cultural engagement – Think: Public Engagement with Research

Arts & Science Festival 2018 – Call for events

Posted by gillecdton August 17, 2017in Arts and Science Festival, Upcoming opportunities1 Comment

The University of Birmingham’s Arts & Science Festival will return for its sixth year in 2018. Running Monday 12 – Sunday 18 March 2018 and themed ‘Stop Start!’, the festival is a free programme showcasing research, culture and collaboration at the University through talks, exhibition, performances, workshops and screenings.

The Cultural Engagement team is currently inviting individuals and departments from across campus to submit events – these may be events already scheduled to happen, or events developed and realized especially for the festival. All suitable submissions will be marketed as part of the festival programme, and included in online listings and printed publicity.

There is a small amount of funding available for events developed specifically for the festival that could not otherwise be realized without a financial contribution. We are looking to fund events that respond to the festival theme, explore the intersection between arts and sciences, and represent good value for money. Please note, it is the responsibility of the event planner/department to resource, staff and deliver their proposed event(s) however there is funding available to pay students to support the delivery of your events – if this is of interest, please note the expected number of hours on your submission form.

The 2018 event submission form is here: Arts Science Festival 2018 – Event Submissions Please direct enquiries/ completed submission forms to artsandscience@contacts.bham.ac.uk by Friday 03 November 2017.

Testimonials:

“It re-ignited my interest in art and the consideration of PhD study”
“The festival has encouraged me to consider bringing academic research into my artistic practice.”
“The festival was very significant for me personally, helping to shift my perceptions about the work I currently do, and made my day-dreams about future collaborations seem a bit more possible. Plus I met some really interesting people that I hope to keep in touch with in the future. All in all, a thoroughly rewarding experience that I confess has really re-vitalized my thinking and hoping!! So thank-you very much indeed!”
“It made me realise what a wealth of knowledge we have on campus and that I should look out for more lunchtime seminars to attend.”

“Stuff and Knowledge” – University Museums Group annual conference (11 Sept, 2017)

Posted by gillecdton August 16, 2017in Upcoming opportunities

‘Stuff and Knowledge’ the University Museums Group annual conference. Taking place at University of Birmingham on Monday 11 September 2017, the conference will explore the future of teaching and learning within university museums. Alongside the keynotes, panel sessions and tours there will be plenty of networking opportunities and a drinks reception at the Lapworth Museum of Geology – Finalist for Art Fund Museum of the Year.

Tickets are just £40 and are available here: http://universitymuseumsgroup.org/conference-2017-stuff-and-knowledge

The full conference programme is available here: http://universitymuseumsgroup.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/UMG-Conference-2017_full-programme-August-update.pdf

WORLDS COLLIDE (July 26)

Posted by gillecdton June 29, 2017in networking events, Upcoming opportunities1 Comment

Join University of Birmingham for WORLDS COLLIDE II, a networking event designed to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and public engagement with research between our research community and the wider creative sector.

The event will take place on 26 July 2017 at the University of Birmingham.

WORLDS COLLIDE is open to:

University of Birmingham researchers from the arts, humanities and sciences. All Colleges are welcome.
Artists, creative practitioners, and cultural organisations working outside of the University.

WORLDS COLLIDE aims to:

‘Collide’ participants to unearth synergies and common interests which may feed in to future public engagement projects.
Promote understanding of what public engagement with research is (from a funder and University perspective) and catalyse interdisciplinary public engagement explicitly linked to current UoB research.
Deepen understanding and transparency of the barriers to collaboration, to help potential collaborators think through ground rules and guidance for developing mutually beneficial public engagement with research projects which are mindful of the constraints and requirements of all involved parties.

The day will focus on opportunities to work together (or collide worlds!) to make public engagement with research exciting, effective and strikingly different. Discussion and networking will be facilitated and will combine the passions, hobbies and expertise of participants working in different fields. There will also be an opportunity at the end of the event to network freely over lunch (complimentary). The event is informal and we hope attendees will leave with useful new contacts to follow up on!

To register for the event, please sign up HERE and provide 8 key words which will help us with the facilitated networking session. Key words can relate to your research/work/ practice, but please also include at least 2-3 key words which reflect personal hobbies/past-times/informal interests e.g. ‘visual perception’, ‘energy storage’, ‘epigenetics ’, ‘nanoparticles’, ‘printmaking’, ‘ethics’, ‘music composition’, ‘biomedical implants’, ‘digital heritage’, ‘social media’, ‘policymaking’, ‘photography’ etc.

