org.uk

Chloé, Lucy, Philip and Ed try to track down the history of their own families, digging up the secrets of an English family in the Northern mines, a French family caught up in Paris’ May 1968 turmoil, and a Turkish grandmother on a long walk to Istanbul in search of the country’s small, Jewish community. A playful and experimental journey through the past hundred years, Epic, combines personal stories, video interaction, fanciful re-enactments of key 20th century events, and a cameo from Bertolt Brecht. Devised and performed by Philip Arditti, Chloé Déchery, Lucy Foster and Ed Rapley. Produced by Foster & Déchery in association with the Corn Exchange, Newbury. An original idea by Chloé Déchery and Lucy Foster.

Workshop Sun 8 May, 11am - 4pm Tickets: £5 (£3) Foyle Studio Age: Adults Level: Intermediate/Advanced Artist Tutor: Chloe Déchery and Lucy Foster Looking at devising methods used to create Epic, this workshops will provide students and emerging theatre-makers with an insight into contemporary theatre devising, improvisation techniques and the uses of video, autobiographical stories and research material to create compelling performance. Tickets for the workshop must be booked alongside tickets for the performance.

Our favourite 2010 Edinburgh show arrives at mac... Imagine being lost in a foreign country. Bright light and fog distorting your view. Whatever possessed you to come here?

**** “ Disconcerting, absorbing and very moving.” The List, pick of the Festival **** “ If Reykjavik was a movie it would have a cult following.” Edinburgh Guide Total Theatre Award Nomination for Innovation Edinburgh Festival 2010

Step into a white world... Part travelogue, part forensic reconstruction, Reykjavik is a journey through a city of extremes - mysterious, funny and beautiful - in search of a half-forgotten love affair. Created in collaboration with an awardwinning team of artists and neuroscientist Hugo Spiers, this immersive, multi-sensory promenade performance invites you to ask how far can you trust your own memory? * No 9pm performance on Tue 17 May.

Performance

REP on tour

Spoken Word

Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

www.macarts.co.uk

Birmingham Repertory Theatre Company

Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Ulfah Arts & Media present

Apples & Snakes and mac present

By Lucy Caldwell

- A Festival of New Writing

Sat 16 Apr, 7.30pm Tickets £7 (£5) Hexagon appleandsnakes.org

Notes to Future Self

Thu 3 – Sat 12 Mar, 8pm Matinee: Thu 10 & Sat 12 Mar, 2pm Previews: Thu 3 Mar - Sat 5 Mar, 8pm Tickets £12 (£7.50) | Child/under 14s £4.50 | Previews £8 | Mad to miss (Mon - Fri Eve, 14 – 26yrs) £4.99 | Standby £6 Theatre birmingham-rep.co.uk “ Judy’s my mom. It’s an understatement to say she’s a bit of a hippy. I mean who else but a New Ager calls their baby ‘Philosophy Rainbow’? I try to go by ‘Sophie’.” Sophie and Calliope have never been to school. Their mum ran away from home when she was seventeen to join the New Age movement and the girls have been raised in Goa, San Francisco and Morocco at a series of ashrams, communes and impromptu raves. Then one day Sophie gets ill and the family has to return to Birmingham. Sophie and Calliope are introduced to a strange new world where meditation and tree-hugging are replaced with Maths homework and television. They’re also introduced to Daphne: the grandmother that the girls have never met. And it’s against this bewildering new backdrop – the normality she’s always longed for – that Sophie must come to terms with her own mortality.

UNWRAPPED Thu 26 – Sat 28 May, 7pm Tickets £7 (£5) Foyle Studio birmingham-rep.co.uk Three days of new writing, workshops and conversations, Unwrapped Festival is the culmination of an eight-month writer development programme for women presented alongside pieces from a brand‑new play jointly written by three professional playwrights.

Developed independently, but sharing an ambition to unwrap the truth from perception, the stories range from delicate, self-reflective tales to urgent exposés of a country shrouded by fears of faith, culture and extremism.

Lit Fuse

How far can you push the boundaries of performance? See what happens when some of the most exciting spoken word poets around step out of their comfort zones and discover new ways of presenting their work.

Lit Fuse, developed jointly by mac and Apples & Snakes, is the first in a series of events showcasing brand new work devised by emerging UK poets in collaboration with top directors and producers.

Each day will offer space to do and discuss with thought-provoking readings and performances during the evening. Further details on daytime activities will be available at macarts.co.uk

Performance

Family

Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

Horse + Bamboo Storm in a Teacup Sun 23 Jan, 2.30pm Tickets £7 (£5) Theatre Age 4+ horseandbamboo.org It’s not always easy making friends, especially when you live in a lighthouse surrounded by dangerous rocks, towering waves and troublemaking seagulls. An exciting opportunity for a tea party with a friend arises when the supply boat comes, but the Lighthouse Keeper’s nervousness turns what could have been a delight into a disaster. It is only when a storm blows in and real disaster looms that he can find the courage to save the day and rebuild his friendship.

Pickled Image Travels with Granddad Sun 20 Feb, 2pm Tickets £8 (£6) Theatre Age 3+ pickledimage.co.uk Meet Granddad, eccentric traveller and storyteller extraordinaire. Enter his battered Bedouin tent to hear magical tales of adventure in real and imaginary worlds. The Clock That Stopped Time, The Violin Princess and The Most Beautiful Thing in The World are brand new old fashioned fairy tales crafted by Toby Hulse from the imaginations of the children of Bristol.

A delightful show for families using mask, puppetry and movement.

Evocative sound, light and exquisite puppetry creates a classic performance, enthralling and delighting the whole family.

Written, directed and designed by Alison Duddle and Bob Frith.

“Are you sitting comfortably?”

