www.wmfor2012.comWhat’s On Guide Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands www.london2012.com/festival What’s On Guide

London 2012 Festival and Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands

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Get ready for a summer like no other

The Olympic and Paralympic Games have a long None of this could have happened without the tradition of motivating ordinary people to do hard work of organisations and artists around extraordinary things. The London 2012 Games the region, and in particular without the very takes this even further with a Cultural Olympiad generous support of our two key partners, Arts and its finale, the London 2012 Festival, that will Council England and Legacy Trust UK. see some of the world’s greatest artists headlining the biggest celebration of art and culture that the Arts Council England believe in ‘great art UK has ever seen. for everyone’, enriching communities though championing, developing and investing in artistic Here in the West Midlands we are proud to present and cultural experiences across arts, museums and an unparalleled programme of events, performance, libraries; exactly what the Cultural Olympiad is participation and possibility. It is a Cultural Olympiad all about – a programme of amazing artists and programme bursting with opportunities and exciting productions with something for everybody. experiences – the like of which many of us will never see again. Legacy Trust UK was set up to leave a lasting legacy from London 2012, and over the past three From major world and UK premieres, mass outdoor years we’ve been working together, to do just that. dance spectaculars, hundreds of Community Games, a World Shakespeare Festival and the Through these programmes, almost a million spectacular outdoor dance event ‘The Voyage’, people have already been able to be part of London the Cultural Olympiad and London 2012 Festival 2012 in the West Midlands, and it’s not too late to line-up in the West Midlands will generate some be part of it – and as this programme shows, the of the most unforgettable moments of 2012. events happening this year will make 2012 an unforgettable experience. Alongside work from some of the world’s leading artists, there are also opportunities for people of all Get ready to be part of a summer like no other! ages, abilities and backgrounds to have their very own Olympic and Paralympic moment. Whether that’s running a Community Games with your neighbours or choreographing your own dance, this programme is about giving everybody new experiences. David Moorcroft As a former Olympian, I have experienced Chair, West Midlands for 2012 first-hand the unique and transforming power of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to inspire all sorts of people.

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Exhibitions in Ironbridge

Sporting Heroes Monday – Friday until 9 September Style Africa 10am – 5pm

Celebrate Shropshire’s rich Style Africa Kalaboration Playing for sporting heritage at the Sporting Heroes exhibition. Historic Peace images from Ironbridge’s Daily 31 March – Events throughout archives show coracle racing The Science 2 September the year 28 May – 2 June and and local football and cricket teams. See memorabilia linked Style Africa is a vibrant new 2012 is an important year for 23 – 25 August to some of Shropshire’s greatest of Sport exhibition of West African textiles the Jamaican community in the sporting heroes, including and clothing. Curators from the West Midlands – not only is the Playing for Peace is a thought- England footballing legend, Daily until 9 September museum have joined forces with Jamaican athletics team setting provoking exhibition that Billy Wright. young people to show how these up camp in Birmingham before explores the role that sport plays 10am – 5pm colourful fabrics are made and the Games, but it is also the in bringing people together. Free how Africans use their clothing 50th anniversary of Jamaican Illustrations and displays will Explore the science behind the record-breaking performances to create their own individual Independence. The Drum is give examples from countries Coalbrookdale Gallery, of the world’s greatest athletes at the The Science of Sport styles and fashions. marking this momentous across the world where sport has Enginuity, Ironbridge Gorge exhibition. Discover how space-age materials and innovative year through Kalaboration, a played a vital role in promoting Museums, Coach Road, designs have shaped the sporting world in this technologically- Free series of visual arts workshops, peace, such as the UK, Serbia, Coalbrookdale, Telford TF8 7DQ advanced exhibition. exhibitions and lectures that Kenya, Pakistan, India, Colombia, Birmingham Museum and Art will provide you with plenty of Sierra Leone, China, South Africa, www.ironbridge.org.uk Ticket is included in admission fee to Enginuity Gallery, Gallery 20 opportunities to immerse yourself Egypt, Australia and USA. (£8.25 for adults, £6.95 for concessions) Chamberlain Square in the culture of the country that Birmingham B3 3DH gave us Usain Bolt. Free Enginuity, Ironbridge Gorge Museums, Coach Road, Coalbrookdale, Telford TF8 7DQ www.bmag.org.uk The Drum 44 Potters Lane, Coventry Cathedral Aston, Birmingham, B6 4UU www.ironbridge.org.uk Exhibition is distributed through www.kalaboration.co.uk the Peace Museum in Bradford www.rogueplay.co.uk www.coventry.ac.uk/cmsadmin/ sportpeace/home.html 06 Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands wmfor2012.com wmfor2012.com Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands 07

