Bigging Up Birmingham
- Convenor:
- Jenny Stephens
- Attendees:
- Tracey Briggs and Jan Watts
- Description:
Should we ‘big up’ Birmingham – or the West Midlands? Tension here….there might be a synergy between companies but what is the public consciousness? Is the ‘West Midlands’ an Arts council/governmental construct or is it what people feel they are a part of?
The bloke changing the light in the room told us that he was from Birmingham “but it’s crap”….which sort of said it all. There isn’t a pride in the city. There’s a cottage industry feel to a lot of arts activity and the profile isn’t high. City of a thousand trades means that there is a real sense of diversity but can mean fragmentation.
Feeling that Manchester, Bristol, Newcastle etc have a good sense of theatre community…and we need to connect ourselves up a bit more, make ourselves a bit more approachable and visible.
Conclusion = People’s view of Birmingham has changed over the past few years because Birmingham itself has. We should do the things we do, make them bigger and better and not care too much what people on the outside think, if we’re positive about our work then that energy/positivity will follow.