Music by Chris Davies.

www.macarts.co.uk

Fevered Sleep And the Rain Falls Down Wed 16 Mar, 4pm Thu 17 & Fri 18 Mar, 10am & 1.30pm Sat 19 & Sun 20 Mar, 11am & 2.30pm Tickets £8 (£6) Theatre (Performance exclusively for ages 3-4) feveredsleep.co.uk

“ The show is like a beautiful object that is constantly assembled and reassembled by its playful cast.” The Guardian on Fevered Sleep’s The Forest

An extra special interactive treat just for three and four year olds (oh – and your grown up too). mac’s theatre will be transformed into a stunning place full of drips, drops and downpours... in a world where every drop of water has a life of its own.

The Symposium aims to encourage artists who work across a range of platforms to think about making work for children, see page 40 for details.

A world where rainbows form from umbrellas, where fountains spout from plugholes, and where eventually the rain really does fall down. Revel in puddles of fun in this magical treat, featuring rather a lot of water.

“ A luminous production that holds the children fascinated in its grasp” Time Out on Fevered Sleep’s Brilliant

Symposium On Wed 16 Mar, Fevered Sleep will lead a symposium - The Future Playground.

Fevered Sleep’s work is produced in association with Lyric Hammersmith and Fuel. Fevered Sleep has an international reputation for devising work for children and adults that is both playful and profound winning acclaim for their previous productions Brilliant and The Forest.

Be warned - you could get wet! So, please bring a change of clothing and a towel. Changing areas will be provided.

Performance

Family

Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

Make and Take workshops Sat 26 Feb, 26 Mar, 30 Apr & 28 May Terrace Gallery, free admission, just drop in! Join artist Claire Hickey for a series of visual art and craft workshops for families and children. Inspired by the changing programme of events at mac, these sessions combine the fun of experimenting with learning through hands-on art and craft activities. No need to book, just drop in.

www.macarts.co.uk

Lyngo Theatre The Dust Man

Theatre of Widdershins 3 Billy Goats Gruff & Other Furry Tails

Sun 27 Mar, 11am & 2.30pm Tickets £7 (£5) Theatre Age 5+ lyngo.co.uk/home

Sun 3 Apr, 11am & 2.30pm Tickets £7 (£5) Theatre Age 3+ theatre-of-widdershins.co.uk

Have you ever thought about what’s on the other side of the mirror? It’s the place where dreams come from, all light and floaty, and it’s where the Dust Man lives. At bed time he reaches out, takes you by the hand and you fly off together on the wind, into your dreams.

We absolutely adore this show and are thrilled to have it back at mac.

Dusty has got Nero, his cat, to help him remember your name though so put on your pyjamas, brush your teeth, turn out your night-light and slip through into their back-tofront world.

Our storyteller is on the run from those three-headed monsters, trying to bring you the most fantastic tales from the Magic Land of Three. Are you really sure what happened to the wolf and those three little pigs? What about Goldilocks? Why was she walking in those woods? And as for the three Billy Goats Gruff, how did they really deal with that troll? All will be revealed in this beautiful show using puppets and props. It’s full of fun and laughter and has an exciting gypsy soundtrack that you won’t be able to stop singing long after the show has finished. Suitable for everyone aged three and up and their pet trolls.

Written, directed and designed by Marcello Chiarenze with assistance from Elena Marini and Patrick Lynch. Performed by Patrick Lynch. Music by Carlo Capelli.

Music

Music Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

Making Tracks – Two shows presented together makingtrackslive.org.uk After two successful gigs and a standing ovation the Making Tracks series continues with Lo Còr de La Plana and Grupo Lokito. The “travelling concert series” is a fresh concept on the British live music circuit and brings the best of World Music right to your doorstep.

Lo Còr de La Plana Fri 25 Feb, 8pm Tickets £12 (£9) Theatre Lo Còr de la Plana are six singers from Marseille who are accompanied by percussion (bendirs and tamburello), ‘picaments’ (foot stomping) and ‘bataments’ (hand clapping). The group explores their Occitan musical heritage in a new way, breaking the restrictions of traditional song. A police siren, a newborn baby, a fantasy paradise, a drunken party, sheep, wolves… all of life’s dramas have a place in their witty, humorous and very funky songs.

Grupo Lokito Fri 13 May, 8pm Tickets £12 (£9) Theatre – Standing Gig Grupo Lokito reconnects Latin and Congolese music in an exuberant explosion of sound. Lokito features ‘world famous at home’ guitarists Burkina Faso & Limousine, Kinshasa based singer and dancer José Hendrix Ndelo and top salsa pianist Sara McGuinness, fusing their extensive experience in their respective musical traditions into a new and exciting style that can only be classified as ‘Lokito’. With a charming sweetness to their sound, a relaxed yet infectious groove and cool soukous dance routines, Lokito are simply irresistible.

www.macarts.co.uk

James Yorkston Sat 19 Feb, 8pm Tickets £12 (£9) Theatre jamesyorkston.co.uk What happens when life as a touring musician and recording artist becomes so fascinating you could write a book? Well, James Yorkston decided to put pen to paper. Tonight is the chance not only to hear one of Scotland’s finest singer songwriters but to enjoy him reading from his marvellously witty book –‘It’s Lovely to be Here - The Touring Diaries of a Scottish Gent’.

“ Yorkston has reached a state of grace that writers can spend for ever trying to attain: songs that sound not so much written as carefully retrieved from your own subconcious, played with an intuition bordering on telepathy. What more could you ask for?” The Times

Birmingham Jazz and mac present

Sid Peacock Band Thu 24 Mar, 8pm Tickets £10 (£7 inc Birmingham Jazz members) Theatre birminghamjazz.co.uk sidpeacock.com Birmingham based Sid Peacock and his 16-piece big band, Surge, will be performing songs from their latest album La Fete. Sid and the Surge will be joined by very special guest Django Bates on keyboard and tenor horn.

“ …the best new stuff I’ve heard in an age came from the Birmingham-based Irish composer Sid Peacock, whose young, 16-piece big band played inspiring, wildly creative music…” Phil Johnson, The Independent

Making Tracks is produced by KAPA Productions. Funded by Arts Council England.

