pub(lic) conversation

Update 25th Nov: we’ve had to relocate to VIVID, more details here…

Returning from a hiatus of a few months, Pub Conversations is back with a slight variation in the format in order to address the urgent issue of studio provision within the city.

I’m assuming Tindal St. and Lee Bank will have their share of representation, but there has to be more to Brum’s studios than that so it would be good to see some new faces to share their views. Likewise we’d love to hear from recent graduates who are maybe looking for somewhere to operate from – what do you want and what would be workable for you?

I’m not sure if this one will be podcast, so make sure to book a place via selfservice@hotmail.co.uk

Here’s the information from the mailout:

PUB(LIC) CONVERSATION ABOUT STUDIOS AND ARTISTS’ WORKSPACE IN BIRMINGHAM

Tuesday 4th December, 7.30pm
The Lamp Tavern,
257 Barford Street,
Birmingham.
B5 6AH

VIVID,
140 Heath Mill Lane,
Birmingham.
B9 4AR

Guest speaker and host: Lucy Byatt, Director of Spike Island, Bristol.

In December, after a six month stay of execution, Birmingham Artists will lose the subsidy for their studios at Lee Bank. This space was the only Birmingham City Council subsidised artists’ workspace in the city. Meanwhile other studios (including those the majority of Self Service members inhabit) are in privately owned buildings that are often cold, damp, insecure and uninsurable.

Self Service feel this most recent withdrawal of support for artists’ practice, should act as a catalyst for a wider discussion about the lack of affordable, fit for purpose studio provision and production facilities in the city

  • How should artists in Birmingham respond to the council’s action?
  • Could artists be doing more to demonstrate the intrinsic value of arts practice to the city?
  • Are successful models for studio provision just about providing artists with space to work?
  • Is the Creative Industries agenda at odds with the realities of most artists’ practice?

With these, and many more, questions in mind we have have invited Lucy Byatt to host a pub(lic) conversation around this issue.

Everyone is welcome, though as we are limited by space, booking is essential. Please email selfservice@hotmail.co.uk to book a place.

Lucy Byatt was educated at Brighton University, Glasgow School of Art and Concordia University in Montreal, Canada. In 1995, after working as an artist over a number of years, she joined Visual Art Projects in Glasgow as Co-Director and in 2000 she established The Centre, an independent commissioning organization where she worked with artists including Graham Fagan, Toby Paterson, Simon Starling, Siobhan Hapanska and Vong Phaophanit

Spike Island is a national centre for the production and exhibition of contemporary art. Located in Bristol, Spike offers excellent studios as well as project and exhibition space for the making and showing of ambitious new work. Spike Island emerged from an artist run initiative developed in the late 70’s, Bristol Art Space. Whilst it is no longer ‘artist run’ the values of support to artists and those developing their career within the contemporary visual arts remains a high priority.

For more information about the Pub Conversations series see www.pubconversations.co.uk

Currently, Self Service is Tom Bloor, Jo Capper, Mona Casey, Faye Claridge, Ruth Claxton, Greg Cox, John Hall, Cheryl Jones, Nikki Pugh, Liz Rowe, Charlotte Smith and Matt Westbrook