Follow the Twitter trail via #uobworldscollide @UOBengage

Please note, this event is not intended for University of Birmingham research support or professional services staff.

Radical Sabbatical Residency 2017

Posted by gillecdton October 13, 2016in Upcoming opportunities1 Comment

We are seeking expressions of interest from academics who would like to collaborate with artists in a residency scheme called Radical Sabbatical.

We are interested in how artists and academics can explore each other’s research and consider how it is produced and conveyed.

We aim to pair practitioners with academics, enabling an in-depth understanding of specific fields of research and practice. The themes for this year’s residencies are as follows:

FUTURE CITIES
AGING & REPAIR
CONVEYING THE SENSITIVE
TRUST & RISK
WAVES

Time Frame: The initial residencies will take place during the Spring Term 2017, although can be flexible to accommodate the commitments of both parties. We are interested in supporting the development of longer-term relationships and projects so the residency can be thought of as a starting point for longer periods of research or making.

Key Dates:

To begin conversations and allow applicants to identify points of connection we will host two events to introduce key research themes. Academics from various disciplines will be invited to respond to a set of provocations, providing an insight into their different approaches to set themes.

Meet the Researchers

Wednesday 9 November, 2-4pm, Eastside Projects

Presentations by UoB Academics

Wednesday 16 November, 2-4pm, Eastside Projects

Presentations by UoB Academics

We are currently seeking expressions of interest from academics who would like to collaborate with artists and hope that these themes will provide an interesting starting point for conversation.

If you would like to take part, and feel that your research relates to one of the themes above, please contact Clare Mullett, University Curator on c.r.mullett@bham.ac.uk

by 1 November 2017.

CALL FOR PROPOSALS – PECHAKUCHA at Arts & Science Festival 2017

Posted by gillecdton October 5, 2016October 5, 2016in Upcoming opportunities

CALL FOR PROPOSALS – PECHAKUCHA BIRMINGHAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ARTS & SCIENCE FESTIVAL 2017

We are currently inviting proposals from University of Birmingham staff and students to participate in a special PechaKucha evening as part of Arts & Science Festival 2017.

PechaKucha is a simple presentation format whereby you show 20 images, each for 20 seconds. The images advance automatically and you talk along to the images. The format is designed to stop waffling and tedious PowerPoint and encourage creativity and playfulness. PechaKucha is an international network of events originating at the Klein Dytham architecture firm in Tokyo in 2003. You never know what to expect at a PK night and that’s the beauty of them.

The event will take place as part of the University of Birmingham’s Art & Science Festival, which returns for its fifth year in 2017. Running Monday 13 – Sunday 19 March 2017 and themed ‘Land and Water’, the festival will be a free programme showcasing culture, research and collaboration at the University through talks, exhibition, performances, workshops and screenings.

PechaKucha submissions should creatively respond to the festival theme (Land and Water) and will be considered centrally by the PechaKucha Birmingham team. Should you be interested in proposing a PechaKucha for Arts & Science Festival, please complete the online google form below: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeWCcDKX5aa0ffcCWLvQMvy5eUcTIXbyW6uvYmmgEmxmRFeBA/viewform

Still not sure? Check out an example from a PechaKucha evening as part of International Dance Festival Birmingham, earlier this year:

Jack Tasker – Hustle 101 – how to turn empty buildings into something cool | https://vimeo.com/167304022

PK Birmingham is run on a strictly non-profit basis with all funds being used to promote and run future events (and to buy the speakers a drink!).

Please don’t hesitate to contact Laura Milner, Cultural Partnerships Manager, or Rachael Yardley, Cultural Partnerships Assistant, at artsandscience@contacts.bham.ac.uk

University of Birmingham researchers from the arts, humanities and sciences. All Colleges are welcome.

Artists, creative practitioners, and cultural organisations working outside of the University.

‘Collide’ participants to unearth synergies and common interests which may feed in to future public engagement projects.

Promote understanding of what public engagement with research is (from a funder and University perspective) and catalyse interdisciplinary public engagement explicitly linked to current UoB research.

Deepen understanding and transparency of the barriers to collaboration, to help potential collaborators think through ground rules and guidance for developing mutually beneficial public engagement with research projects which are mindful of the constraints and requirements of all involved parties.