Music

Music www.macarts.co.uk

Ima ge :G ab rie lle Mo to la

Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

Shlomo Mouthtronica Thu 31 Mar, 7.30pm Performance: 7.30pm Tickets £15 (£12) Performance ONLY, £18 (£15) Performance & Workshop, Theatre shlo.co.uk Acclaimed British beatboxer Shlomo takes us on a mad, one man musical mashup using nothing but his mouth, a microphone and a loop sampler. His show Mouthtronica offers an intense mix of storytelling, high energy, genre-hopping, voice-box-mashing human beatboxing. Shlomo has previously performed with the likes of Bjork, Jarvis Cocker and Damon Albarn.

“ This kid’s good. Jaw-droppingly good.” The Guardian “ Master of the fine art of beatboxing” The Independent

Thu 31 Mar, 5pm Masterclass with Shlomo £10 (£8) Theatre Have you ever wonder how the pro beatboxers construct such incredible rhythm and melody with only their voice? Join Shlomo and learn how to drop beats as he takes you through the basics in this one-hour beatbox masterclass.

Punch and mac present

Dele Sosimi Orchestra Fri 8 Apr, 8pm Tickets £12 (£9) Theatre – standing gig In a continued celebration of Nigeria’s 50th anniversary, Dele Sosimi, who is musical director for the highly acclaimed show Fela! at London’s National Theatre, will be stepping on to mac’s stage with his own Afrobeat Orchestra. Original brought into Egypt 80 by the legendary Fela Kuti, Dele remains faithful to Fela Kuti’s blueprint while exploring the jazzier side of Afrobeat. With performances live on Radio Resonance 104.4 FM, Jazz Refreshed at Mau Mau Bar and at the recently concluded World City Music Village festival at London’s Hyde Park, Dele is justifiably coming out of the back rooms and into the limelight.

mac and Moseley Folk present

Dizraeli and the Small Gods + support Fri 15 Apr, 8pm Tickets £9 (£6) Theatre – standing gig moseleyfolk.co.uk Having picked up a string of awards as a slam poet (including BBC Radio 4 Slam Champion and Farrago UK Slam Champion), Dizraeli has made his name on stages around the world as a front man for the hip hop group Bad Science. For this show he performs songs from his latest album, Engurland (City Shanties), and is joined on stage by new band The Small Gods. Brought together as a result of the album, Dizraeli and The Small Gods combine the virtuoso musicianship of old folk music with the improvised wildness of hip hop, resulting in raised smiles, hands and even knees.

Music

Music www.macarts.co.uk

Ala sda ir R ob erts

Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

mac and Moseley Folk present

May Day Alasdair Re–imagined Roberts Sun 1 May, 10am – 7pm Free admission Various spaces moseleyfolk.co.uk We welcome in the summer with a day of free traditional dance and music from the UK and beyond. Performed with a contemporary edge, the day’s entertainment will also feature some great bands and a traditional session in the bar, so get your dancing shoes on. Look out for more information on our website.

plus support from Mandy Connell Sat 14 May, 8pm Tickets £10 (£7) Theatre moseleyfolk.co.uk After mesmerising the crowds at 2010’s Moseley Folk Festival, we’ve teamed up with the Moseley Folk chaps to bring Alasdair Roberts back to the region, performing songs from past albums and his latest Too Long in This Condition. Australian singer and guitarist Mandy Connell supports, performing imagery-filled self-penned material and traditional folk songs,

**** “ a fine storyteller, making even the best-known song sound as if he wrote it” The Guardian

Session A9 Thu 19 May, 8pm Tickets £12 (£9) Theatre sessiona9.com In the true spirit of traditional Scottish music, Session A9 were formed during a session on the famous A9 - the road between Glasgow and the Highlands. Described as a ”Scottish Super Group”, the band is made up of Adam Sutherland (Peatbog Fairies), Brian McAlpine, Charlie McKerron (Capercallie), David “chimp” Robertson, Gordon Gunn, Kevin Henderson (Fiddlers’ Bid; Boys of the Lough) and Marc Clement (Blazin Fiddles).

“ Session A9 are your men when it comes to pounding out a high-octane tune, but they are also wonderfully creative arrangers who make dynamic use of their line-up of four fabulous fiddlers” The Scotsman Jan 2010 “gloriously epic sound… Just inspiring” fRoots “ The best band to come out of Scotland in 100 years” Dougie MacLean “ Listen... Here is the new Scottish music” Le Pueple Breton “ Brilliantly sophisticated arrangements of tunes new and old, brimming with brio and simply oozing class” The Sunday Herald

Regularly meeting up on the way home from various performances, the band bring together the true spirit of the Scottish session and offer audiences a chance to hear the vibrancy of talent that makes up some of our most famous Scottish artists.

Performance

Storytelling

Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

www.macarts.co.uk

f ths o ing y M Book nd Hunt r for ia a ghte Merc nts Dau ia 0) the G £15 (£1 nd...

ke ill be wee eatre w w s i h t o h Also s Kindle T ir new sh ’ e h m t gha from ril - see Birmin g ideas s 2 Ap etail sharin on Sat .uk for d o rs. arts.c offe mac d ticket an

Adverse Camber and mac present

Listening for Landscape Fri 1 – Sun 3 Apr, throughout the day Various spaces Weekend tickets £15 (£10) If you think stories are just for kids, then our storytelling weekend may make you think again... Stories transport us through time, memory and imagination. We invite you to come on a story-telling journey with us, to enjoy an intoxicating mix of history, adventure and romance. Take a new look at the Knights of the Round Table, and find out what secrets lie beneath the Bullring...

