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October 2013

Culture on campus
The work shown here is by artist in residence Sarah Taylor-Silverwood as part of Illuminate, a programme of images, short lms and artists lm and video projected directly onto the Universitys Watson Building for Arts and Science Festival 2013.

News from the Cultural Engagement Team

The Cultural Engagement team have successfully applied for funding towards the purchase of a projector through the Universitys innovative fundraising campaign Circles of Inuence, enabling more programmes like this in the future.

Culture is at the heart of the Birmingham experience it not only forms the Universitys past but is central to shaping its future. The Cultural Engagement team was introduced in 2010 to enhance the already excellent work being carried out at Birmingham and help to identify and explore potential new collaborations and partnerships, both internally and externally. And heres what weve been up to recently
www.birmingham.ac.uk/culture

Culture beat

Culture beat

Cultural Gateway
Opening in 2016 as part of the new Main Library building, the Cultural Gateway will be an innovative space that will demonstrate our world leading research through exhibitions, events and performances. The highly exible gallery will provide a unique space for exhibitions and events relating to many aspects of cultural life at the University and beyond. It will create a shop window for activities relating to the Universitys research and learning agendas and provide an accessible gateway for all of our stakeholders. The Library and Cultural Gateway t naturally with each other as important cultural resources which will add value to each other, welcoming our students, staff and the public into the library space and encouraging researchers to use our cultural assets more widely. The Cultural Gateway will enhance our cultural offer by being open after regular University hours for audiences to engage with the artefacts, the performances and each other.

Our desire to share the wealth of knowledge at the University has led to the Arts and Science Festival, a public programme of exhibitions, talks, performances, workshops and screenings which celebrates the Universitys identity and makes available the rst class research generated by one of the UKs leading higher education institutions.
Ian Grosvenor, Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Cultural Engagement

Still image from Art, Science, Music, Pattern at Bramall Music Building, part of Conversation Pieces at Arts and Science Festival, March 2013. Still image from A Leg to Stand on: Prosthetics, Art and Robots, part of Conversation Pieces at Arts and Science Festival, March 2013.

October 2013

I really enjoyed it would like to see more like this!

Audience member

We are delighted to announce that the Arts and Science Festival will return for its second year in 2014. Running Monday 17 Friday 21 March and themed Life & Death, we hope to inspire a diverse and engaging programme of activity for staff, students and the wider community. The 2014 festival follows on from the success of the Universitys rst Arts and Science Festival, a week-long programme showcasing the wealth of ideas, research and collaboration across campus in March this year. The festival

Thank you really inspiring and enjoyable

Audience member

attracted 3200 visitors to over 60 events and was developed in partnership with departments across the University alongside external collaborators including Flatpack Festival, who presented their closing event The Adventures of Prince Achmed at the Bramall Music Building; Vivid Projects, who took over the Barber Institute of Fine Arts with Dirty New Media; Birmingham Opera, Kino 10 and Writing West Midlands. These partnerships signicantly boosted the marketing reach, ambition and prole of the festival.

This month, the University welcomed Dr Julius Garvey, renowned surgeon and son of civil rights activist Marcus Garvey, to talk to students about Garveyism in the 21st Century as part of the Universitys Black History Month programme. The programme also included an emotional handover ceremony of Maori remains held by the University to New Zealand Te Papa visitors. Now in its third year, Black History Month at the University commemorates the national celebration of the ways in which the contributions of black people have shaped Britains history.

School groups visit the University for a Black History Month workshop, October 2012

Culture beat

Culture beat

Digital Humanities Hub

Annamation amongst Eduardo Paolozzis pop art

Sound artist Sarah Farmer has been working with the fossils and fauna in the Universitys collections

Connected
Sound artist Sarah Farmer launches a new exhibition following months of research across the collections at the Lapworth Museum of Geology and Winterbourne House and Garden. Working alongside University curators and staff, and dynamic arts producers Capsule, Farmer has created a series of sound-based works and screen prints in response to her time on campus. The exhibition kicks off at Winterbourne House and Garden on Thursday 24 October where Farmers work will be in situ for two weeks before moving on to the Lapworth Museum of Geology for a further two weeks (724 November). The exhibition is presented as part of Connected, a Cultural Engagement initiative encouraging individuals and organisations to use their creative ideas to develop innovative approaches to enable more people to enjoy the wealth of cultural activity on offer. Since its launch, Connected has funded a number of exciting projects across the Universitys collections including an exhibition by Birmingham-based artist Ian Richards who transformed the walls of the Bramall Foyer by exploring repetitive patterns based on combination therapy; and a history walk by UoB graduates and storytellers Annamation, who led Community Day audiences on a special tour across campus, bringing to life paintings and objects en route.

