Just as The Ministry of Art gets off the ground, we learn of the impact of funding cuts on Birmingham Arts Organisations. Two notable organisations - Vivid and Capsule, have not been included in the Arts Concil portfolio of local business who will continue to receive funding. We hope that they will manage to weather this storm and continue to provide the vibrant and eclectic offering of art events for which they have become known.
The 'We Are Eastside' group, which includes these two organisations, released the following statement on April 5th 2011:
WE ARE EASTSIDE
A consortium leading independent arts in Birmingham
7 Inch Cinema / Capsule / Eastside Projects /
Fierce Festival / Grand Union / Ikon Gallery / VIVID
Statement in response to Arts Council England National Portfolio Announcements
After an amazing life-affirming week of Fierce Festival and Flatpack Festival taking place across
the city of Birmingham WE ARE EASTSIDE wishes to express our continued support and belief
in the growth of arts activity within our city.
THANKYOU TO OUR VITAL AND ADVENTUROUS AUDIENCES IN BIRMINGHAM AND
BEYOND. WE NEED YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT.
We move forward with positive minds but in a very different shape. The restructuring of the Arts Council National Portfolio has resulted in a fragmented scenario. Three members of WE ARE EASTSIDE (Eastside Projects in partnership with Birmingham City University, Fierce Festival and Ikon Gallery) have been given the continued backing of Arts Council England. We were saddened on Wednesday last week by the news that despite the past decade of outstanding work, VIVID will not be given continued support and that Capsule, despite a positive review, were not accepted into the portfolio. The future will be tough, but it is vital at this time that we carry forward the momentum and growth built up in recent years. All members of We Are Eastside are fully supporting each other to continue the momentum of arts activity in Eastside, Birmingham and the UK, through sharing, fundraising, and above all being innovative.
The cuts to the arts through Arts Council England and Birmingham City Council represent a shift in the arts ecology of the city but We Are Eastside has a strong position through a shared vision for Birmingham as an international exemplar of ambitious collaborations across artforms, combined expertise, resources and ideas and sustainable independent artistic activity, which altogether inspires the next generation of young people in our city. We continue to be genuinely local, national and international. We work with others to lead cultural development. We push things forward.
Notes:
The group has been working closely together throughout 2010, sharing ideas and resources, coordinating artistic events and increasing the visibility of our activity as a result of this collective thinking.
We Are Eastside combines –
• UKs most exciting and innovative film festival
• Research, production and commissioning
• Purpose built studios and project space
• Large scale artworks, video and events
• The gallery as an evolving artwork.
• The Home of Metal.
• Crafting extraordinary events for adventurous audiences
• Live Art. Collision. Hyperlocal. Supernow.
We are Eastside - Working together to create a visionary cultural programme for the city of Birmingham.
info@weareeastside.org
www.weareeastside.org
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