Looking for a way to celebrate London 2012 with your friends, family and neighbours? Community Wednesday 21 March EHS Community Games, Edgbaston High School, B15 3TS Community Games is a fantastic opportunity to do just that! Saturday 24 March Chase Community Games, Cannock Town Centre, Staffs Sunday 25 March Be Inspired Event, Tern Hill, TF2 8JT Games Founded by William Penny Brookes in 1850, the Monday 26 March Sport Relief Games, Shrewsbury Sports Village, SY2 6ND Wenlock Olympian Games were inspired by the Saturday 30 March Community Games for Sport Relief, Sutherland Business and Enterprise College, TF2 7JR ancient Greek Games but included local rural Monday 2 April CAFAG Community Games, Whitfield Valley Centre, ST66QR Throughout 2012 sports and pastimes and were designed for Friday 6 April P2p Community Fun Day, Pitmaston primary school and Pitmaston Park, WR2 4ZF ‘every grade of man’. Saturday 7 April Community Games, Worthen Village Hall and Recreation Ground, SY5 9HT Admission Thursday 12 April Meole Community Games, Meole, SY3 9NL Free In the West Midlands we’ve been celebrating Sunday 15 April Hockey, University of Wolverhampton (Walsall Campus), Gorway road, Walsall, WS1 3BD those roots, so you too can bring the spirit of the Sunday 15 April Hereford Fun Regatta and Games, Hereford Rowing Club, HR4 0BE Location Olympic and Paralympic Games to your area. Sunday 22 April Thrillseeker Activity Taster Day, Ackers Adventure, B11 2PY Various events across the West Midlands From dancing to archery to welly wanging, every Community Games is unique and reflects the 16 - 20 April Paradise Community Games, Red House Park, CV6 5ED Further information/ website community that has organised them. 22 April - 14 July Hartshill and Harpfields Community Games (HAHO), Schools and other community- www.communitygames.org.uk based venues in Hartshill and Harpfileds, Stoke on Trent, ST4 7JL There will be hundreds of Community Games Saturday 12 May Fit as a Fiddle Community Games - 2012 Wii can do it, Central Methodist Hall, events right across the country this year and you Coventry, CV1 2HA can find the nearest one to you by visiting www. Sunday 13 May The Coventry Walkathon, The War Memorial Park, CV3 6PT communitygames.org.uk. Or if you’re feeling really Sunday 13 May Games and Activities from around the world, Alan Higgs Centre, CV3 2PS inspired, why not organise your own Games? You Sunday 13 May King’s Messenger Games, Xcel Centre, Coventry, CV4 8DY don’t need any prior experience or particular skills Sunday 13 May Walkathon, Coventry War Memorial Park, CV3 6PH. as we have lots of resources to help you – just visit Saturday 19 May Community Games Event, Walkers Heath Playing Fields, B38 0BL/B14 5QF the website to find out more. Saturday 19 May Pink Picnic and Games, War Memorial park, CV3 6PT Sunday 27 May Redditch Borough ‘Community and Sports Together ‘Celebration, Abbey Stadium (8 weeks of free activities across Redditch Borough), B97 6EJ 17, 18, 24 & 25 May Gold, Silver, and Bronze, Alexander Stadium, Hadley Stadium, Wolverhampton University - Walsall Campus, B42 2LR 23 – 25 May Prestfelde’s Community Games inspired by London 2012, Prestfelde School, SY2 6NZ Saturday 2 June Active Age Festival, Christopher Whitehead School, WR2 4AF 2 – 9 June Commuity Games Week: Village Hall and Grounds, Hanwood Bowling Club St Thomas’ Church, The Cock Inn, Vine Close Community Room, SY5 8LY 3 & 4 June Diamond Jubilee Celebrations, including Community Games, Cleeve Prior School, WR11 8LE 3 & 9 June Hanwood Community Week, Hanwood Village Hall and Grounds, SY5 8LY 3 June – 14 July Abberley Games 2012, Abberley Village, WR6 6AY 4 & 5 June Birdingbury Jubilee Olympics, Birdingbury, CV23 8EL Monday 4 June Frankton Jubilee Games, Frankton Village, CV23 9PB Monday 4 June Prees Community Games, Prees Cricket & Recreation Club , Brades Rd, Prees, Whitchurch, SY13 2DX 08 Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands wmfor2012.com wmfor2012.com Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands 09

