Category: News

Last month the NEC Group sanctioned a feasibility study to ‘envisage and create a new look and feel’ for the National Indoor Arena (NIA). Spearheaded by international architects Broadway Malyan, a team of development/venue professionals will look at all aspects of the site from structure to catering, attempting to ascertain ways of improvement. Consumer experience and utalisation of the canalside have been cited as significant factors.

‘We’re on the starting blocks to transform the NIA,’ says Phil Mead, NEC Group Managing Director of Arenas. ‘We have found an innovate practice that can turn our vision into a reality. We want our visitors… to enjoy the experience from the moment they arrive.’ Previous complaints about the NIA have highlighted accessibility and external visage.

The NIA is currently a 13,500 capacity seated venue, hosting a varied programme of sporting, comedy and music. Eric Clapton, Oasis and Justin Timberlake have all performed at the NIA, with Alexandra Burke, Justin Bieber and The James Last Orchestra confirmed to appear in 2011.

The NIA feasibility study is set for completion in January 2011, with projected work to begin on site later in the year. Following the £29million refurbishment of the now titled LG Arena, originally the NEC Arena, the NEC Group appears to be fighting back against recession. A budget for the NIA revamp will be set after the conclusion and analysis of the feasibility study, with title rights and sponsorship opportunities again being considered.

As public sector spending cuts disseminate from Whitehall, the Birmingham Cultural Partnership (BCP) has announced the withdrawal of it’s recently instigated Emerging Festival Fund.

In an email to the city’s arts communities and strategic partners, BCP manager Simon Bennett stated that in light of the government’s ongoing spending review, ‘projects that had not formally committed their total allocated funding were vulnerable’ and ‘this unfortunately was the case with the Festivals programme.’ Bennett also stated the scheme’s closure was part of a strategy to ‘minimise the need to break existing contracts’ and that ‘none of these decisions was easy or lightly made.’ The Birmingham Cultural Partnership manages a portfolio of projects that support and the development of the city’s cultural sector.

Launched earlier this year, the Emerging Festivals Fund was to be a series of grants from between £500 and £4999, used for ‘supporting current festivals and events’ and ‘developing or attracting new and niche events.’ Music events such as Gigbeth, Supersonic, Moseley Folk, Birmingham Jazz International and Fierce Festival would all have been eligible to apply.

Inviting prospective applicants through his website on January 10th, Minister for Leisure & Tourism Martin Mullaney declared the fund was ‘part of a programme’ that reflected Birmingham City Council’s ‘ambition to have a year round calendar of festivals.’ Whilst centre led public sector cuts are forcing political u-turns across the country, how BCC intend to now ‘grow and support Birmingham’s festivals’ has not been publicly clarified.

Local singer/songwriter Unique, aka Natasha Brown, has found a new platform to showcase local musicians and lyricists. Under the banner Let’s Not Pretend, Unique has organised unannounced jam sessions along various bus routes across the city.

“We came up with the idea after coming back from playing at The Yardbird in town,” says Unique, “I just started playing, someone else started singing. Before we knew it the whole top floor of the bus was watching or joining in.”

Unique has already held Let’s Not Pretend jam sessions to support Soweto Kinch’s Flyover Show III in May and, most recently, in conjunction with COME:Unity Arts.

For more information visit www.facebook.com/uniqueESTmusic

The HMV Institute is open for business. Digbeth’s historical venue has hosted tea dances to techno and most things in between. But previously marred by management issues, crippling maintenance costs and an awkward layout to capacity ratio, the prominent Eastside venue has changed direction more than most in the city. Now with three bold new letters in front of its original moniker the Institute’s doors have reopened, marking the latest venue assumption in HMV’s bid to diversify.

Combining club nights with live gigs, the new look HMV Institute promotes itself as a ‘contemporary multi-space theatre’ with an ‘unrivalled capacity’, able to house ‘big-name international artists to emerging local talent’. The reality is much as before, with the main auditorium holding a 1500 capacity including balcony seating, a stand alone rear venue (formally the Dance Factory) holding a 600 capacity and two internal rooms of 300 capacity a piece. However the line up has changed, with significant live acts booked until the end of the year and Angel Music Group’s hugely successful Eclectricity club brand heading up the dance music schedule. Artists including Brandon Flowers, Fyfe Dangerfield, Mark Ronson (and The Business International), Kelis, Kele and Klaxons will all play headline gigs before Christmas.

Managing the HMV Institute is Andy Macdonald, freshly coaxed from the HMV Institute’s default rival, the 02 Academy Birmingham. “The hmvinstitute is going to be an amazing landmark venue for Birmingham and the West Midlands,” states Macdonald. “I feel sure that its versatile spaces and wonderful new amenities will make for a remarkable live environment that will excite fans and will encourage artists to return time and again as a favourite stop in any tour.” Macdonald will have gained valuable experience and industry recognition from his tenure across town, and in his previous role as Operations Director for the DHP Group, although his full agenda for the HMV Institute is yet to be announced.

In charge of the listed building’s ‘long-term, multi-million pound refurbishment’ was Steve Forster, MD of the HMV owned MAMA Group’s Live Division. “I feel this venue can become something special,” states Forster, “not least because we have brought a wonderful old building back to life. I would like to thank everyone on the team for working so hard to make it possible,” he continues, “including Birmingham City Council for their valued support.” The Birmingham Observer cannot clarify the extent of Birmingham City Council’s involvement. But with previous planning restrictions reportedly hindering commercial operations, BCC’s ongoing support will be a substantial asset to whoever is responsible for the venue.

For more information, including full line up and event details, visit www.hmvinstitute.com

One of the region’s most ambitious music initiatives has been halted in the wake of AWM’s demise.

Music Central, a development programme for music professionals in the West Midlands, was due to start in September this year. The two year scheme planned to establish an industry support network ranging from mentor programmes to operational infrastructure. Organisers have now been told that £250,000 from AWM is to be withdrawn, making a further £250,000 subject to match funding.

Clare Edwards, who represents the West Midlands in the UK’s Music Development Association, has been spearheading Music Central since it’s inception two years ago. “The West Midland’s doesn’t have a music development agency,” says Edwards, “the agendas of our industry professionals are not being represented at a national level. Music Central was looking to establish that voice, now the whole project is unlikely to go ahead.”

But as cuts loom across all sectors, Edward’s warns of deeper problems facing the music industry. “A real danger is the collapse of our music industry’s hidden economy. The workshops, school and community programmes that were funded or supported are all under threat. This will leave a substantial hole in the revenue streams of many gigging musicians.”

With widespread confusion over the agenda and role of the new Local Enterprise Partnership, Birmingham City Council has told all funded arts organisations to ‘expect at least 10% cuts’. With little more coming from Whitehall, many in the West Midland’s are left waiting for October’s spending review for developments.