Myths of Mercia with Katrice Horsley and Simon Heywood Fri 1 Apr, 7.30pm Hexagon Tickets £7 (£5)

Music with Ffynnon in the Bridges Café Bar Sat 2 Apr, 2 – 4pm Free ffynnon.com

Delve into the murky mysteries of Midlands landscapes and the Kingdom of Mercia, with two captivating storytellers, Birmingham’s Katrice Horsley and songwriter Simon Heywood. Past meets present as we journey from the world of Camelot to the world of The Bullring.

Singer Lynne Denman and composer Stacey Blythe are co-founders of Ffynnon, an exciting folk band from Wales. Infusing traditional music with jazz and blues inflections, their delicious blend of vocals and melody draws out connections between people, history and the nature of place and language.

Suitable for adults and children aged 12+.

“ Spine-tinglingly exquisite jazz-soaked Celtic folk music, combining the traditional and the innovative.” (BBC Radio 2)

Your Legends, Your Lands Michael Harvey, Lynne Denman, Simon Heywood, Stacey Blythe and Nick Hennessey Sat 2 Apr, 12 – 4pm Sun 3 Apr, 12 – 3pm The Hub, Free What places are special to you? Where were your most precious memories created? All weekend, we invite you to become a legend in your own lifetime. Drop in at The Hub over the weekend to share stories of your favourite places with our resident storytellers and musicians. On Sunday, the map of stories will be told back through a unique performance.

Sun 3 Apr, 4 – 5pm Foyle Studio, Free Join five outstanding interpreters of storytelling and song for this unique imaginative journey through legends and lands which have been shared at mac over the weekend.

Hunting the Giant’s Daughter Michael Harvey, Lynne Denman and Stacey Blythe Sun 3 Apr, 7pm Foyle Studio, Tickets £10 (£7) As a fitting conclusion to the weekend, we present an enthralling performance filled with adventure, love and the odd giant too. A young man is destined to fall instantly in love with a woman no one knows how to find. The seemingly impossible odds draw King Arthur and his knights into a magical quest to find her, filled with challenges, triumphs and adventures. Internationally renowned storyteller Michael Harvey weaves Welsh poetry into an imaginative telling of the tale, around a delicious mix of traditional Welsh and contemporary jazz influenced music, created by Stacey Blythe (accordion, piano, harp) and singer Lynne Denman. An evening to savour, offering an intoxicating mix of lively storytelling and music.

“ Hunting the Giant’s Daughter’ is a wonderful blend of music and the spoken word, and a tour de force by three fine artists.” Fiona Collins at Festival at the Edge Suitable for adults and children aged 12+.

Fierce & Flatpack

Fierce & Flatpack www.macarts.co.uk

ei la

Pl a

Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

Fierece Festival at mac, Tue 22 – Sun 27 Mar wearefierce.org Fierce is a curated festival of international, contemporary live performance, shaped by Birmingham. Fierce Festival is a collision point for art forms, people and radical ideas. Fierce Festival works with a range of cultural organisations across Birmingham and beyond to bring live events and experiences to surprising places - art galleries, warehouses, theatres, parks, shopping centres, abandoned buildings and possibly even a street somewhere near you.

A Day in the Life (The Walkers of Birmingham) - call for participants* Have you ever wondered what your daily journeys look like? Curious to see how others move around the city you live and work in? What would it be like to see visible traces of the places you go to? Leading up to the Fierce Festival, the artists Daniel Belasco Rogers and Sophia New (Plan B) will be making a living portrait of Birmingham with the people who move through the city’s streets, parks, waste grounds and tow paths on foot. The artists will be sharing the results of this process, along with their reflections, in this performance lecture. Using simple GPS technology, we are asking you, the walkers of Birmingham, to contribute to this cooperative map of your city and to find out what your daily journeys look like as a drawing.

Rat, Rose, Bird is a meditation on farewells, departures, long journeys and the hunt. The hunt (possibly with a rifle gun) for a better life, a better love, a place to drop anchor or a space to claim as one’s own.

Roses are proffered. Champagne is sipped. The clock ticks. Exits are made. Sheila Ghelani makes visually rich performance work that engages with ideas surrounding hybridity, migration and love. Her work has been shown at venues and festivals across Europe including the National Review of Live Art in Glasgow and Trouble Festival #4 in Brussels. Please be aware that the artist is working with frozen dead rats as part of this performance. A BAC Scratch Commission.

* To participate in this project please collect a GPS device from Sales and Information. Available January onwards - please note a £10 deposit must be left, refundable on return of the GPS device.

Tue 22 Mar – Mon 30 May Free admission Outdoor terrace area and various outdoor spaces

James Webb There’s No Place Called Home

Wed 23 Mar, 8.30pm Tickets £9 (£6) Foyle Studio sheilaghelani.co.uk

Wed 23 Mar, 7pm Tickets £7 (£5) Hexagon planbperformance.net

Sheila Ghelani Rat, Rose, Bird

Plan B A Day in the Life (the Walkers of Birmingham)

Returning to mac after his hugely popular exhibition Untitled States featuring the monumental sound installation The Black Passage, James Webb presents an international sound intervention in the public spaces surrounding mac.

There’s No Place Called Home is a recurring worldwide intervention whereby specific foreign birdcalls are broadcast from speakers concealed in local trees and can be seen to relate to issues of migration and territory. Examples include calls of non-migratory Nigerian birds broadcast from speakers hidden in Johannesburg trees, bird distress calls relayed from parks in Buenos Aires, Caribbean birdcalls in Yorkshire trees, and the barks of geese transmitted from trees near the site of the Temple of Juno, Rome. Image: There’s No Place Called Home (Johannesburg), 2006 Calls of non-migratory Nigerian birds broadcast from speakers concealed in South African trees, Joubert Park, Johannesburg.

