A Launch Event for Creative Republic – Coventry and Warwickshire

Date: Tuesday 28th October
Time: 1745 onwards
Venue: ICE (http://www.multimap.com/maps/?qs=cv12tt&countryCode=GB)
Cost: FREE

“Creative Republic has a remit to reflect the views and aspirations of the creative industries throughout the West Midlands region. At present, the membership and activities have to an extent concentrated on the Birmingham area. But all that is about to change! In a series of initiatives spread throughout the West Midlands, Creative Republic seeks to extend its membership, scope and reach.

Coventry and Warwickshire is a hot-bed of creative talent – with notable strengths in gaming, performing arts and media – we want to provide a forum for creatives in Coventry and Warwickshire to meet, find out about one another and discuss issues that might affect your businesses. In Birmingham we have already:

Created a well-attended public meeting where City Council Leader Mike Whitby outlined the vision for the Birmingham’s future and took feedback from Creative Republic members;
Established a relationship with Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry, leading to a prospective “meet the buyer” event for media and design businesses in the New Year;
Represented the views of the sector to senior members of the Cabinet when meeting in Birmingham, the BBC Trust, and the Shadow Minister for Culture.

We want to start the conversation with you here in Coventry and would therefore like to invite to you an introductory meeting where you can find out about Creative Republic, our charter and our aspirations. You can tell us what you want to see happen in your sector in your area, and we can start to make relationships with the people who can make a difference.”

Buy One Get One Free Book Offer

The Birmingham Book Festival takes place from 1st to 24th October and the Festival team have arranged a special buy one get one free ticket offer for Creative Republic members for 3 of their events:

• Sarfraz Manzoor: Greetings from Bury Park. - 8pm on Thursday 2nd October.
• Bronwen Maddox: In Defence of America. - 7pm on 15th October.
• David Gaffney: Destroy Powerpoint: - 8pm on 7th October.

There are more details in the brochure on our website www.creativerepublic.org.uk or at www.birminghambookfestival.org. If you’d like to book tickets, simply ring the box office on 0121 303 2323 and mention Creative Republic to get your discount.

RSA West Midlands invitation

RSA West Midlands invitation

To the Gala Premiere of Leaps & Bounds presents Chasing Fate
At 6.30pm on Friday 17th October at Birmingham Hippodrome, Hurst Street, Birmingham B5 4TB

In addition to hosting our own programme of activity, Creative Republic is pleased to make certain other organisation’s events available to Charter signatories. We hope that these events will enhance your involvement with Creative Republic and provide valuable networking opportunities.

We are therefore delighted to have been invited by the Royal Society of Arts West Midlands to attend the Gala Premiere of Chasing Fate, the latest project from Leaps & Bounds, on Friday 17th October at Birmingham Hippodrome.

Leaps & Bounds is the West Midlands based charity that works exclusively with disadvantaged and at risk young people aged 15 to 19. In 2006 it delivered the acclaimed Ballet Hoo! project that brought ballet and personal development to a group of vulnerable teenagers in partnership with Birmingham Royal Ballet. The project was supported by Channel 4 and to build on this success, Leaps & Bounds has been working with Birmingham Hippodrome to create Chasing Fate.

Chasing Fate is a new piece of musical theatre created for and by a group of 70 exceptional young people who have worked with a team of experts from the West End, television and Broadway. The cast blends established performers with young people appearing in a professional production for the first time. It is also the start of a major new development for Leaps & Bounds as it embarks on a national programme of work with young people.

We are invited for pre-show drinks in the Pinsent Masons Suite (Thorp Street entrance) from 6.30pm, with the performance starting at 7.30pm. Timings for the evening are:

• 6.30pm - Arrival in the Pinsent Masons Suite for private drinks reception. Collect tickets and complimentary programmes.
• 6.40 - Welcome by Stuart Griffiths, Chief Executive of Birmingham Hippodrome followed by a short talk on the background to the show by Keith Horsfall, Chief Executive, Leaps & Bounds
• 7.15 - Take seats for 7.30pm start
• 7.30 - Performance starts.

