During the 4th to 8th November Birmingham’s Eastside is being taken over by 100 artists for the second contemporary art festival organised by BCAF (Birmingham Contemporary Art Forum).

Featuring a number of the city’s artist led projects The Event will be held at a variety of established, new and slightly more unusual spaces throughout Digbeth.

Digbeth’s previous guise as an area of manufacturing has been slowly transforming in to the city’s Creative Quarter or ‘Eastside’. Artists have always been resourceful and where they move in to old and disused spaces to hone their craft a community builds around them – this is of course how The Custard Factory came in to being.

So it’s with no surprise that when the steel bashers moved out and abandoned their factories the artists moved in and new spaces emerged. Several of these new spaces will be open to the public for the first time including Grand Union’s unit on Fazeley Industrial Estate, Fazeley Street, a temporary space at 119 Floodgate Street which will be home to Mona Casey Projects for the duration and Crowd6’s use of fellow artist group The Lombard Method’s raw space at 68a Lombard Street, B12.

We’ve picked out our highlights of The Event that shouldn’t be missed.

Join Mark Essen for his roaming Record Exchange. He’ll be popping up at most of the venues as well as The Anchor Inn on Bradford Street (5 Nov). Not only can you debate, negotiate and swap records but you can also try the specially made ‘The Event Brew’. For the Friday night official launch (6 Nov) Essen will lead a performance of “and you will know us by the trail of Morris men” where Morris dancers will escort the audience from each venue to the after party at Eastside Projects on Heath Mill Lane.
If you are feeling lonely and need something else in your life then everyday at 10am and 2pm join The Family who will engage you with a variety of ‘activities’. Taking their inspiration from the dubious cults that offer comfort to the lonely and confused a.a.s. will live together at Birmingham Central Backpackers on Coventry Street and invite you to join them each day. They still have spaces left to live with them for 24-hours – call them on 07806 50 27 26.

The flat-capped life of the Pigeon fancier is relived by [insertspace] who will be opening their Pigeon Loft to visitors from 2-4pm on Friday 6, Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 at The Rea Garden, 1-8 Floodgate Street, B5. Having built the loft and reared pigeons artists Alex Lockett and Ian England’s practice combines their interests in nature’s relationship with culture, as well as traditional and contemporary modes of communication.
Latest artist led initiative Grand Union open up their new Fazeley Street home to host an artists’ publishing fair on Friday 6 from 12pm. Stick around until 2pm and you can see Calum F. Kerr and his Book Coat, a portable garment containing over 50 individual artists’ books.

Be part of the art from 8pm on Friday 6th at Eastside Projects on Heath Mill Lane. Stan’s Cafe will be hosting a continuous dialogue of visitors to the exhibition commenting on their every move. From 9pm there will be a live performance by Juneau Projects who invite the audience to become their percussion – prepare to get involved.

If you want a more rounded view of The Event then a great way to engage with the artist community and see the continually changing face of Digbeth is through the free, guided tours which leave from Eastside Cafe everyday at 3pm.

The Event Talks
Saturday 7 November, 2-5pm at Eastside Projects
A programme of talks to investigate the role of the artist led festival within contemporary arts practice. Implicit within this is an investigation of the role of consortium working, both as part of a forum but also within the wider context of the region in which the activity is based. ‘The Event Talks’ aims to examine the impact of artist led activity on the creative industries and its role within regeneration. Furthermore these talks seek to question the autonomy of artist led activity within a wider political agenda. ‘The Event Talks’ will provide insight into previous, key artist led activity from UK, through presentations and moderated discussion. Speakers include Katy Woods (Sheffield Contemporary Art Forum), Milika Muritu (Cell Project Space), Chris Brown (a-n and g39). Chaired by Adam Sutherland (Grizedale Arts)
Places are free but space is limited. To book email kaye@the-event.org

For a full timetable and information on all the performances, events and interventions taking place visit the-event.org.

Information Point: Eastside Cafe, 101 Coventry Street, B5

Various venues throughout Eastside, Birmingham
4-8 November, 12-5pm
the-event.org