| Well here is my comparison of my Cultural Life in | | | | offers distinctive productions in unusual and |
| Birmingham, after London, which although not | | | | unconventional locations, such as empty warehouse |
| extensive, is based on my personal experiences, | | | | or derelict factories, seemingly magically transformed |
| however I have provided links for each establishment | | | | to provide thoroughly apt settings for en-promenade |
| for further information. | | | | productions of Mozart's King Idonomeneo and Verdi's |
| Performance Venues of London | | | | Otello. |
| Obviously in London, we were spoilt for choice when | | | | Outdoor fans are well catered for at the nearby |
| it came to our performance options. For our classical | | | | Birmingham Botanical Gardens which annually stages |
| tastes one could often venture to the renowned | | | | open air productions. The offerings range from the |
| Royal Opera House, to see either the world famous | | | | magical Shakespearean fantasies and comedies to |
| Royal Opera Company or The Royal Ballet, with | | | | traditional fairytale plays, as well as branching out to |
| occasional outings to the Sadlers Wells Theatre for | | | | the classics. All of which can be enjoyed, with the |
| Ballet Rambert. Our desire for contemporary dance | | | | comfort of your picnic hamper, amongst the beautiful |
| would be further quelled by the nearby and ever | | | | tranquil settings of the 15 acres of gardens. |
| improving Place theatre, in Euston, whereas our | | | | Finally there is a multi-purpose venue which is |
| multi-cultural thirsts were quenched by the Kathak | | | | currently being expanded and due to re-open later |
| and Bharatnatyam shows at The Bhavan in West | | | | this summer and that is The Midland Arts Centre. The |
| Kensington and The Nehru Centre in Mayfair. | | | | expansion will create a new purpose made gallery for |
| Our passion for live theatre was satiated by the | | | | national and international visual artists and craft |
| intimate Pit theatre, at the Barbican, which has | | | | makers, whilst the existing performance theatre and |
| provided the RSC with one of best venues, they | | | | studio both being refurbished to cater for all forms of |
| ever had, whilst the various guises of The Almeida | | | | theatre and dance. The MAC also contains SAMPAD, |
| Theatre were also in easy access when living in North | | | | the Birmingham based development agency for South |
| London. However The South Bank had also been a | | | | Asian arts. As well as providing performances by |
| regular source of entertainment in our time in London, | | | | professional artists for our viewing pleasure it is also |
| with its National Theatre, Royal Festival Hall and its | | | | learning resources centre for the youth and local |
| more intimate neighbours, The Purcell Room and | | | | community. |
| Queen Elizabeth Hall, all providing venues for a variety | | | | Fine Art Galleries and Museums of Birmingham |
| of performances ranging from South Asian Dance to | | | | Again within 10mins walk is Birmingham largest |
| British Youth Opera productions as well as the more | | | | museum, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, which |
| usual renditions of the Classics. | | | | I also joined as a friend member. It is also the largest |
| Just down the road from there, The Globe Theatre, | | | | Local Authority Museum in the Country. |
| provided the summer outdoor alternative, which | | | | It is now 125 years old and houses some 40 |
| although is sometimes harshly criticised for its | | | | permanent galleries as well as two temporary spaces. |
| productions of Shakespeare's History plays or | | | | The museum not only houses fine art paintings in |
| Tragedies, is definitely one of the better arenas to | | | | typical chronological displays but also has a huge array |
| experience his comedies. These summer months | | | | of antiquities, coins & medals but has extensive |
| would often have seen us head for the open air | | | | applied art, social history and archaeological & |
| outings at Holland Park Opera, the Proms at | | | | ethnographical collections, making it Birmingham's |
| Kenwood House and Regents Park Theatre always | | | | answer to the V&A, British Museum and National |
| armed with our obligatory pre-performance picnics | | | | Gallery. |
| (even at the downpour at Marble Hill House Concert, | | | | Some feat but I have yet mention its major |
| the show went on!) | | | | attraction, due it the city's Pre-Raphaelite heritage. |
| Art Galleries / Museums of London | | | | This has resulted in amassing the largest ever and |
| The autumnal / winter months would be spent at our | | | | most extensive collection of Pre-Raphaelite art works |
| favourite art Institutions, The Royal Academy, The | | | | (some 3000), a lot which are often loaned to national |
| V&A, The National Gallery, The British Museum and | | | | and international institutes throughout the globe, |