The cost of £15 per person includes a ticket for the performance, glass of wine on arrival and a complimentary programme. The Hippodrome and Leaps & Bounds are kindly sponsoring the drinks reception and programmes. To support the ongoing work of Leaps & Bounds, the RSA have agreed to donate half of the funds generated from the sale of tickets for RSA Fellows and Creative Republic guests to the charity after the event.

If you would like to attend, please return the booking form with your cheque by 30th September to Lorraine Francis, RSA West Midlands Regional Secretary, Weave Marketing, 35 St Paul’s Square, Birmingham B3 1QX. Please make your cheque payable to “RSA West Midlands”. Email reservations (to rsa@weavemarketing.co.uk) will be held for 5 days and priority will be given to bookings received with payment. If you have any queries please contact Lorraine Francis direct on 0121 232 4650 or rsa@weavemarketing.co.uk. Your ticket(s) will be available for collection in the main Hippodrome foyer from 6.30pm on the night of the performance.

I do hope that you will be able to join us in celebrating what promises to be a very special evening.

Yours sincerely

Helga Henry
Chair
Creative Republic

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REPLY SLIP

RSA WEST MIDLANDS/CREATIVE REPUBLIC
LEAPS & BOUNDS PRESENTS CHASING FATE
6.30pm ON FRIDAY 17th OCTOBER
AT BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME, HURST STREET, BIRMINGHAM B5 4TB

My cheque for £______ is enclosed, made payable to RSA West Midlands.

___ I am a Fellow of the RSA

___ I am a Creative Republic Charter signatory

NAME(S) _______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

ADDRESS _____________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________

TEL: _______________________ EMAIL __________________________________

Please advise of any special access requirements

Please complete and return by Tuesday 30th September to:
Lorraine Francis, RSA West Midlands Regional Secretary
35 St Paul’s Square, Birmingham B3 1QX
Tel: 0121 232 4650/email: rsa@weavemarketing.co.uk

Creative Networks Event

A CREATIVE MASTERCLASS WITH MICHAEL WOLFF

From 6-8.30pm on Tuesday 9th September 2008
at Fazeley Studios, 191 Fazeley Street, Birmingham, B5 5SE

Please arrive at 6pm as we will be starting at 6.15pm prompt. In Michael Wolff’s own words: “if you don’t see the sunset, you miss it”.

This is an event with a difference. A rare opportunity to work with one of the country’s leading design brains. If you’re free on the evening of 9th September, it’s one to mark in your diary now.

Michael Wolff is one of the country's leading brand experts, a champion of design and innovation. A co-founder of iconic brand consultants Wolff Olins. During his career Michael has been involved with a wide range of global brands and household names including - to name just a few - Audi, VW and Renault, 3i, BP, Citigroup, Mothercare, and the controversial British Airways tail fin programme and, in the 90’s, working with Neil Kinnock, Philip Gould and Tony Blair on the re-branding of the Labour Party. The list goes on. And on. Michael is currently engaged in the evolution of a variety of brands like The Ministry of Sound and 1 2 3 - a Russian bank. He’s far more interested in what lies ahead for him than what happened in the past.

Last year Michael Wolff gave an interview to The Birmingham Post during which he went on record to say that, in his view, Birmingham needed a creative director. Someone to help boost the city's reputation for culture and art. Someone dedicated full time to ensure that culture and art shine out and to help shape people's idea of the city.

So with that in mind, we have invited Michael to take on the challenge of developing a fantasy brief for that imaginary role, a creative director for Birmingham. This event is not a lecture – those attending will be participating and expected to contribute actively during the evening.

Without giving too much away about the format, we plan to run a session as if we, the creatives, were Michael Wolff’s team of account directors. How would this team market the creativity of the city? How would Michael brief the first meeting of this campaign team? What would the immediate actions and priorities be in the first 90 days? Come along to find out. The idea is that we get to see how that process works, we have some fun working with a leader in his field and we focus on a product that we are all passionate about.

This event is only open to Charter signatories. If you have not already done so, please sign up on line at www.creativerepublic.org.uk/charter. Because of the planned interactive nature of the event, places are limited on a first-come, first served basis. The venue will be announced shortly and a map and directions will follow.