James Webb call for participants James will be leading a workshop, While No One is Looking, exploring Sound Art as interventionist practice at mac over the last weekend of Fierce Festival, 25-27 March. Also featuring in Fierce Festival’s programme is Prayer, a sound installation of recordings from Birmingham’s diverse faith groups. For further information please visit www.wearefierce.org

Fierce & Flatpack

Fierce & Flatpack Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

www.macarts.co.uk

“ The UK’s most creatively curated film festival.” The Independent Thu 24 - Sun 27 Mar Various spaces flatpackfestival.org Flatpack is back at mac. Since 2006 this annual film jamboree has built up a national reputation with an eclectic, informal range of events and screenings in venues across Birmingham, and after a couple of years away we’re delighted have them back in the building. The Flatpack programme brings together the most exciting new shorts, animation, documentaries and independent movies, along with live soundtracks, walking tours and ingenious installations. This year’s highlights include….

Colour Box For younger viewers and doers, Colour Box is a mini-festival in its own right. Jammed into one weekend (26 and 27 Mar) you will find eyepopping films of all shapes and sizes from across the world, as well as plenty of activities and events which will take you behind the scenes.

Highlights last year included a workshop devoted to cult CBBC hit OOglies, Dr Seuss classic The 5000 Fingers of Dr T and the regional premiere of Oscar-nominated animation The Secret of Kells.

Archive programme Flatpack’s ‘patron saint’ this year is Iris Barry, a pioneering film curator and writer who was born in Birmingham and set up the first national film archive at MOMA in New York. The programme will celebrate her remarkable life and work, and also look at how the role of film archives is changing. Then on Sun 27 Mar, mac will have a visit from an amazing vintage mobile cinema (see above), restored to its 1960s glory and screening work from the Media Archive for Central England. During the festival mac will also play host to an interactive installation, special guests and a clutch of exciting previews in the cinema. Full programme details will be announced in February 2011, and you can sign up for updates at the festival website: www.flatpackfestival.org

Performance

Comedy

Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

www.macarts.co.uk

Dan Antopolski & Andy Zaltzman

Double Bill Thu 5 May, 8pm Tickets £10 (£7) Age 14+ Theatre danantopolski.com

What’s that? Not four, not three but TWO... count them... TWO of the country’s finest laughter machines sharing one stage at mac for your delight and delectation.

Mark Thomas Jenny Eclair Extreme Rambling (Walking The Wall) Mon 17 – Thu 20 Jan, 8pm Tickets £15 (£10) Age 14+ Theatre markthomasinfo.com Sometimes a performer and a venue just need each other. And how we’ve longed for the return of this legendary comedian and activist. Anarchic, questioning, intelligent and an effortless storyteller, Mark returns to mac for the first time since our reopening with his new show. Never one to take the easy option, Mark decided to go rambling in the Middle East and walked the entire length of the Israeli Separation Barrier crossing between Israel and Palestine. This is the story of 300,000 settlers, a 750 km wall, six arrests, one stoning, too much humuus and a simple question... ”Can you ever get away from it all with a good walk?”

***** “ Moving and inspiring…as gripping as any live performance you will see” The Guardian

Old Dog, New Tricks

Simon Munnery Self Employed

Andy Zaltzman Swears to Tell The Truth, Half The Truth, And Everything But The Truth Zaltzman − the star of worldwide smash hit podcast, The Bugle, Radio 4’s Andy Zaltzman’s History Of The Third Millennium, Political Animal and (sporadically) The Now Show, is under oath, and on a mission to solve all of the planet’s problems. Addressing issues ranging from global politics and economics to how to deliver your own son on your own bathroom floor, Zaltzman leaves no hot potato unbuttered.

Wed 23 Mar, 8pm Tickets £15 (£12) Age 16+ Theatre jennyeclair.com

Fri 29 Apr, 8pm Tickets £12 (£9) Age 14+ Theatre simonmunnery.com

Having amused the nation in I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! the time has come for Jenny to get back on the road and do what she does best.

Many consider the British Comedy Award nominated, Sony Radio Award-winning, star of BBC2’s Attention Scum to be a comic genius. Come and see why. He’ll wear a suit.

“ Probably the best satirical comic we’ve produced in the last two decades. Intelligent, biting and silly” TimeOut

Perrier Award winner Jenny is fifty years old, which in dog years would qualify for The Guinness Book of Records. Having recently been de-wormed and with her teeth newly bleached, she’ll be prancing around the regions, basically doing her comedy tricks for a ‘nice biscuit and maybe a glass of Chardonnay’.

“ The most exciting and important comedian of the moment” The Times

Dan Antopolski - Turn of the Century

“ One of the most original and inventive comics in the country” The Observer

Who’s the comic with an ear for dialogue and a bod for sin? Triple Perrier Award Nominee, veteran Fringe sell-out and Winner of the 2009 Dave Award for Funniest Joke of the Fringe, Dan Antopolski presents his seventh solo stand-up show. Jokes? Yes sir. Raps? Almost certainly. Fun? You bet your mum, it will be fun.

Don’t expect balancing stuff on her nose or jumping through hoops, her hips are too big and she has a tendency to fall over. However do expect a Lady Gaga tribute and possibly some dancing on her back legs.

“ The Peter Cook of his generation” Stewart Lee

Love Comedy? Think you could do better? Why not enrol on our Stand Up course led by award winning local comedian James Cook.

“ One of the funniest and hardest-working comedians out there… Some of the best gags I’ve heard” **** Scotsman 2009

Good dog Jenny.

Performance

Dance

Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

sampad present

Chitraleka Bolar’s

ACE Youth and Untold

Maya|Ayam - Changing Illusion of Time Places Thu 27 Jan, 8pm Tickets £9 (£7) Theatre sampad.org.uk Evolutionary theories, the ten Avatars of Vishnu, the undefeatable force of Shakti and the co-existence of opposites in the Universe are explored through the vocabulary of dance. The compelling stories and perceptions from Hindu literature unfold in MAYA|AYAM. In this exhilarating premiere performance the choreography, music and visuals take you on a magical journey back in time to when the universe first began. Blending the classical Indian dance style of Bharatanatyam with contemporary movements, evocative digital imagery, multimedia projection and spectacular lighting design. Presented by Chitraleka Dance Company in collaboration with Nritarutya.

