The Big City Plan

Creative Networks Event

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Rhubarb Rhubarb

The Cultural Olympiad with Paul Kaynes

GENERATING CREATIVE IDEAS FOR BIRMINGHAM - SOLD OUT

THIS EVENT HAS NOW SOLD OUT

From 6-8pm on Thursday 21st August 2008
The Venue is: The Banqueting Suite, The Council House, Victoria Square, Birmingham B1 1BB

We are delighted to be hosting the second in a series of new events designed to inform and update you about key projects and issues affecting the city and region.

This time our focus is the Big City Plan, the new masterplan for Birmingham city centre. The Plan was launched in February 2008 and the City Council is keen to engage with a large cross section of people to help shape the future of Birmingham. This event is being held with the support of Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and features leading speakers:

- Mark Ball, Head of Events and Exhibitions at the Royal Shakespeare Company
- Cllr Mike Whitby, Leader of Birmingham City Council
- Jerry Blackett, Chief Executive of Birmingham Chamber of Commerce

While the Big City Plan clearly embraces the vitality and energy that a thriving creative and cultural sector can bring to the city, this is your chance to find out how the plan will affect YOU and your business. What do you need or want in the next 20 years to make Birmingham the city in which you can thrive, not just survive? The Big City Plan has great ambition: but it will only succeed with the drive and determination of all its citizens. Creative Republic gives you the opportunity to make your voice heard where it matters - with the instigator of this exciting process.

More details can be found at www.bigcityplan.org.uk

Timings for the event are:

5.45 for 6pm - Arrival
6.00-6.10pm - Welcome and introduction by Mark Ball (one of the original Board members of Creative Republic)
6.10-6-30pm - Cllr Mike Whitby, Leader, Birmingham City Council
6.30-6.45pm - Jerry Blackett, Chief Executive Birmingham Chamber of Commerce
6.45-7.15pm - Questions and answers session
7.15-8pm - Refreshments and networking

There is no charge for attending but please RSVP so we can provide sufficient refreshments

As recognition for providing a free event, our only request is that you sign up to our Charter. Numbers for the event are limited and if we are at capacity, priority will be given to Charter signatories. If you have not already done so, please sign up on line at www.creativerepublic.org.uk/charter. Alternatively if you prefer, and if numbers allow, you can sign up on the night as we’ll have hard copies available.

Map to event

I look forward to meeting you on 21st August, if not before.

Helga Henry
Chairman 
Creative Republic

Networking evening on Thursday 26th June

We asked for good company and that’s what we got!

On Thursday 26th June we held the Creative Republic WM networking event at Concrete, below the Big Peg in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter. From 6pm onwards a wide array of creatives from all over the region arrived in great spirits, and true to our word there was “No pack drill...No speeches...and No charge”.

The event brought together the region’s creatives with a common purpose, to add their voice to our growing Charter www.creativerepublic.org.uk/charter. The evening provided a friendly atmosphere, for like-minded creatives to meet, find out what we’re all up to and broker ongoing relationships.

Although being a Charter signatory was almost a pre-condition of attending many guests came along and signed up on the evening, which was great and thanks for your support!

Board member, Jemima Cattel, had this to say about the event “It was a great night, with an impressive turnout of people from all over the region and across all sectors. I’m really excited by the new sign ups and I’m sure with the up and coming schedule of events we can continue to offer the kind of networking and support that the region’s creatives are after.”

We had positive feedback from the event which led to many networking opportunities to develop Creative Republic across the region. For those who missed the networking event, the next two events are scheduled for 6pm on Saturday 2nd August and 6pm on Thursday 21st August and further details will be available very shortly.

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The Original Invite

We’d love you to come and join us for an informal networking evening on Thursday 26th June. No pack drill ...No speeches... And no charge.

It’s an opportunity to get together with other creatives, to share what you’re doing and find out what they’re up to, as well as meeting Creative Republic board members who’d love to know what you want from a membership organisation. We’re planning a range of events over the summer so come and find out more. On us. The deal is that we’ll provide a couple of drinks, Concrete will provide free nibbles and you’ll help to provide good company. Whilst it’s an event not to be missed, it’s only open to people who’ve signed up to our Charter www.creativerepublic.org.uk/charter.

