New Art West Midlands, 15 Feb-19 May @BM_AG & @grandunionltd

On the final stroke of completing a Visual Art degree, those initial steps into the arena of artistry can present somewhat of a blank canvas! And it is this area of creative concern  that has lead to the creation of New Arts West Midlands, a competitive exhibition which will feature the innovative and engaging work of regional BA, MA and PhD Art graduates from 2010-2012.

Timur Novikov, 13 February – 21 April @ikongallery

This week sees Ikon launch the UK’s most comprehensive collection to date of the definitive works of Russia’s arguably most evocative contemporary artist, Timur Novikov. Until the end of April, Ikon plays host to the exhibition, co-curated by his step-daughter, mapping not only Novikov’s progressive career and artistic vision from the 1980s right through to his final works in the Noughties, but also tracing him and his contemporaries’ political and artistic ideologies, alongside visible representations of his decline in health.

Love Stirchley More, 14-16 February @PlaceProspector

The South Birmingham suburb of Stirchley has been quietly undergoing something of a cultural revolution over the past few years, thanks to a group of creative and proactive residents with a passion for presenting films in locations like pubs and Balti restaurants, a successful healthy living social enterprise offering courses and produce, a monthly food and craft market as well as live performances and community workshops in and around the locale.

Midnight Bonfires & Friends: Sat 2 Feb, 7pm @mac_birmingham

Following on from last summer’s One Beat Sunday event, mac birmingham is proud to present Midnight Bonfires & Friends – a special night of new music from across Birmingham.

BEAT STREULI – NEW STREET @ikongallery

Ikon presents a new exhibition in collaboration with EACC Castellón, exhibiting the work of Swiss artist Beat Streuli. By exhibiting at Ikon in group shows and off-site projects since 2001, Streuli has developed an on-going relationship with the gallery.

40 ARTISTS / 30 FRAMES / 3 MONTHS @FRAME_brum

Getting art out of the galleries and in to the wider public sphere is a challenge that curator Elly Clarke has taken on for the next 3 months.

GASTRONOMIC GIFTS

Options for fine dining in Midlands this Christmas are endless. But what about regional foodie treats for underneath the Christmas tree? Here are some alternative edible gift ideas with a distinctively Birmingham and Black Country twist. There’s not a tired old jar of chutney or jumbo tin of Quality Street in sight…

REVIEW: Orbital, 9.12.12 @o2academybham

Anticipations heighten in the darkened Birmingham Academy, as hums break through the silence, preparing for the on course of a rave revival. Four torch lights slowly push forwards into focus – the duo’s iconic headlamp glasses – overwhelming the intoxicated people in front of me, who were already bobbing effortlessly to the continual introductory tones.

DESIGN SPACE FESTIVE POP-UP

Festive pop-up shop Number 22 will showcase the first jewellery and giftware collections of 12 up-and-coming designer makers from the Design Space. Specialising in handmade, beautifully-finished, limited-edition pieces the shop is part of a unique scheme managed by Birmingham City Council that provides business support and workshop space to emerging jewellers.

BARBARA NICE’S COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS

With extensive touring experience and a stack of TV and radio appearances behind her – notably in Peter Kay’s comedy vehicles Phoenix Nights and Max and Paddy’s Road To Nowhere – Barbara Nice has become a familiar face on the UK’s independent comedy circuit, not to mention securing a top spot as one of Birmingham’s most popular comperes and hostesses.