Sat 26 Feb, 8pm Tickets £6 (£4) Theatre acedanceandmusic.com youthuntold.nl

In this inspiring performance celebrated Birmingham youth dance company ACE Youth have joined forces with Dutch youth company Untold, to exchange their cultures, talents and experiences. Focusing on the shared Caribbean heritage of many of the young people involved, and increasing awareness of the colonial history of both Britain and Holland, the performance explores common identities and aspirations.

www.macarts.co.uk

Sonia Sabri Company

Kathakbox

Wed 16 – Fri 18 Feb, 8pm (Post Show Discussion Thu 17 Feb) Tickets £12 (£9) Theatre ssco.org.uk Kathakbox is the latest production from one of the UK’s most dynamic dance companies and long time associates of mac. Sonia Sabri Company celebrate the unique, diverse energy of modern Britain through a brand new dance style: Urban Kathak. Kathakbox brings together Indian Kathak’s grace and vigour and the rhythms and rhymes of Hip Hop culture. Complex classical rhythms converse with beatbox, and the verbal dexterity of Kathak rap (Kavitt) is layered with urban poetry. Kathakbox does not ‘box in’ these genres to a particular time or place, but discovers the raw spirit and heartbeat of each art form which reverberate between cultures. Reflecting the diverse, intersecting rhythms of the human experience, Kathakbox encourages us to ‘think

outside the box’. This bold, heart-pounding production features Sonia Sabri performing alongside three dancers including dynamic b-boy Nathan Geering, tabla maestro Sarvar Sabri, acclaimed spoken word artist & vocalist Marcina Arnold and beatboxer Shan Bansil.

“… it was impossible not to gaze in wonder and adoration…an uplifting crescendo of music and dance” (Dance Europe)

mac on tour

Kathakbox is touring internationally including performances at the World Stage Festival in Abu Dhabi, which is a year-long programme of contemporary world performances focusing on music and dance. Presented by Sonia Sabri Company in association with mac.

Supported by mac New Work Trust.

Visual Arts

Film

Exhibitions

i1 Fr

c ee

21 Fri

Su n

www.macarts.co.uk

an 30 J

The

Kin gs S

an 0J u2 Th 4-

W ay

Ba c

Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

Focus on Film

mac and sampad

As we bask in the glory of this year’s Oscar buzz, it’s a good time to talk about our film programme. The line-up is arranged by the Independent Cinema Office giving us greater access to more titles and giving you greater choice. mac offers a cinema experience that’s all about the film – no claggy popcorn down the back of your seat, no sticky patches of fizzy pop on the carpet, and we reserve the right to firmly discipline anyone attempting to use a mobile phone during the screening. Don’t even get us started on latecomers... because they don’t get in. We’re serious about our film. We also work with regional organisations like Swish, Flatpack, Departure Lounge and 7-Inch Cinema providing rare screenings and Q&A sessions for movie buffs. We run two film courses – Celluloid and World Cinema – where like-minded groups can praise, analyse and even ridicule cinematic offerings. That’s your right as the audience! And we love nothing more than some chunky artistic debate.

Ticket Prices:

Katherine Hymers Radiu5 Untitled (Auburn) Sat 12 Mar – Sun 8 May

For an up-to-date view of our current cinema programme pick up a copy of our pocket sized listings guide or visit macarts.co.uk

Sat 22 Jan – Sun 20 Mar Open daily Free admission Arena Gallery katherinehymers.blogspot.com Untitled (Auburn) represents Hymer’s work succinctly; the interplay between video and performance, the artist’s presence, both in front of and behind the camera, and an invitation to consider what can’t be seen as much as what can. Projected to scale, Katherine’s slight movement will draw you in and leave you to gaze at the relentless stillness, with the only interruption being a simple gesture of disappearance and re‑appearance, alluding to something happening outside your vision.

Free entry Terrace Gallery Open daily from 9am – 11pm sampad and mac have been working with young people to produce a dynamic interactive cultural map showing the wealth of creative activity within a five mile radius of mac.

RADIU5 takes the form of an unusual and organic data visualisation with which participants can interact and find out what is happening locally. Contribute to the content within the map to further enrich the design and see this collaborative digital work develop this spring. An accompanying symposium, Digital Encounters, takes place on 23 Mar, see page 39 for further details. A sampad project supported by mac.

Full price £6.50 Concession: £4.50 Matinee: (before 5pm) £4 (including family screenings)

Visual Arts

Exhibitions

Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

Doug Jones, Inservi Deo et Laetare, 2008, mixed media, dimensions variable, image courtesy of the artist and Ceri Hand Gallery.

www.macarts.co.uk

Doug Jones Alieni Iuris (From Somebody Else’s Authority) Sat 19 Mar – Sun 15 May Open Tuesday until Saturday, noon – 8pm, Sunday, 11am – 4pm. Closed Monday (Except Bank Holidays) Free admission Gallery Vanity of vanities, all is vanity. What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? Ecclesiastes 1:2 Through the unlikely media of ceramics and cross stitch, artist Doug Jones astutely examines many of the key social and political issues of our time, such as class, gender, sexuality and economics. His work also touches on more essential themes, of ritual, mortality and humanity’s endless search for meaning. In the installation Inservi Deo et Laetare (Serve God and be Cheerful) the artist introduces us to the remarkable lives of the fictional Brotherhood of Saints. The Saints, whose clothing is beautifully hand made by the artist, are both mysterious and ridiculous, exploring serious issues of drug abuse and gay rights through dark humour and bathos.

Coena Pro Viginta (Dinner for Twenty) is an elaborate table setting inspired by ‘Dinner for One’, a comedy sketch written by Lauri Wylie in the 1920s. The sketch contains many of the traits which make up Jones’ work, from slapstick humour, to insightful contemplation of class, labour, hierarchy and ceremony.

