Party as library reopens

Kings Heath library re-opens. HGA supports celebrations and runs  workshop followed by exhibition of puppets from Field for the Olympics.

Field ends at KHP as Olympics starts

Sunshine to end 'Field for the Olympics' project at Kings Heath Park, for what has been a fantastic project.   Special thanks to Parks for Play for all support throughout the project, but particularly for today.

It was busy all afternoon - thanks Pyn Stockman for your hard work again - a few comments from her:

This has been a fab project to be involved with and it was great to see all the puppets together on this beautiful sunny day.

Great response - lots of parents working collaboratively with their children.

The puppets on display were commented on and several parents enquired as to how they were made and were keen to have a go at home with the children. It was a real asset that one of the making techniques used only stuff you could find easily on the high street or at home. And it was great to share with people looking for creative activities to do with their children the simplicity of the making techniques. .

More photos from Calthorpe

A brief slideshow of photos taken by John Hill-Daniel and the junior paparazi team for 'Field for the Olympics' at Calthorpe Park on 30th June for the Torch relay event.

KH Library exhibition Opens as Library Re-Opens

Field for the Olympics moved from Hall Green Library to support the re-opening of Kings Heath, following extensive roof work which has closed the library for a month.

We ran a busy family workshop attended by all three of our councillors to open an exhibition of nearly all our puppets, taking over the children's room at Kings Heath Library.

Hall Green Arts is keen to support our local libraries and will support Staff and Friends of KH Library and all our district libraries in future events and projects.

Kings Heath Celebrates re-opening of library!

Summer Wild and Creative in Kings Heath Park

More dates for play in the park - last chance to see and make 'Field for the Olympics' puppets on Friday 27th July - opening ceremony for Olympics ends 9:00 pm.

Fletchers Bar and Eatery

The wonderful Fletchers bar opened last week, and as owner/manager Brett pointed out, our arts surgery is the first event (post opening) held in its bar.

We had great turnout, and so good to see so many new faces to Hall Green Arts Forum - apologies received from a number of folk.

Surgery in numbers:

21 - number of people attended
5:37 - start time.  A little early as people keen to get started!
B13.7 - average postcode number
4 - delicious honey and chilli cashew nut pots consumed

Surgery in drawings:

We were lucky to have Esther and Anika document the meeting in drawings - something I think we should constitute.

Surgery in Dance:

You'll have to wait for this one, but as we had three creative practitioners, from Morris, English Folk and Royal Ballet dancers here something I think we ought to push for.

Other Surgery stuff:

We were able to show off 'Field for the Olympics', which has covered all areas of our constituency and led to further stuff.  It is exhibiting at Hall Green Library at the moment.  We were successful in applying for Next Generation funding in partnership with Parks4Play, Birmingham Playcare Network, The Drum, Secret City Arts and John Hill-Daniel.

Although we only received two thirds of what we applied for, we have supplemented with some of HGA funds and additional support from Parks4Play means we will have run more workshops than originally planned and meet all our aims/objectives.

On 21st July we will be supporting an event for re-opening of KH library 10:30 to 12 for penultimate  'Field for the Olympics' workshops.  On 27th July, for opening of Olympics we will have all the junk puppets out at Kings Heath Park in afternoon for Parks4Play event.

Moseley Folk Festival - I am in touch with Gerv to organise an info tent, or possibly a family activity.  Anyone interested in volunteering I'll be looking to arrange free entry and work only to 5 or 6, so rest of evening is yours.  Please contact me if interested.

Following comments from Ort Cafe, I will continue looking into better Hall Green ward representation - HG Library may be our next venue for Surgery in September, although I'd really like to see Fletchers and Ort become regular meeting venues.  Comments also about children and arts better representation (needs a bit of thinking), and also possibility of offering a small amount of our funds to best idea, as agreed at a Surgery/online survey?  Also very pleased several people offered to support others interested in the work they do, either by visiting, shadowing or just contacting.  This was in a range of disciplines from wood sculpture, drama, storytelling, comedy, book writing.  Anyone interested please let me know.  Finally a few more postits from the day:

I know there were more interesting conversations happened and would like to ask to keep adding comments, draw, dance, or just use our facebook - add directly onto our timeline, contact me, or our googlegroup.