Arts Council England Chief Executive, Alan Davey, celebrated the opening of the Michael Chowen Prototyping Hall part of the Digital Humanities Hub at the University of Birmingham on Wednesday 19 September. The Hub harnesses the power of digital technologies to enrich learning experiences in the spheres of heritage and culture. Working in crossdisciplinary, cross-sector partnerships across the creative economy, the expertise of Hub teams enables them to rise to the challenges of enabling audiences to access collections riches using leading edge digital technologies, including multi-touch, multi-user tables and walls in public spaces, mobile devices, or at home or work via the Internet. Addressing audiences at the launch Alan Davey said: the Heritage Learning Hub, of which the Hall is a part, has involved a vast range of individuals and disciplines, bringing together minds from a range of humanities and science, from theology, psychology and archaeology to engineering and Articial Intelligence to produce interactive multi-touch displays... In these exciting new ventures, we will be exploring partnerships across academia, research, business and development. The kinds of collaboration illustrated in the work displayed here in the Michael Chowen Prototype Hall. The kind of approach to knowledge, creativity and cultural industry creation that res people with knowledge and unlocks their potential.

For more information visit:

www.birmingham.ac.uk/ digitalhumanitieshub

Learning through culture

Artists in residence
In July 2013 artist Sarah Taylor Silverwood published The Mermaid and the Lion, a new graphic novel based around the University of Birminghams museum collections following a year-long residency as part of the Artist in Residence scheme. The drawings in the book bring to life characters including printer John Baskerville, geologist Charles Lapworth and Dame Hilda Lloyd, pioneer of the midwife ying squads, along with some of the objects from the collections. The stories are almost entirely quoted from text that comes directly from archive material or conversations with museum staff. For more information visit:

An exhibition of these works on paper was presented at the Great Western Arcade in Birmingham city centre in March 2013 and toured to the Bramall Music Building between June and October 2013. Signed copies of the book are available to buy from the Barber shop. The Universitys Artist in Residence programme provides artists with a studio on campus and access to the diverse range of cultural collections held here. The artists work alongside University curators, conservators and researchers with the opportunity to forge new interdisciplinary relationships. They also work with the cultural engagement team, delivering a series of workshops and lectures to staff, students and the public.

www.birmingham.ac.uk/culture/artistsinres.aspx

Making Culture: new ways of reading things

Making Culture is a free-standing module exploring material culture from a variety of perspectives. Drawing on the Universitys extensive range of museums, collections and archives and the expertise of arts and science academics and heritage professionals, the module is designed to enable students to critically engage with the material world.

Through object-based learning, students are exposed to a range of critical approaches to the documentation, interpretation, presentation and preservation of material in (and outside of) museums and archives. For more information visit:

www.birmingham.ac.uk/culture

Learning through culture

Cultural Internship Scheme
This October the cultural engagement team welcomed the latest cohort of UoB graduates to its innovative cultural internship scheme sponsored by the University and its cultural partners. Now in its third year, the scheme offers successful applicants a six-month paid work based placement, each offering real opportunities to gain high-quality work experience and undertake meaningful projects at leading cultural organisations in the West Midlands. This year interns will be hosted by BBC Birmingham, Birmingham Museums Trust, Birmingham Opera Company, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Flatpack Festival, Library of Birmingham, Performances Birmingham, Sampad, and Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.