| Tate Britain. As most of us were either members or | | | | making this one of the most important museums in |
| on 'friends schemes' for these institutions we'd | | | | the country. |
| venture to most, if not all, the exhibitions that were | | | | Furthermore it has a further seven satellite museums, |
| on offer at these major venues. With such huge | | | | which although not all walkable, range from the 17th |
| collections one could never get tired as you were | | | | Century buildings of Aston Hall and Blakesley Hall to |
| literally spoilt for choice, although I can say that in my | | | | the vast 1.5 hectare site of the huge Museums |
| time in London I had managed to visit every gallery / | | | | Collection Centre, holding hundreds of thousands of |
| room of the all of the aforementioned institutions. | | | | objects from steam engines to automobiles and |
| London's Contemporary Art Scene However London | | | | sculptures. It is also has affiliations with Sarehole Mill, |
| would also, of course, offer countless opportunities | | | | part of the Birmingham's Tolkien Trail, as well as Soho |
| to sample smaller contemporary exhibitions, and not | | | | House, home of the entrepreneur and industrialist, |
| just at the famous Tate Modern but also numerous | | | | Matthew Boulton who also founded the Lunar |
| smaller venues. Within our North London location we'd | | | | Society here. |
| have easy access to The Victoria Miro Gallery, The | | | | However it is with its nearby Museum of the |
| Estorick, The Lisson and The Camden Arts Centre | | | | Jewellery Quarter that was recently awarded the |
| whilst a quick tube ride would get us to The White | | | | accolade, by TripAdvisor, as Europe's 3rd best free |
| Cube at Hoxton or Whitechapel Gallery. Our trips to | | | | tourist attraction, behind the Pantheon in Rome and |
| the centre were generally restricted to The | | | | the National Gallery in London. |
| Serpentine, The Hayward or the ICA (which we also | | | | A few minutes drive, nestled within the University of |
| joined), whilst we'd rarely venture south for any | | | | Birmingham is the marvellous Barber Institute of Fine |
| other contemporary gallery other than the infamous | | | | Arts. A real gem of an institute within one of the |
| Tate Modern. | | | | finest Art Deco Buildings in the Midland (listed Grade |
| So, with all that London was providing us what would | | | | II). The collection and the experience has been |
| Birmingham offer us after the re-location? | | | | described as a blend of the Dulwich Picture Gallery& |
| Performance Venues of Birmingham | | | | The Courthauld Institute at Somerset House, London. |
| After moving to Birmingham city centre to set up | | | | Not only does it contain a fabulous collection of |
| Lotus Architects, I found myself living and working | | | | renaissance and 17th to 19th C paintings but it also |
| just yards from The Hippodrome, Birmingham's main | | | | has an ever growing set of works on paper. |
| venue for a variety of top attractions ranging from | | | | However whilst housing a varied range of sculptures |
| West End Musicals, touring productions of the Welsh | | | | & decorative arts dating from the 14th C up to the |
| National Opera as well as being the home of the | | | | 20th C, it is its coin collection which tends to grabs |
| relocated Birmingham Royal Ballet. They, like myself, | | | | the headlines. The institute boasts one of the finest |
| left their North London home to 'live' in Birmingham, | | | | Byzantine Collection of Coins in Europe totalling |
| albeit a few years ahead of myself. | | | | 15,000, which unfortunately can't all be displayed at |
| Having terminated my Royal Academy, Tate and ICA | | | | once. It this was n't enough to make my membership |
| memberships my first enrolments came at the great | | | | worthwhile it also offers half price tickets to its |
| Birmingham Hippodrome and the fantastic Birmingham | | | | musical events. The same building conceals a small |
| Royal Ballet which recently won the final ever South | | | | yet magnificent concert hall, which is host to the |
| Bank Show Award for the dance section. The | | | | annual Birmingham Early Music Festival, Birmingham |
| Hippodrome also houses the Dance Xchange which | | | | Summer Festival and its Summer Festival Opera. In |
| provides a complex programme of artistic support, | | | | addition to that it provides ongoing lunchtime and |
| education, performances, which with its Patrick | | | | evening recitals which range from chamber music and |
| Centre venue provides a variety of classic and | | | | choir to jazz |
| contemporary dance from Jazz & Hip Hop to Tap | | | | Contemporary Art Scene of Birmingham |
| Dancing and Capoeira as well including Kathak, | | | | Right in the heart if the city centre, we have the |
| Bharatnatyam and Bollywood in its listings. | | | | internationally acclaimed Ikon Gallery, now in its 40th |