Saturday 14 July Youth Community Games, Bishops Meadow, HR2 7RQ Saturday 14 July Old school sports day, for young people between the ages of 9-19, Hollinswood Pavilion, TF3 2EW Sunday 15 July Hollinswood & Randlay Community Fun Day & Games, Hollinswood Pavilion Field and adjacent School Fields, TF3 2DN Saturday 21 July Community Games at Soho House, Soho House Museum, B18 5LB Saturday 21 July Community Games, New Bingley Hall, B18 5BE Sunday 22 July Aston Community Games, Aston Hall, B6 6JD Sunday 22 July Kingstanding Sports Day, Kingstanding, B44 0EW Monday 23 July Palfrey Funday, Palfrey Park, WS1 4AN Wednesday 6 June Hagley Park, Western Springs Road, Bloxwich Park, WS3 2DG Wednesday 25 July Brownhills Funday, Holland Park, WS8 7JW Thursday 7 June Festival Housing Community Games, Steynors Ave. Playing Fields Droitwich, WR9 8JW Saturday 28 July Community ‘count down’, Cocks Moors Woods Leisure Centre, B14 6ER Thursday 7 June Meadow Road Games, Meadow Road, ST17 4JQ Saturday 28 July Stafford Hospital Community Games, Stafford Hospital, ST16 3SA Friday 8 June Festival Housing Community Games, Dukes Meadow Malvern, WR14 2BY Saturday 28 July Clubs & Community Games, Cocks Moors Woods Leisure Centre, B14 6ER Saturday 9 June Festival Housing Community Games, Deer Park Playing Field Ledbury, HR8 2XL 6 – 15 July Oswestry Games, Oswestry, SY4 1HU Saturday 9 June Rugeley Charter Fair 2012, WS15 2HX 7 & 8 July It’s a Knockout, Corley Cricket Club, CV7 8AA 10 – 30 June Faces of the World Diversity Festival, Central Library Coventry and 14 & 15 July Sutton Coldfield Community Games, Wyndley Leisure Centre, Clifton Road, Methodist Central Hall Coventry, CV1 1FY Sutton Park, B73 6EB 11 & 12 June Gold, Silver, and Bronze, Alexander Stadium, Hadley Stadium, Wolverhampton University 27 July – 3 August Supported Housing Community Games, Across Telford Wrekin area - Walsall Campus, B42 2LR Friday 27 July Wyre Forest Sport Here, Brintons Park, Kidderminster, DY11 6QU Monday 11 June Coventy Olympic Games Exhibition, Coventry Central Library, CV1 1FY Friday 27 July Wyre Forest Sport Here L8R, Springfield Park, DY10 2PR Thursday 14 June John Baskeyfield and Brownhills School Sports Day, Northwood Stadium, ST1 6PA 28 – 29 July Blists Hill Victorian Community Games, Blists Hill Victorian Town, TF7 5DU Friday 15 June West Midlands Police Tag Rugby Festival, Tally Ho Sports & Conference Centre, B5 7RN 31 July – 4 August Castle Vale Games, Castle Vale, Birmingham, B35 7PR Saturday 16 June Allesley Park Community Fun Day, Allesley Park, CV5 9 Wednesday 1 August Pelsall Funday, Pelsall Village Common, WS3 4BP 22 June – 8 July St Thomas’s Community Games 2012, Various - including Dudley Castle, Wednesday 1 August Play Day, Lickhill Memorial Park, DY13 St Thomas’s Network, Green Park, DY2 7QA 1, 8 & 15 August Street Theatre, Recreation Ground Bromsgrove, B61 8DA Saturday 23 June Hurley Community Games, Hurley Primary School, CV9 2HY Thursday 2 August Street Theatre, Wythall Park Silver Street, Wythall, Birmingham, B47 6LZ Saturday 23 June Community Games, Westmorland Road, Wyken, Coventry, CV2 5BY 3, 10, 17 & 24 August Wyre Forest Sport Here, Brintons Park, Kidderminster, DY11 6QU Saturday 23 June Community Games, Bowring Park, TF1 