Indra Khanna Curator’s Tour of Alieni Iuris Sat 16 Apr, 2pm Gallery & Studio Gallery, Free admission, booking essential Join exhibition curator Indra Khanna for an informal tour of Doug Jones’s Alieni Iuris. The tour will consider some of the key themes running through the exhibition and the decisions taken by the curator in the creation of the show. Exhibition produced by mac and curated by Indra Khanna. The exhibition is supported by Ceri Hand Gallery, Liverpool www.cerihand.co.uk

Doug Jones Artist Talk Thu 5 May, 7.30pm Hexagon Free admission, booking essential Doug Jones will be giving an illustrated talk on his work in the exhibition and will disscuss the conceptual, aesthetic and technical approaches within his broader artistic practice.

These themes are continued in his cross stitch works, which emphasise the domestic focus of his works. Through his laborious embroidery process Jones highlights the difference between the time, skill and labour invested in the production of such items, and their monetary worth.

Symposium

Development Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

www.macarts.co.uk

FREE! I T H mac I N A S S O C I AT I O N W

Bright Space in association with mac

Creative Careers Festival

Fri 28 - Sat 29 Jan, 9am–4.30pm Throughout mac creativecareersfestival.org.uk The Creative Careers Festival is a free, two day event for 13-19 year olds, teachers and parents. Planned and designed by young people, it will showcase a variety of creative careers and the routes into them in a fun and innovative way.

mac and sampad present

RADIU5 Digital Encounters Wed 23 Mar, 1pm Tickets £18 (£15) Hexagon Duration, 4 hrs with refreshments

Fevered Sleep Symposium The Future Playground Wed 16 Mar, 11am–3pm Foyle Studio Free admission, booking essential

You’ll also leave the Festival with some clear next steps to pursue your creative future.

Followed by option of seeing And the Rain Falls Down at 4pm (45 minutes) The Future Playground, curated by Fevered Sleep and produced by Fuel, is an opportunity for artists, leaders, producers and promoters to come together to reflect on the extraordinary creative opportunities that are offered when we make work for children. A provocation to artists, the event aims to inspire and encourage a range of people, working in all sorts of ways across all sorts of artforms, to think about making work for children.

It’s the only event in Birmingham exclusively highlighting creative careers - under one roof.

For more information please call the Arts Team on 0121 446 3243.

Offering workshops, demonstrations, seminars, mentoring and networking opportunities, entertainment, exciting industry speakers and lots more.

Coinciding with sampad’s RADIU5 project and a number of digital works commissioned by mac, this symposium explores the use of both emerging and existing digital technologies in the arts and the collaboration between artists and industry to create digital content platforms and data visualisations.

The Legacy of TEN.8 Wed 4 May, 1pm Tickets £18 (£15) Hexagon Duration, 4 hrs with refreshments Rescheduled from Autumn 2010, this symposium explores the impact and legacy of the photography magazine TEN.8. Published throughout the 1980s before it folded in 1992, TEN.8 was conceived by then Birminghambased Derek Bishton, Brian Homer and John Reardon to bring together the city’s photographers. Its impact however, reached far beyond this initial aspiration. Speakers include the journalist and founder member of TEN.8 Derek Bishton and artist Simon Roberts. For more information visit www.macarts.co.uk.

To find out more visit creativecareersfestival.org.uk or call Amy or Marcia on 0121 772 6932.

Hires

Hires Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

Venue hire at mac Whether you want an informal meeting room, somewhere to rehearse, to host a party, hold a conference or put on your own event, mac provides an inimitable venue suitable for your requirements. We’re located right in the magnificent natural splendour of Cannon Hill Park, with many of the rooms and spaces enjoying superb views. What’s more free Wi–Fi is available throughout the building. Performance, meeting and studio spaces offer flexibility and you can choose from a wide selection of catering options, suitable for every occasion, whether it’s freshly brewed coffee served in your meeting room or a full banquet.

These include:

Room, Conference and Performance Hire

• i ntimate hexagon theatre/lecture room for up to 84 people.

mac has a wide variety of rooms and spaces of all shapes and sizes – and one or more of them will be exactly right for your requirements.

•4 large studio spaces holding up to 250 people for a reception.

•7 function/meeting rooms, ranging in capacity from 8 to 80 people, depending on layout. • f ully–equipped, air–controlled cinema with a capacity of 150 for conferences or screenings. • f ully–equipped studio theatre with retractable seating for up to 220 people.

www.macarts.co.uk

Client testimonials “ I just wanted to thank you and your team for all their hard work yesterday. The event was a great success, and the venue was superb. Your team were very helpful, and everything went according to plan. Everyone who visited was very impressed with the venue.” Heart of Birmingham Teaching Primary Care Trust

“ I would like to pass our thanks onto all members of the team involved with the organisation and hosting of the event held last night. It was fantastic. We all enjoyed it immensely, the room, food and drink were all great, and the staff were very helpful and friendly. I t was a big success, thank you all for your help. I am sure that we will be in touch in the future about other events, either work or personal.” Lucy Dumbleton

•5 music studios for individual or group teaching, practice or break–out. For more information contact 0121 446 3250 or email hires@macarts.co.uk

Visitor Info

Visitor Info Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

www.macarts.co.uk

Fundraising

Some people have told us that they love mac so much, they’d like to take it home with them.

There are a number of ways you can make can make a donation:

Unfortunately that’s not possible but here’s the next best thing: adopt part of mac.

Image: Richard Bryant

Access

In the Building

Outside We are committed to making mac fully accessible to everyone. mac has an improved access bridge into the building both from the car park in Queen’s Ride, and from the gently sloping terrace.

We are delighted to work closely with a wide range of artists and organisations sharing the building; sampad have been based at mac for many years and MusicLeader and Sound Futures are partnership projects supported by Youth Music and managed by mac.

