If you have any interest whatsover in the future of the city of Birmingham in terms of its expression of our collective culture, or making the city centre just a lot more exciting and vibrant for people to experience art, design, photography, music, dance and any other form of self expression, please go and make a comment here on the question.
We (as in the bloggers of this fair city) have set up a site for the purposes of getting a dialogue going on this and other similar issues and even if you just go there and say “more photography plz” or “I’d like a child-friendly internet cafe” or “free wifi” or “stop closing all the irish pubs in digbeth so I can keep listening to the music I love” or “something like the Mac but next to New Street Station” – whatever your idea is, and no matter how unimportant it may seem to you, if you type it in that box and hit return it ends up _having_ (as in by law) to be considered when the people who make decisions about this place do their thinking.
It’s an open question – what does this city need in terms of culture. I’d hope to see at least 100 comments on that page by the end of the week because it is such an open question and there is no shortage of amazing people in this city.
Birmingham is an awesome place for the techies. Just want to see a specialty space for the children to enjoy their craft in one roof. Isn't it amazing to see children play and mingle freely with their peers and soon to be friends. This will also be a venue for children shows especially during Christmas. xmas hampers
Discover the beauty of pakistan. Learn the culture, heritage, traditions and landmarks of different parts of Pakistan especially sindh, Punjab, Baluchistan and N.W.F.P and far northern areas.
A true artisan/ boutique quarter near the city centre where individual shops, galleries, bars, cafes, nightclubs and restaurants can spring up and become a destination for people wanting to escape the chain-store drudgery of the Bullring.
Your average small town in the the middle of nowhere has almost all of the high-street chains that are available in our huge, supposedly vibrant city. Despite apparently being Europe's 'shopping capital' there is very little to entice me into the city that I can't get in King's Heath, Bearwood or Oldbury.
I went to Bristol recently and the Clifton district was brilliant - loads of one-off shops, characterful restaurants, artisan food stores etc- it felt like a real tourist attraction. I know Moseley is attempting this but it is too far out of town. With so many big chains going under and our shopping districts filling up with vacant premises, can anything be done to incentivise (and maybe subsidise) small businesses to open in their place, kick-starting a fightback against the ailing local economy?
But any comments you make on our 'plain english' version also will get reported directly to the council, it's just that you can also see what other people are saying in real time and we can have discussions around the issues which you can't do on their site, and we've also translated the document into 'plain english' and added hyperlinks to relevant info.
You say that the Council would like to hear our ideas and opinion. Could you post a link or some info as to where we can send some ideas directly to the Council? It would be good to let them know our thoughts as well.
For children there should be an arts space where they can come and do creative stuff on a drop-in basis. Like an art cafe with space for painting, drawing, sticking, gluing etc. without parents having to worry about making a mess at home. For older children this could be extended to pottery, sculpture, photography, textiles...etc. etc.
Parents could either join in or grab a coffee in the cafe area.
I know that the MAC (when it reopens) offers stuff like this but there should also be a space that is open on a drop-in and see what's happening basis without the need for having to sign up for a 10 week course, which isn't always financially possible or it may be difficult to find 10 Saturdays in a row to attend a course. Children would also have the freedom to try different things and experiment.
Having a space like this in the centre of the city would be fantastic. "Lets do some shopping, have some lunch and then go and paint!"
There are spaces like this in the USA. I will have to try and find a link!
The Culture Question: What does Birmingham need?
The Big City Plan is out for consultation, and it asks some pretty big, and open questions about the city.
Not least this open invitation for anyone who has an interest in the cultural expression of the people of Birmingham:
If you have any interest whatsover in the future of the city of Birmingham in terms of its expression of our collective culture, or making the city centre just a lot more exciting and vibrant for people to experience art, design, photography, music, dance and any other form of self expression, please go and make a comment here on the question.
We (as in the bloggers of this fair city) have set up a site for the purposes of getting a dialogue going on this and other similar issues and even if you just go there and say “more photography plz” or “I’d like a child-friendly internet cafe” or “free wifi” or “stop closing all the irish pubs in digbeth so I can keep listening to the music I love” or “something like the Mac but next to New Street Station” – whatever your idea is, and no matter how unimportant it may seem to you, if you type it in that box and hit return it ends up _having_ (as in by law) to be considered when the people who make decisions about this place do their thinking.
It’s an open question – what does this city need in terms of culture. I’d hope to see at least 100 comments on that page by the end of the week because it is such an open question and there is no shortage of amazing people in this city.
What’s your idea?