2PQ 3, 10, 17 & 24 August Wyre Forest Sport Here L8R, Springfield Park, DY10 2PR Saturday 23 June Newcastle College Community Games, Newcastle-under-Lyme College, ST5 2GB Saturday 4 August Donkey Derby and Community Games, War Memorial Park, Kenilworth Road, Sunday 24 June Party in the Park, Tenbury High School, WR15 Coventry, CV3 6PH Monday 25 June Abbey Games, Hadley Stadium, B66 4ND Tuesday 7 August Hednesford It’s A Knockout! Hednesford Park, WS12 5BT Tuesday 26 June Holden Lane Community School Games, Holden Lane High School, ST1 6LG Wednesday 8 August Darlaston Funday, Kings Hill Park, WS10 8AA 29 & 30 June The Heart of Erdington Community Games, Perry Common Recreation Ground, WR11 7EU Thursday 9 August Street Theatre, Hagley Park, Worcester Road, Hagley, DY9 0NW Saturday 30 June Catshill Fun Day and 2012 Community Games, Catshill Village Meadow, B61 0JJ Wednesday 15 August Pheasey Funday, Doe Bank Park, WS9 0RQ Saturday 30 June D FEST, Sutherland Business and Enterprise College, TF2 7JR Thursday 16 August Street Theatre, St Chad’s Park, Leach Heath Lane, Rednal, Rubery, B45 9DF Saturday 30 June Newport Community Games, The Showground, Forton Road, Newport, Shropshire, TF10 8BU Sunday 19 August Stafford Castle Games and Family Sports Day, Stafford Castle, ST16 1DJ Saturday 30 June Badsey, Badsey Sports and Recreation Club, Ballards Park, Brewers Lane, Badsey, WR11 7EU Monday 20 August Pleck Funday, Plack Park, WS2 9AF 29 June – 8 July Cradley Celebrates, various venues in the local area, B63 2TN Wednesday 22 August Willenhall Funday, Willenhall Memorial Park, WV13 2PW Saturday 30 June Badsey, Badsey Sports and Recreation Club, Ballards Park, Brewers Lane, Badsey, WR11 7EU Thursday 23 August Community Games, St Lukes Recreational Park, Burton on Trent Tuesday 3 July The Quincentenary Olympics, Wolverhampton Grammar School, WV3 9RB Wednesday 29 August Birchills Funday, Reedswood Park, WS2 8SR Thursday 5 July Under Fives Fun Day, Brinton Park, DY11 6QU Sunday 9 September Pebworth Party in the Park 2012, Pebworth Recreation Ground, CV37 8XA Friday 6 July Tile Hill Community Event, The Square, Jardine Crescent, Tile Hill, Coventry, CV4 9PQ Sunday 9 September Alternative Games, Tipton Sports Academy, DY4 0BS Saturday 7 July Midland Heart Carnival, Essington Community Centre, Hobnock Road, Essington, WV11 2RF Saturday 7 July Coventry Customer Carnival, Broad Horizons Enterprise Centre, CV6 5BN Saturday 7 July Haywood Community Games Festival, Haywood Engineering College, ST6 7AB Saturday 7 July Sports Day - Bishops Offley, Millennium Green, Bishops Offley ST21 6ET Sunday 8 July Norton Community Games 2012, Norton Barracks Cricket Club, WR5 2PP Sunday 8 July Greeat Witley Jubilee Games, Bowen’s Field and Village Hall, Great Witley, WR6 6JR Saturday 14 July Hawthorn Fields Community Games, Hill Top Park, West Bromwich Saturday 14 July The Wombourne Games, Wombourne, WV5 8BJ Saturday 14 July Community Sports Day Event 2012, Lyng Hall School & Specialist Sports College, CV2 3JS Saturday 14 July Parish Games 2012, Lawley Village Green/Playing Fields, TF4 2PR 10 Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands wmfor2012.com wmfor2012.com Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands 11