Culture on campus
Barber Institute of Fine Arts
The Barber Institute of Fine Arts has been celebrating its 80th anniversary year with a rich programme of exhibitions, lectures, study days, workshops, special events and courses. The Barber continues to build on its enviable reputation as a world-class collection with the development of a very full and ambitious public programme, many elements of which spring from new partnerships with a range of bodies. The Barber is recognised as a leader in the West Midlands cultural arena, and their 80th Anniversary year, in particular, has raised their prole nationally, with over 97,000 visitors enjoying their exhibition at the National Gallery in London this summer.Back on campus, the Barber has presented an exceptional calendar of high-quality exhibitions and displays. The Barbers resources (collections, spaces, staff)are increasingly imbedded in teaching and research across the University, with the History of Art departments MA Curating Practices, participation in a MoMD, as well as specic project work (for example, Sonic Visions, a collaboration with the Department of Music). These many and varied contacts and relationships, coupled with growing condence in the uniqueness of their offer, underline the huge potential of the Barber and suggest that the necessary refurbishment of the Institute needs to be conceived at the highest level of ambition, congruent with their capacity to be an internationally recognised agship for the University. Looking ahead, highpoints will include a major exhibition on Nevinson as part of international WWI commemorations and a coin display exploring the interchange between Christian and Islamic cultures.
The opening of Birth of a Collection: Masterpieces from the Barber Institute of Fine Arts at the National Gallery in London (22 May 1 September 2013)

Katie Hall
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
In 2010, Katie graduated from UoB with an MA in History of Art. She subsequently developed her experience on campus at the Barber Institute of Fine Arts and Research and Cultural Collections, both strengthening her application to work at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery as part of the Universitys pioneering Cultural Intern Scheme. Following her internship Katie landed a permanent role as Exhibitions Ofcer at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. Katie supports the temporary exhibitions programme, leading on the development and delivery of individual exhibitions. At the start of 2013 she was responsible for developing and installing the acclaimed Metropolis: reections on the modern city exhibition in the Gas Hall.

Rachael Heaven
BBC Birmingham
Rachael graduated from UoB with an MA in Heritage Management and achieved a place on the 201213 cultural intern scheme with BBC Birmingham. Since completing her internship at BBC in March 2013, Rachael has been appointed External Affairs Coordinator for the organisation.

Cadbury Research Library: Special Collections

Cadbury Research Library: Special Collections is responsible for directly supporting the Universitys research, learning and teaching agenda by making fully accessible all collections and seeking to acquire material which ties into this agenda. The Cadbury Research Library delivers free taster exhibitions in Muirhead atrium to raise awareness of the Special Collections available for research. The 2013 programme includes William Morris and the Kelmscott Press, Roots of the University Mason Science College 18801900, forthcoming Artist in Residence: Lawrence Alma-Tadema R.A. and Art and Anatomy curated by Professor Alice Roberts (2014). Daily term time footfall through the Muirhead atrium is estimated at 2450 students, staff and visitors. The last 18 months has seen collaborations with external partners, raising the prole of the Universitys Special Collections to national and international audiences through the lending of material to cultural organisations including The J Paul Getty Museum, Cleveland Museum of Fine Art, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Compton Verney and Islington Museum. In September CRL partnered with The National Archives to deliver the joint conference Enhancing Impact, Inspiring Excellence: Collaborative Approaches between Archives and Universities which was attended by 147 delegates from universities across the UK. Cadbury Research Library is currently working closely with Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery on the large public exhibition Calligraphy in the Islamic World to which they are the major lender, contributing 14 rare Middle Eastern manuscripts from the Universitys Mingana Collection. The exhibition is supported by a public talk by Alba Fedeli, doctoral researcher in ITSEE and a short lm on You Tube to publicize the manuscripts to the wider community.

The cultural intern scheme had a signicant impact on my career as it convinced me that exhibitions work was something that I really wanted to pursue and I had fantastic opportunities to develop my experience during the internship. When a job in the BMAG exhibitions team came up, the internship had put me in a very strong position to apply for it and I was successful!

It has been a life changing experience! My cultural internship has provided me with an opportunity to experience a world that I had never previously considered. It has given me an insight in to a working environment that in normal circumstances I would never have encountered and has successfully altered the trajectory of my career path.

