mac birmingham press release :: 22 June
mac birmingham calls out for West Midland art
Open Day – Sat 9 Jul 2011,
11am – 6pm
Exhibitions – Wed 3 Aug – Sun 7 Sep 2011
On Sat 9 Jul mac birmingham will transform into an Antique Road Show style space and call upon artists from the West Midlands to bring their art and pitch to a panel of anticurators. Artists will be pitching for a chance to have their work chosen and exhibited in mac birmingham’s first floor gallery.
All part of a project titled anticurate, the Open Day begins what is mac birmingham’s version of an open exhibition. In association with mac bimringham, artist Trevor Pitt has devised the anticurate project as a platform to explore democratic and collective approaches to exhibition curating.
Over six weeks mac birmingham’s main gallery will host six unquie exhibitions that will be selected from artworks submitted at the Open Day on Sat 9 Jul.
Each exhibition will be organised by groups, called anticurators, who have been invited by mac birmingham to curate an exhibition. They include
- young people from Project Platform and Ikon Youth programme
- a group of older people from Young at Heart
- members of the Extra Special People professional development programme at Eastside Projects
- a selection of mac birmingham staff
anticurators will be on hand throughout the Open Day and artists will be asked to influence them in an attempt to ensure their artwork is chosen for exhibition. All works submitted during the Open Day will be shown in the final exhibition on Thu 8 to Sun 11 Sep but if artists use their time well and deliver a great pitch to the anticurators they may find their artwork taking centre stage in a variety of the anticurate exhibitions throughout August and September.
For those who can’t make it on Sat 9 Jul there will also be an opportunity to submit artwork between 4pm and 8pm on Wed 13 Jul at mac birmingham’s Sales and Information desk.
To create their unique exhibitions the anticurators will be using a flexible exhibition structure and space that has been specially designed by Juneau Projects, and their work will be supported by independent curators Charlie Levine and Trevor Pitt, the exhibition team and mac birmingham.
Local artist Trevor Pitt comments “I devised the project to break down some of the barriers that people face when they try to get their artwork seen in a gallery. So, whether you make paintings, sound, sculpture, performance, photography, knitting, video or community projects my message to you is – as long as you define what you're doing as art then WE WANT YOUR ART!“
-ENDS-
For press enquires please contact Katie Reid, katie.reid@macarts.co.uk 0121 446 3238
Notes to Editor
Open Day Date
Sat 9 Jul, 11am –6pm
Additional Submission Day
Wed 13 Jul, 4-8pm
Condition of Entry:
– You must be an artist living or working in the West Midlands
– You are entitled to submit one artwork which must have been created within the past 12 months
– Artwork must be able to be carried by one person, shown or talked about
– Under 16s must be accompanied by a parent or guardian
Complete terms and conditions can be found here. alternatively email anticurate@macarts.co.uk
anticurate Exhibition Dates
Exhibition 1: Thu 4-Sun 7 Aug
Members of the Extra Special People professional development programme at Eastside Projects: Alison Tarry and Tim Stock
Preview Wed 3 Aug 6pm
Exhibition 2: Thu 11- Sun 14 Aug
Members of mac, Birmingham staff
Preview Wed 10 Aug 6pm
Exhibition project 3: Thu 18- Sun 21 Aug
Members of Ikon Youth Programme and Project Platform
Preview Wed 17 Aug 6pm
Exhibition project 4: Thu 25-Sun 28 Aug
Members of Young at Heart
Preview Wed 24 Aug 6pm
Exhibition project 5: Thu 1- Sun 4 Sep
Selected by open submission
Preview Wed 31 Aug 6pm
Exhibition project 6: Thu 8- Sun 11 Sep
All artworks will be exhibited
Preview Wed 7 Sep 6pm
About mac
Opened in 1962, mac birmingham is a hub of creativity and learning in the Midlands. With four performance auditoria, rehearsal and media studios, a cinema, and a visual art gallery, mac birmingham presents a broad range of contemporary work from both emerging and established artists across genres. mac birmingham is the most visited arts centre in the Midlands and is renowned for its family friendly and inclusive approach. Originally intended for children, the centre now caters for audiences young and old, from the local community and beyond.
Re-opened in May 2010 after extensive refurbishment, the arts centre boasts stunning architecture and a high level of accessibility. Set in the magnificent surroundings of Cannon Hill Park and home to the Bridges Bar Café for meals and snacks, and the stylish Arena Bar for evening drinks, the centre is well worth a visit.
mac, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham, B12 9QH
A piece of PR we couldn’t be bothered to re-write.