Stars in the Morning Sky EQUINOX – Cultures in Harmony 17 March 7.30pm

Equinox is a choral celebration of the different cultures that live in the West Midlands, based on the Olympic values of excellence, respect and friendship. The concert will include performances by the City of Birmingham Choir, Black Voices, Town Hall Gospel Choir and Bournville Young Singers and will contain the first performance of a new piece of music by award-winning composer Christopher Long, conducted by Adrian Lucas and performed by all 350 singers.

Equinox will be presented by Anita Bhalla, Stars in the Decathlon OBE, Chair of Midlands Arts Centre and Morning Sky community arts champion. March – September Various dates and times 12 Moves: After Dark 17 March – 7 April Tickets from £10 100m at Fierce Festival Various times 29 March – 8 April 24 March Symphony Hall, Broad Street, 11am – 9pm Birmingham B1 2EA Chris Hannan’s new adaptation of Alexander Talking Birds is gearing up for Galin’s Moscow Olympic Games drama, Stars London 2012 with its own unique Worcester comes alive with a day of dancing, climaxing in a www.citychoir.org.uk/equinox in the Morning Sky, is a brand new Belgrade take on the ten events of free spectacular outdoor display of film, live dance and music. 0121 780 3333 Theatre production. the decathlon. www.thsh.co.uk Start your adventure in The Hive, Worcester’s iconic new library The Olympic Torch bearer approaches Moscow, Decathlon features musical, and history centre, for an afternoon of performances, exhibitions heralding the start of the 1980 Olympic Gamess. theatrical, filmic and photographic and workshops, then head to Croft Road to take in the Breathe the But not everyone is allowed to celebrate. In a bid to interpretations of all ten of the decathlon events, including a piece Beat Roadshow 4.30pm (see page 19). show the world a cleaned-up version of the Soviet that has been specifically created Union, the city’s most undesirable inhabitants have to welcome the Olympic Torch to The day concludes with 12 Moves: After Dark, a dramatic son been swept from the streets. Coventry. Each interpretation will et lumière performance under the grand Croft Road railway be performed across the West arches, involving hundreds of community performers, On one unforgettable night, there is both Midlands during 2012, starting live music from Mira Calix and the chance for everyone brutality and unexpected romance … as the with a screening of 8 very short to perform the 12 moves – simple dance steps that characters discover what is precious to them – films at Fierce Festival in Birmingham, anyone can do. Learn them at www.12moves.com. and cling to it for dear life. where each film will be 9.58 seconds long – the current World Record for the 100m. Be there and be part of something amazing. Tickets from £8.25 Produced by Dancefest and SDNA. Belgrade Theatre, Belgrade Square, Talking Birds is giving you the chance Coventry, CV1 1GS to take part in a decathlon in 2012... Free without even getting out of breath. www.belgrade.co.uk Croft Road Car Park, Ticket prices and venues to Worcester City Centre, WR1 3NZ be announced The Hive, Sawmill Walk, The Butts, www.talkingbirds.co.uk Worcester WR1 3TD www.twitter.com/birdmail www.12moves.com 12Cultural Cultural Olympiad Olympiad in thein the West West Midlands Midlands What’swmfor2012.com On Guide wmfor2012.com Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands 13