Wishing well and keep in touch!

Marcus

Faces from Torch relay at Calthorpe Park

Olympic torch celebrations at Sparkbrook

Great Day at Farm Road Park

Olympic Field Grows

The Olympic Field is getting bigger, as we run more workshops with Kings Heath Library services for extended under 5s storytime, and Paganel Primary School.  At Paganel the junk puppets are only half way made - they have already been used to explore Olympic values, play in the playground, and will grow arms, clothing, and a bit of colour before take part in a parade as part of 'Pagalympics' later this week joining other Olympian puppets at Calthorpe Park to see the Torch relay (then a brief tour around local libraries and community centres, of course).  Look out for a puppet near you.

Field for the Olympics more workshops

In the build up to the Olympics we are fortunate to have the Olympic Torch relay passing through our constituency. In celebration of the Cultural Olympiad and the Torch Relay Hall Green Arts Forum (led by KHCCP) is coordinating activities with our arts Champion, the Drum, and partner organisations Parks4Play, Birmigham Playcare Network, Friends of Cannonhill Park, Calthorpe Park Children and Parents Advisory Committee, Northern Soul Arts, and the Libraries & Community Centres in our area.  

'Field for the Olympics' is making Olympic Junk puppets with a range of very different groups across our district, using the puppets in a range of storytelling, poetry and drama activities. The workshops are part of events in local parks for the torch relay, as well as in schools, community centres libraries, and care homes, all to celebrate the Olympics. The number of puppets is growing until we will have a truly impressive 'Field for the Olympics'.

So far we have run 5 workshops in a community garden, in a community centre and in a care home, with participants ranging from 1 to 100 years old.  Before the 1st July we will have run many more workshops across our constituency to bring together a staggering collection of puppets to display in venues across our constituency for the launch of the Olympics.  If you are interested in hosting the Field for the Olympics, please get in touch.  Links to workshops:

Adventures of Bob the Biker Pirate, and other puppets

Olympic Football

Garden Olympics

Christine the Olympic Swimmer

Beijing to Brum to Brazil (via London)

It's been tough, working to tight deadline with little money, an ever growing partnership of people, on an unprecedented rolling event, but it finally feels like we're nearly there. 


The torch relay is coming to Birmingham, and spending almost exactly 36 hours in Hall Green Constituency.  For HGA, it's also been a rollercoaster journey to support several partnerships to put on two huge events, half a dozen smaller ones, a range of workshops as part of 'Fields for the Olympics' which will see puppets made in care homes, community centres, libraries, schools and parks across our constituency and a little further.

Not long to go now

But not too late to be a part of it:

First Surgery at Ort

Ort Cafe is a great venue opposite Balsall Heath Library, ideal for our first surgery.  We had a decent turnout, and was commented the 'Surgery' type approach relaxed and made meetings more approachable and inviting to new people.  The Cafe was set up by artists, and not surprisingly is great for meeting artists, but as one attendee commented:


'I liked the Ort venue meeting, and the relaxed table mix, but not sure we're reaching the school and neighbourhood communities yet'

This one, I think is a bit of a priority, so first off, the surgeries will be at a range of different settings.  I'm also hoping the people from that venue will help us attract a range of people they already know from their communities.  So the next one will be Kitchen Garden Cafe (early July, date to be confirmed) and I'm looking into having a picnic on Cannon Hill Park and meeting in a school or two - Robin Hood Primary and Kings Heath Primary are more obvious choices, as we already know people there.

We are looking for more venues for this year, but the only (and most effective) way to do this is to find people with a venue willing to help organise surgeries.  Please contact me if you think you can help.

I'll be placing some of the comments on our facebook page to encourage people to write responses, to develop conversations.  Last, but not least, we need actions, art stuff to come from the surgeries. Only one surgery so far so early days, but from the conversations I was a part of, it's clear we are already bringing people together who are setting up workshops, events, other things.

• Notes from meeting
• Map updated
• Field for the Olympics