| A further 10 minute walk gives us access the | | | | year, based inside the Victorian Neo Gothic former |
| Birmingham Repertory Theatre, now approaching its | | | | Oozels St School. The building contains its main |
| Centenary, it had continued to be one of the | | | | galleries as well as its Learning / Education |
| country's leading theatre companies producing not | | | | department, whilst its off-site strand promotes the |
| just classics, but ongoing contemporary productions, | | | | dynamic relationship of art within its external |
| on a international as well as a local level. Its neighbour, | | | | environment. In recent years it has expanded to a |
| The Symphony Hall, is considered to be, not only the | | | | second satellite building to the east of the city |
| UK's finest concert hall, but also one of the best in | | | | centre, an area called Eastside, thus providing the |
| the world', providing the perfect location for the City | | | | name of Ikon Eastside. |
| of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra's repertoire of | | | | Eastside has rapidly become the creative quarter of |
| classic symphonies as well as recitals of the | | | | the city, not only providing a home for media |
| not-so-famous pieces. | | | | specialists Vivid, a leading resource for filmmakers & |
| Its sister venue, again just minutes away, is the | | | | media artists with it equipment hire facilities but also a |
| magnificent classical Town Hall, recently restored to | | | | provider of valuable technical / consultancy advice. |
| provide an alternative more intimate venue. Its | | | | Furthermore it permanent gallery continues to |
| schedules, however, does n't just restrict itself to | | | | provide innovative exhibitions and events, offering |
| classical recitals, but ventures out to encompass an | | | | internships and residencies and multi-disciplinary |
| eclectic range of performances from World Music to | | | | collaborative opportunities. |
| Comedy, to Rock/Pop to Folk. However, some of | | | | The area has become a hot-bed for artistic presence |
| popular shows, ranging from Dance to Comedy are | | | | since the conversion of the former Custard Factory |
| also being staged at main Symphony Hall itself to | | | | into an enterprise for small arts and media ventures, |
| cater for the large audiences. | | | | but also containing gallery spaces such as |
| Nearby we also have the option of walking to The | | | | studio4gallery & Vaad Gallery. The project has been |
| CBSO Centre, home and rehearsal space, of the City | | | | a springboard for small up and coming art institutions |
| of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, which provides | | | | in the area, with Grand union, The Lombard Method |
| another cosy venue for recitals, but also houses the | | | | and The Endless Supply just a handful of the recent |
| BCMG (Birmingham Contemporary Music Group) which | | | | establishments which have set up here. |
| is now established as one of the country's leading | | | | CONCLUSION |
| exponents of new and contemporary music. | | | | Well at first glance one would have thought that the |
| So as you can see that you there 6 major | | | | Second City would struggle indeed with it artistic and |
| performance venues all within 10 minutes walking | | | | cultural heritage when compared to London and to |
| distance from where I live, none of which have failed | | | | be honest very few second cities, in any nations can |
| to impress me. However I cannot go without | | | | claim to match it capital city when it comes to such |
| mentioning St Philip's Cathedral, providing me with | | | | provisions. However, whilst it may struggle when it |
| free Friday lunchtime classical recitals as well as The | | | | comes to the number of venues it offers, as you |
| Birmingham Oratory and St Pauls Church in the | | | | have read it can easily match London with variety of |
| Jewellery Quarter. The last two, not only provide | | | | offerings and has managed to keep an ardent culture |
| typical recitals but also provide outlets to see regular | | | | vulture like myself content. Within a 15 minute walking |
| performances of Birmingham's own Ex Cathedra | | | | radius there is a multitude and wealth of cultural |
| Choir. | | | | options and if you willing to hop on a bus or settle |
| Although admittedly The Covent Garden Opera | | | | for a short drive then you have even greater |
| House can rarely be matched in terms of quality, | | | | options, so much so that you one almost forgets |
| however as the recent reviews of the Birmingham | | | | what London use to offer us. Its comes as no |
| Opera Company, revealed that, when it comes to | | | | surprise to me at least to hear that Birmingham is a |
| innovation and inventiveness, Birmingham's own opera | | | | finalist (1 of 4 cities) bidding to be the UK's City of |
| company is in a class of its own. A unique company | | | | Culture for 2013. |
| that does n't have a permanent venue but instead | | | | |