Step into a new digital creation CORE of movement and sound at Ironbridge Gorge World by Kurt Hentschläger Heritage Site. CORE will feature giant projections which give a 23 March – 30 September glimpse into a weightless world populated by 10 – 5pm humanoid figures in extreme motion. It’s designed by international artist Kurt Hentschläger, Admission whose work has been shown in major international Free exhibitions, including Venice Biennale, National Museum of China, Beijing and PS1, New York. Location The Engine Shop, Enginuity, Ironbridge Gorge Supported by the National Lottery through Museums, Coach Road, Coalbrookdale, Telford TF8 7DQ Arts Council England. Further information/ website www.ironbridge.org.uk 14Cultural Cultural Olympiad Olympiad in thein the West West Midlands Midlands wmfor2012.com What’swmfor2012.com On Guide CulturalCultural Olympiad Olympiad in thein the West West Midlands Midlands 15

Believe From 1 May the BBC Big Screens in Birmingham’s Victoria Square and Coventry’s Millennium Place, will be transformed into Live Believe London Sites with seating, bunting and marquees – making them the place to go to gather and watch live coverage of the London 2012 23 April 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

To celebrate the City of Coventry Stadium’s first Each Live Site will follow the Olympic Torch live as it works its way Olympic football test event, 450 children and a Live through the Midlands towards the Olympic Park, with big local cast of four professional performers will come celebrations at the Birmingham Live Site on 30 June and early on together to tell an astonishing new story. 1 July, and at Coventry, where it stays overnight on 1 July, followed Sites by another early start on 2 July. Inspired by the values on which the Olympic and Paralympic Games are founded, Believe The Opening and Closing Ceremonies will be among the highlights will be a spectacular performance featuring May – and throughout the Olympic fortnight the Live Sites will show live a stunning kinetic costume of Father Sun, as he September sport from 7am to 11pm every day. searches for the children who will leap, turn and tumble across the space. The Live Sites will also show a range of arts events and performances inspired by the Games. Events will include three Ticket prices to be confirmed live relays from the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee concert, Radio 1’s Hackney Weekend City of Coventry Stadium, 71 Olympic Posters: 2012, The Big Lunch, Boys Dancing, and The Voyage 21–24 June. Phoenix Way, Coventry, CV6 6GE Pop and Publicity For a full programme of events at the Birmingham and Coventry www.highlysprungperformance.co.uk Live Sites from May see: www.bbc.co.uk/bigscreens Until 28 April www.facebook.com/bigscreenbirmingham or www.facebook.com/bigscreencoventry Twitter: @bigscreenbrum or @bigscreencovtry Prepare for 2012, with this chance to see the set of Home Olympic art posters created for the 1972 Munich Olympic Games. The posters are part of the Gallery’s collection Admission and were designed by Pop Artists such as Allen Jones Free 23 April – 13 May and David Hockney. Finale performance Locations 13 May 1.30pm Find out about the story of the ‘Happy Olympics’, Victoria Square, Birmingham overshadowed by the terrorist attacks on Israeli athletes. Millennium Place, Coventry See memorabilia from the 1972 games displayed alongside. Surprising shoppers, commuters and city workers alike, this bold inventive new Further information/ website Free www.london2012.com/live-sites dance production promises three weeks Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Lichfield Street, Wolverhampton of pop-up performances that will intrigue www.wolverhamptonart.org.uk and fascinate.

Individual doormats act as miniature stages for a cast of 1000 community and Children’s Lives professional dancers, all telling a story of what home means to them. Starting as Daily 24 March – soloists, individuals turn into couples and 10 June couples grow into groups as they move Various times towards a grand finale right in the heart of the city. Children’s Lives is an exhibition examining the lives of children from the 18th century to the present day. One of these 1000 people could be you! Photographs, archive documents, costumes, artwork To find out how to get involved visit and objects will bring to life more than 300 years www.idfb.co.uk/home. of history, providing a fascinating insight into Birmingham’s history, as well as shedding light Free on the changing nature of childhood.

