Area Culture Guide 06

The latest edition of the Area Culture Guide is out now for March 2010. Have a cheeky peek right here.

Film Dash

With its debut as the opening event of 2009’s Hello Digital Festival, Film Dash returns once more to open proceedings for 2010’s public programme of events.

Building on the success of the previous year Meshed Media is once more challenging budding filmmakers to push their boundaries of creativity by producing a film in a 48-hour period. The best films will be judged by a panel of experts, including Film4.com editor Catherine Bray and feature film script editor Kate Leys, and the best films will be featured on the Bullring website www.lifefeelsbetter.co.uk, who sponsor the event.

The theme for this years Film Dash is ‘happiness’ and registration is free through the website where a full list of rules and prizes can also be found, along with examples of previous entries. So if you love films and think you could be the next Martin Scorsese register at filmdash.com for your chance to make a little movie magic.

Film Dash – 5th-7th March

BRUM TWESTIVAL

If you’re a keen Tweeter then you’ll probably already know about Brum Twestival but if you don’t know your Twitter from your FaceSpace then it’s time to find out. It will have been hard to escape the phenomenon of the 140 character social networking site with its celebrity users. Even if you aren’t an avid fan its power to unite people and rapidly spread news can’t be denied.

Win a Trip to Waterford

This year the Area culture guide will be celebrating St Patrick’s day in style and so we’ve teamed up with our friends in Waterford to offer a lucky winner the chance to check out the beautiful Irish county and The Waterford Festival of food.

CSI: Birmingham

You can’t avoid CSI on TV. Either in Las Vegas, New York or Miami the fast paced drama brings the crime scene to the screen and now the TV sensation launches in Birmingham this Friday 26th February.

Created In Birmingham Shop

If you are looking for a little creativity, a place to browse through the talents of the home-grown or to purchase yourself a little something nice then blog Created in Birmingham‘s new store is going to be the place for you.  Having been given a decent sized unit inside the mighty Bullring the space will become part art market, part gallery and part event space making it, not just a shop but, also a place to hang out and collate all local talent together.

Benjamin Vaughan

It’s never easy to start your own business, and it’s even harder to launch one at the height of a recession. But as one Birmingham entrepreneur shows, with a lot of blood sweat and tears, you can be successful. At just 25 Benjamin Vaughan is one of the countries youngest tailor’s having recently launched Benjamin’s Bespoke Shirt Makers and Tailors. Area caught up with Birmingham’s own “Benjamin Button” to find out more about his plans to become a tailor made success.

Gastro Card

It is easy to be a keen foody in the Midlands with plenty of quality restaurants to choose from however the hit on the bank balance can be enough to leave a nasty taste in your mouth.

Regular dining at Birmingham’s top venues doesn’t come cheap but we’ve found a great way to save money for you and your friends so that enjoying top quality food is easily in reach.

Buying a £25 Gastro Card can mean a three-course lunch at a Michelin-starred restaurant could cost just £17.50. Other offers include 25% off food bills or two-one offers at great restaurants and pubs. The Gastro Card starts paying for itself the moment you start eating!

The card usually covers all the diners in your party so there won’t be any embarrassing moments when it comes to paying the bill – it’s discount dining for you and all your guests.

For the more serious food and wine lovers you’ll want to join The Gastro Card Dining Club and/or Gastro Card Wine Club (offering exclusive wines at affordable prices) which launches in March and gives you the chance to meet likeminded people in great places.

If you are not a Gastro Card holder but would like to test taste one of the partner restaurants then email  geoff@thegastrocard.co.uk to get a 25% off voucher for the award-winning Shah’s in Warwick Road, Acocks Green.

For further details on membership and the restaurants taking part visit  www.thegastrocard.co.uk.

Tim Vine – The Joke-Amotive

Few comedians can boast to having a Guinness World Record for the most jokes told in one hour – in fact neither can Tim Vine. What he can boast is that he is the former Guinness World Record holder for the most jokes told in one hour – an astounding feat of oratory rapidity. Famed for his fast paced, sharp witted one liners, Vine’s shows are often an assault on the senses, as words are spouted like ninja death stars and props are produced from the unlikeliest of places.

Tim steams into town in his latest enterprise the Joke-Amotive, and as the name suggests this promises to be a speedy joke extravaganza of epic proportion. Not for the dull witted, this silver tongued rogue will have hearts pounding and sweat glands working overtime as audiences try to keep up with the Roadrunner of the comedy world. “All aboard” for a night of intense raucous fun.

19 February – Town Hall, Birmingham, thsh.co.uk
25 February – Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, theatresevern.co.uk
26 February – Wulfrun Hall, Wolverhampton, Wolvescivic.co.uk

Untitled_2

Untitled is a regular showcase of work at the Hare and Hounds by talented creatives from Birmingham. Organised by photographer Jade Sukiya the first event ‘Freestyle’ proved such a success that a regular slot is now being planned.