Reaching out from Higher Education

Reaching Out from Higher Education is an 18-month AHRC-funded Collaborative Skills Development Award developed in partnership with Professor Gavin Schaffer, then Director of the CAL Graduate School. Launched in March 2013, the award is a unique opportunity for 21 PhD students and early career researchers to gain key work experience skills in research dissemination, partnership-working and public engagement

through training and working with cultural institutions including BBC Birmingham, Birmingham Museums Trust, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Craftspace, Performances Birmingham, RBSA, and Sampad. In summer 2014, participants will deliver a public engagement activity for their host organisation, utilising their research skills to develop outputs in a process of co-creation with their host. Watch this space

www.barber.org.uk

www.birmingham.ac.uk/crl

Images from Special Collections in the Cadbury Research Library

Culture on campus
Research and Cultural Collections
There are thousands of objects in Research and Cultural Collections and many are housed within the departments related to their subject area. The contents are widely varied from Pop Art to historic scientic instruments- and they have grown across the University campuses, inside and outdoors.
Winterbourne House and Garden

Winterbourne House and Garden

Following major redevelopment in 2010 Winterbourne has experienced phenomenal growth with almost 60000 annual visitors in the form of staff, students, individuals, societies and communities. Winterbournes prole is now national and the site successfully acts as a gateway to the University of Birmingham for many local people. UoB students also utilise the collections through MoMDs, PGCE course modules, Drama and Biosciences. Recent community projects include the training of the new Library of Birmingham garden volunteers and public health/NHS workers in sustainable horticultural techniques. Partnerships with local heritage sites have also resulted in a UoB improved community presence; one of our more recent collaborations with the Black Country Living Museum helped to educate and engage key stage two pupils using plants found in Pharmacy gardens. Pupils explored the extraction of plant oils, planting and garden design principles. Work with The Magic Lantern Society has developed further with the formulation of a schools workshop, developing science, art, drama and history through Edwardian apparatus; the culmination of which means a UoB presence at the International Convention in October 2013. The recently installed Victorian printing press has enabled more living interpretation, demonstrations and workshops. Winterbourne continues to collaborate with local artists and secure grant funding for exhibitions and events both individually and with other University collection holders.

In the Research and Cultural Collections Study Centre at 32 Pritchatts Road we can bring together artefacts from many of these collections, so that they can be handled and studied in detail. Much of the material was originally collected for research and teaching purposes such as this. The building encourages interdisciplinary activity that brings together related artefacts from various collections. We support object-based learning sessions for several UG and PG courses and invite academics and students to research and teach from our collections independently. We continue to offer work experience placements in collections management and care, exhibition design and interpretation and continue to host the International Museums and Collections Award, partnered with the University of Melbourne. We recently received a grant from the Marches Network and are developing a student led project called Focus on Curating, which will provide training in museum photography, education and object handling, and will culminate in a blog produced by local school groups in which they curate our collections virtually. Recent exhibitions have included Hans Schwarz A Life in Art, CWAS at 50 and Babel, combining artistic practices with current research.

Lapworth Museum of Geology

The Lapworth Museum has achieved a number of key milestones during the last ve years. In 2008, the museum was Designated by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA), and its collections formally recognised as being of national and international importance. Whilst in 2010, the Lapworth secured funding from HEFCE through the core funding scheme for university museums and galleries, and was also successful with an application for Museum Accreditation. There have been considerable increases in performance and provision of public engagement activities with visitor numbers and educational sessions at the Lapworth more than doubling between the 2008 and 2012. The Lapworth is also at a very exciting time in its history having been awarded (2012) a Heritage Lottery Fund Development grant of 130,000 to progress plans to apply for a full grant for a major 2.7m redevelopment project. This will create an outstanding geological museum and heritage attraction at the University, signicantly improving the student and visitor experience, and also increasing community engagement.

www.birmingham.ac.uk/rcc

www.birmingham.ac.uk/lapworthmuseum

www.winterbourne.org.uk

Contact
Cultural Engagement Team [email protected] For more information on the Universitys cultural offer visit: www.birmingham.ac.uk/culture
RCCs Focus on Curating project Lapworth Museum of Geology

9010 University of Birmingham 2013. Printed on a recycled grade paper containing 100% post-consumer waste.