Daily performances Tickets from £2 Birmingham City Centre Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Gas Hall Chamberlain Square, Birmingham B3 3DH www.idfb.co.uk/home www.bmag.org.uk 16 Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands wmfor2012.com wmfor2012.com Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands 17

Admission Experience There will be an exciting Ticketed new collaboration between Shakespeare as Birmingham Rep and Barcelona The World Location never before – from and two bold collaborations by Royal Shakespeare Theatres, the RSC with the Wooster Group Stratford-Upon-Avon, Romeo and Juliet in (USA) and the National Theatre Warwickshire CV37 6BB Baghdad, to the epic Shakespeare and The Old Rep Theatre, political thriller: of Mexico plus visiting shows Station Street, Birmingham B5 4DY in Stratford-upon-Avon from A Solider in Every Moscow, Baghdad and Rio Festival Further information/ website Son – The Rise of the de Janiero. www.worldshakespearefestival org.uk Aztecs - prepare to be amazed. The RSC will also be presenting April – October The World Shakespeare Festival is an Indian Much Ado About a celebration of Shakespeare as the The World Shakespeare Festival Nothing starring Meera Syall world’s playwright, produced by the has been called the ‘jewel in the and an African Julius Caesar Royal Shakespeare Company in an crown’ of London 2012 Festival with citizens of Rome drawn unprecedented collaboration with from the local community. leading UK and international arts and as it is produced by our own Royal Shakespeare Company, organisations and with Globe to For the full programme in the Globe, a major international here in the West Midlands West Midlands, running from programme produced by we’ll get to see many of the Shakespeare’s Globe. productions first. April through till October, see listings overleaf and check out:

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All productions in Stratford-upon-Avon (except where indicated)

