Disqus - Latest Comments for anamb

Re: Question CUL1

Ana B — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 09:01:48 -0000

Yes, I agree, also how about affordable 'creative offices' in the same space as studios, so non-makers can interact with other artists without having to pay for space they wouldn't use

Re: Question CUL3

Ana B — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 07:58:00 -0000

Not sure what is meant by this - like Covent Garden? Buskers? Or does it mean cafe culture? I suppose the city centre needs to feel like somewhere that people will want to come to and spend time just hanging out, instead of just being funnelled into giant shops.

Something that makes Birmingham feel a bit alien to me is that there are distinct 'areas' of the city centre: there's the shopping zone that becomes wasted space once the shops close; the bar/club/restaurant zone around Broad St that has no buffers to calm it down when it gets busy; and the cultural zones around Hurst St and Eastside, which means it is difficult for spaces to open up elsewhere.

Cities with a good street scene feel more organic, there's more variety of what you'll find in an area, and importantly the 'centre' is more spread out.

Re: Question CUL1

Ana B — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 07:38:58 -0000

There is a noticeable lack of smaller artist-led art galleries in Birmingham, compared to cities such as Sheffield or Liverpool, which means many artists leave the area due to lack of support. These kind of spaces are vital to develop emerging artists and feed the cultural life of a city. They might not be high-profile, but would draw interest from artists and audiences looking for events outside of the mainstream, and may even bring artists to live in the city.

Re: 3.6.6

Ana B — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 07:27:51 -0000

A very flexible and engaging way of bringing art into Birmingham would be to fund participatory projects that take place in the streets and buildings of the city. In such events, the focus is not on the visual, but on changing how people experience their environment, and those around them.