Whilst the exact format of the event will be unveiled nearer the time, we can guarantee that Michael will be challenging, persuasive and provocative. It is a rare opportunity to work with one of the country’s leading design brains. Please join us for what will be a thought provoking, stimulating and rewarding evening.

Helga Henry
Chairman
Creative Republic

Visit to MA Fine Art Show at Birmingham Institute of Art & Design

On Tuesday 2nd September 2008 at 5.30pm
At the School of Art, Birmingham City University, Margaret Street, Birmingham B3 3BX

In addition to hosting our own events, Creative Republic is pleased to make certain events available to Charter signatories that ordinarily would not be open to the general public. We hope that these events will enhance your involvement with Creative Republic and provide valuable networking opportunities.

We are therefore delighted to be invited by the Royal Society of Arts West Midlands to attend an event being hosted for their regional Fellows at the MA Fine Arts course end of year show.

The event is being hosted by Professor John Butler, Head of the School of Art at Birmingham Institute of Art & Design (BIAD). BIAD’s MA Fine Art course – one of the longest established in the country - is renowned regionally, nationally and internationally for the high quality of work produced.

BIAD itself is the largest centre for art, design and media education outside London. It is also a major research centre. The history of the faculty dates back to 1843, when the Birmingham School of Design was founded, with the School of Art in Margaret Street opening in 1885. The building was designed by John Henry Chamberlain, and is Grade 1 listed. It was fully refurbished in 1995 following a multi million pound renovation and is now a stunning modern art school. A high percentage of graduates either progress to further study, follow careers as professional artists or other art related employment paths.

In addition to Professor Butler who will guide guests around the stunning building, we will also be joined by Henry Rogers, the MA Fine Art Course Director whose exhibition will be on show that evening for us to view.

For over 250 years the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) has been a cradle of enlightenment thinking and a force for social progress. Its approach is multi-disciplinary, politically independent and combines cutting edge research and policy development with practical action. Its work is supported by a 27,000 strong Fellowship - achievers and influencers from every field with a real commitment to progressive social change. The event will provide new networking opportunities as Fellows are experts drawn from the fields of science, ethics and the environment; leaders in the commercial, voluntary and public sectors; social entrepreneurs; cutting-edge practitioners in the worlds of literature, film, dance, new media and the visual arts; opinion formers and journalists; and award winning designers and architects.

Timings for the visit are:

• 5.30pm arrival, refreshments and welcome talk by Professor John Butler
• 5.45pm tour of the Grade I listed building
• 6.15pm MA Fine Art exhibition viewing
• 7.15pm event close

There is a fee of £7 for attending this event. If you wish to attend, please return the booking form by Tuesday 26th August with a cheque to Lorraine Francis, RSA West Midlands Regional Secretary, Weave Marketing, 35 St Paul’s Square, Birmingham B3 1QX. Please make your cheque payable to “RSA West Midlands”. If you have any queries please contact Lorraine Francis direct on 0121 232 4650 or rsa@weavemarketing.co.uk.

We are pleased to be invited to participate in an event that is one of the most important dates in BIAD’s annual calendar, and I hope you will be able to join us.

Helga Henry
Chairman
Creative Republic

RSA WEST MIDLANDS/CREATIVE REPUBLIC
VISIT TO BIRMINGHAM INSTITUTE OF ART AND DESIGN
AT BIRMINGHAM CITY UNIVERSITY, MARGARET STREET, BIRMINGHAM B3 3BX
ON TUESDAY 2nd SEPTEMBER 2008 AT 5.30pm

REPLY SLIP

I/We would like to attend and enclose a cheque for £ __________ (@ £7 per person)
made payable to “RSA West Midlands”.

I am a Fellow of the RSA _______

I am a Creative Republic Charter signatory _______

NAME
________________________________________________________

NAME
OF GUEST(S)
________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

ADDRESS
________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

TEL
_______________________________________________________

EMAIL
_______________________________________________________

Please advise of any special access requirements

Please complete and return by Tuesday 26th August to:
Lorraine Francis, RSA West Midlands Regional Secretary
35 St Paul’s Square, Birmingham B3 1QX
Tel: 0121 232 4650/email: rsa@weavemarketing.co.uk

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