There is level or ramped access throughout the building and wheelchair accessible lifts to all levels. Accessible toilets and baby changing facilities are located on the ground floor near Sales and Information. A toilet with a hoist and shower is also available. If you require this facility please contact the Sales & Information desk.

MusicLeader MusicLeader West Midlands provides access to professional development and training for music leaders at every stage of their career. Membership is free; sign up at musicleader.net

There are disabled parking spaces available in the free car park (owned by Birmingham City Council) next to our new bridge. Inside The Theatre and Hexagon are fitted with infra–red systems and are accessible to both audiences and performers. The Cinema, meeting rooms, education studios and public areas are fitted with an induction loop. Some events have sign language interpreted performances or sub–titles.

To find out more about any of the information above please call them on 0121 446 3234 or email west–midlands@musicleader.net Sound Futures Sound Futures is Birmingham’s Youth Music Action Zone, creating music–making opportunities for young people in Hodge Hill. An expanding youth consultation programme, it gives young people the opportunity to experience and design their own music projects. If you’ve got something to say about music making in Hodge Hill, then please get in touch at info@soundfutures.org

Adopt a seat

After three long years of fundraising, we’ve nearly completed our task to raise £15m and reopen an arts centre fit for the 21st century. But we still need your help to find the final £10,000 to complete the appeal.

• Donate online at www.justgiving.com/macarts • Recycling old mobile phones or printer cartridges to give us up to £10 for each item. Visit www.recyclingappeal.com/mac to find out more • Donate by text. To donate £3 text MAC to 84424. To donate £3 a month text MAC_M to 84424 • Sell unwanted items on eBay and donate a percentage of the sale price to mac (Midlands Arts Centre). eBay for Charity allows you to list an item and support mac with no hassle: to learn more visit eBay’s selling for charity pages • Adopt a Seat in one of our theatres or in our cinema Email sarah.gee@macarts.co.uk for more information. We also want to take this opportunity to thank all of the companies, trusts and foundations, and individuals who have helped us so far in our appeal. Through your donations and support we will be able to offer stimulating experiences and a diverse range of events and activities that otherwise would not be possible. To each and every one of you, thank you.

We’re offering you the chance to adopt a seat in one of our two theatres or in the cinema. Hexagon Theatre seat £150 Cinema seat £250 Main theatre seat £350 As we know some of you will want to prove your adoption to your friends and family, we will send you a personalised certificate and give you the opportunity to have your name – or someone else’s – engraved on a plaque which will be (humanely) attached to the back of your seat for 10 years. As with all donors giving over £150, you’ll also have your name included on a specially-commissioned artwork at mac, which will thank all the supporters of our Building Appeal. Start the adoption process now! Email sarah.gee@macarts.co.uk for more information.

Information can be made available in different formats, including large print, Braille or audio tape, for those with visual impairments. Guide dogs are welcome and we are very happy to provide bowls of water. If you have any specific requirements you would like to talk about please contact Sales & Information on 0121 446 3232

Diary Date

Event

Sales & Information: 0121 446 3232

Location

Time

Page

January

www.macarts.co.uk

Date

Event

Location

Time

Page

Keepers

8pm

17-20

Mark Thomas

8pm

Dizreli and The Small Gods

T (standing)

8pm

Storm in a Teacup

2.30pm

Lit Fuse

HEX

7.30pm

Maya | Ayam – Illusion of Time

8pm

26-30

It’s Like He’s Knocking

TBC

8pm

27-27 Feb

The Woods

Various

Simon Munnery

8pm

28-29

Creative Careers Festival

Various

9am - 4.30pm

May 1

May Day Re-imagined

Various

10am - 7pm

February 3-5 & 9-12

The Palace of Wasted Dreams

8pm

Dan Antopolski & Andy Zaltzman

8pm

16-18

Kathakbox

8pm

Epic

8pm

James Yorkston

8pm

Grupo Lokito

8pm

Travels with Granddad

2pm

Alasdair Roberts

8pm

Lo Còr de La Plana

8pm

16-21

Reykjavik

7 & 9pm

Changing Places

8pm

Session A9

8pm

26-28

UNWRAPPED

7pm

March 3-12

Notes to Future Self

8pm

Visual Arts

The Future Playground

11am - 3pm

Katherine Hymers: Untitled (Auburn)

9am – 11pm

16-20

And the Rain Falls Down

Various

22 Jan –20 Mar

Plan B

HEX

7pm

12 Mar -8 May

Radiu5

9am – 11pm

Rat, Rose, Bird

8.30pm

Doug Jones: Alieni Iuris

Jenny Eclair

8pm

Noon - 8pm exc Mon. Sun 11am - 4pm

19 Mar -15 May

Radiu5: Digital Encounters

HEX

1pm

There’s no place called home

Pertencia: The Butcher Baby’s Tale

8pm

Outside Terrace

Various

22 Mar -27 Mar

Sid Peacock Band

8pm

16 April

Indra Khanna – Curators Tour of Alieni Iuris

G & SG

2pm

24-27

Flatpack Festival – Colourbox

Various

4 May

The Legacy of TEN.8

HEX

1pm

The Dust Man

11am & 2.30pm

5 May

Doug Jones – Artist Talk

HEX

7.30pm

29 & 30

You’re Not Like The Other Girls Chrissy

8pm

Shlomo - Workshop

5pm

Shlomo – Performance

7.30pm

1-3

Listening for Landscape

Various

3 Billy Goats Gruff & Other Furry Tails

11am & 2.30pm

Dele Sosimi Orchestra

T (standing)

8pm

April

T Theatre AG Arena Gallery G Gallery SG Studio Gallery C Cinema F Foyle Studio TG Terrace HEX Hexagon E English Studio R Randle Studio TEX Textiles Studio PM1 Pinsent Masons 1 PE Performance Studio V Various