It’s quick and simple and just takes a couple of minutes. Feel free to bring some friends along, they just need to sign up too. Look forward to seeing you there:

Thursday 26th June, 6pm onwards

In Concrete, the stylish new bar underneath the Big Peg that’s recently reopened. You can also find us at www.creativerepublic.org.uk where there’s a map and directions for the Peg if you need them.

map to big peg

Get the Party Started

Never one to turn down the offer of a 4 year celebration, we at Creative Republic WM were keen to know more about the Cultural Olympiad and how it could benefit us all. So on Thursday 15th May 2008 6-8pm, Creative Republic WM, with support from Birmingham Hippodrome, hosted an informal evening with Paul Kaynes, the Regional Creative Programmer for the Cultural Olympiad. The purpose of the evening was to enable the Region’s Creatives to find out how to get involved in the upcoming 4 year carnival of Culture and Creativity, which will be launched over the weekend of the 26th September, as part of the plans for the London 2012.

Paul Kaynes said “This 4 year programme of cultural activity is an opportunity for us in the West Midlands to demonstrate the creative depth of Birmingham and the region. All of us working in the sector know just how dynamic and innovative the sector is. By making use of that creativity and the fact that Birmingham in particular is such a young city, we have a golden opportunity to make a difference to the way people think about the West Midlands and provide a programme which engages people who live here.“

As well as discussing the vibrant cultural and creative programmes that the region has to offer and feeding back on the excellent work that has already begun to happen, Paul was keen to tackle the big issues, pertinent to the 47 Creatives who attended. These ranged from; how future creative projects could align themselves with the Olympiad, to what, if any were the barriers to the projects that were being delivered and how partnerships could be supported by the Olympiad.

After the presentation and a light hearted Q&A session the chat moved on to the Hippodrome bar, where the audience were able to bend Paul’s ear about the realities of getting involved and discuss further how the Olympiad could support them.

Helga Henry, chairman of Creative Republic, said "I was delighted that Paul agreed to kick off our more formal strand of events with an introduction to the Cultural Olympiad. I got feedback from participants who didn't realize that the Olympiad started this year (directly after hand-over) and did not know about the many tendering opportunities available to creatives throughout the UK. This is absolutely the type of results we wanted from this initiative."

Overall it was a great event, very open and informative and it definitely gave Paul and some of our Regions’ Creatives, something to think about as the initiative is driven forward. After all if there’s a party to be had, we all want in, right?

“Find Out About … the West Midlands Cultural Olympiad” (Thursday 15th May 2008)

with Paul Kaynes, Regional Creative Programmer

From 6-8pm on Thursday 15th May 2008

In the Pinsent Masons Suite at Birmingham Hippodrome

Following our recent launch, please join us at the first in a series of new events designed to inform and update you about key projects and issues affecting the city and region.

This time our focus is the West Midlands Cultural Olympiad, a four year celebration of culture and creativity that will be launched over the weekend of 26th September as part of the plans for the London 2012 Games. The Olympic connection is particularly relevant to our region. The modern Olympic Games were effectively founded in Much Wenlock in Shropshire in 1850 as the brainchild of Dr William Penny Brookes, acknowledged as the founding father of the modern Olympic Games.

In January 2008, Paul Kaynes was appointed the West Midlands Cultural Olympiad Creative Programmer. Paul will be outlining some of the ways in which local organisations can participate in a range of projects and seek ideas to help shape those projects. In return, Paul will be looking to get a sense of the ideas and partnerships that could be formed. Although the majority of tenders being sought are from not for profit organisations, Paul will briefly touch on tenders from businesses as well as encourage guests to discuss ideas with him during the networking session immediately afterwards. Whilst much of the funding for projects already needs to be in place to be part of the Cultural Olympiad, there are limited funds available to support dance activity, which Paul will explain more about on 15th May.

More details can be found in a background briefing paper available at www.london2012.com/beinspired

Timings for the event are:

• 5.45 for 6pm - Arrival and welcome by Stuart Griffiths, Chief Executive, Birmingham Hippodrome
• 6.15-6.35 - Paul Kaynes
• 6.35-7pm - Questions and answers session
• 7-8pm - Networking; cash bar available

There is no charge for attending but please RSVP so we can manage numbers by clicking on
http://creativerepublic.eventwax.com/cultural-olympiad-briefing/register. In return for providing a free event, our only request is that you sign up to our Charter. Numbers for the event are limited and if we are at capacity, priority will be given to Charter signatories. If you have not already done so, please sign up on line at:

www.creativerepublic.org.uk/charter

Alternatively if you prefer, and if numbers allow, you can sign up on the night as we’ll have hard copies available.

Directions to Birmingham Hippodrome
I look forward to meeting you on 15th May.

Helga Henry
Chairman
Creative Republic

Creative Republic Launch

This is a short 3 minute video of the Creative Republic launch party at Vertu, in Birmingham's Jewelery Quarter in February 2008.