Twelfth Night King John In a Pickle This Poor Trash of Venice RSC Young Company A Midsummer Night’s 8 March – 6 October 6 April – 15 September 23 May – 17 June 3 – 4 July present Henry V Dream (As You Like It) Shipwrecked on the shores of a strange Shakespeare’s play about a weakened Oily Cart go on a voyage of discovery Teachers mentored by RSC artists 24 July 10 – 18 August land and in disguise, Viola finds herself king, clinging to power at all costs, with their young audiences through will direct Shakespeare’s Venice plays, ‘Every soldier kill his prisoners. Shakespeare’s magical, shape- as a go-between for the man she is directed by Maria Aberg who has the landscapes of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice (on Tuesday Give the word through.’ Exploring the shifting play. From Russia comes the serves, and the woman who refuses to directed in the UK for the RSC, the imagination and the music of his 3 July 2012, 2.45pm) and Othello patriotism that drives young people world premiere of Dmitry Krymov’s love him. Directed by David Farr. Royal Court, Soho Theatre and language. A total theatre experience (Wednesday 4 July 2012, 2.45pm), to go to war for their country, this interpretation of A Midsummer Tickets from £12, Royal Southwark Playhouse. for children aged 2 – 4, their families with five different classes from 60-minute production is performed Night’s Dream. Expect his take on Shakespeare Theatre Tickets from £8, Swan Theatre and friends. Primary and Secondary schools by the RSC’s Young Company. The Shakespeare’s most magical of Tickets from £5, Swan Room across England performing together. creative team includes UK-Iraqi comedies to be unlike any Dream The Comedy of Errors Romeo and Juliet Tickets £3, Royal Shakespeare Theatre rapper Lowkey, who brings his you have seen before. in Baghdad Julius Caesar unique perspective on Britishness. Tickets from £12, Royal 16 March – 6 October Pilot Night Tickets from £3, Swan Theatre Shakespeare Theatre Shakespeare’s joyful comedy of 26 April – 5 May 28 May – 7 July 12 July mistaken identity follows the fortunes The Iraqi Theatre Company creates a The dictator must be assassinated. Much Ado About Nothing Forests of two sets of identical twins, version of Romeo and Juliet for a new But who will replace him? An evening of new devised theatre accidentally separated at birth and generation, infused with Iraq’s rich Shakespeare’s great political thriller, ideas, created by professional artists 26 July – 15 September 31 August – 15 September then miraculously thrown back together. traditions of poetry, music and ritual. Julius Caesar, finds dark, contemporary from around the West Midlands, This vibrant and colourful production With a cast of English and Catalan The play, directed by Amir Nizar This iconic play finds fresh purchase echoes in modern Africa, directed by made especially for the World transports Shakespeare’s vivacious, actors, Forests is a new play inspired Zuabi, plays at the Royal Shakespeare in the soil of contemporary Iraq, RSC Chief Associate Gregory Doran. Shakespeare Festival. A glorious and at times unsettling, comedy of by Shakespeare’s references to Theatre throughout the Festival. a country where sectarian strife Tickets from £12, Royal mix of comic, touching and love and deceit to an Indian setting. forests and is an unforgettable journey extraordinary performances. Tickets from £12, Royal between Sunni and Shia has left the Shakespeare Theatre Much Ado About Nothing is directed through life, paradise, hell, truth and Tickets £5, Courtyard Theatre Shakespeare Theatre population exhausted by a cycle of by Iqbal Khan and stars Meera Syal lies. Tickets from £8, Old Rep Theatre, violence and revenge. I, Cinna (The Poet) as Beatrice. Birmingham Tickets from £8, Swan Theatre Open Stages Showcase Tickets from £12, Courtyard Theatre Richard III 13 June – 6 July 15 – 22 July 22 March – 15 September Written for ages 11+, I, Cinna (The A Tender Thing Shakespeare’s brilliant expose of this Young Company Poet) is Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar A selection of the most exciting Troilus and Cressida 27 September – 20 October amateur theatre companies perform infamous monarch is playing at the Building Takeover told through the eyes of a fool. Cinna 3 – 18 August This play weaves together the words their own Shakespeare-themed Swan Theatre throughout the Festival. 4 May asks the young audience to think Shakespeare’s epic Trojan play about of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet productions. The performances mark Directed by Roxana Silbert, Artistic about the relationship between words love, war and politics. Expect the in a touching story of two lovers. An explosive theatre experience, the climax of a UK-wide project that Director of Birmingham Repertory and actions, art and politics, self and unexpected in this groundbreaking Familiar lines echo through a story produced by RSC’s Young Company. has involved 260 amateur companies Theatre and an Associate Director of society. During the performance he production co-directed by Rupert that celebrates the timelessness The young people will ‘takeover’ and and over 6,400 participants. the RSC. will ask students to write poems with Goold and Elizabeth LeCompte in of Shakespeare’s language. transform the Swan Theatre space, Tickets from £4, Royal Tickets from £8, Swan Theatre him - small poems on big themes. collaboration with New York-based Tickets from £8, Swan Theatre with pre-show events from 4pm and Shakespeare Theatre a performance in the Swan Theatre Tickets from £5, Swan Theatre The Wooster Group. The Tempest at 4.30pm. Tickets from £8, Swan Theatre Tickets £3, Swan Theatre 30 March – 7 October A Solider in Every Son – Shakespeare’s final play tells the The Rise of the Aztecs tumultuous tale of Prospero who seeks Two Roses for Richard III 29 June – 28 July revenge on his enemies by raising a 7 – 12 May Passion, power and intrigue play out magical storm after twelve years of in this epic political thriller which Inspired by Shakespeare’s history exile on a remote island. Directed by charts the history of an ancient plays, the bloody events of the War David Farr. civilisation. Spanning a century and of the Roses are vividly re-imagined Tickets from £12, Royal based on true events, A Soldier In in this breathtaking production Shakespeare Theatre Every Son – The Rise of the Aztecs by Brazilian theatre company is closely inspired by Shakespeare’s Companhia Bufomecânica. history plays. Tickets from £5, Courtyard Theatre Tickets from £8, Swan Theatre 20 Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands wmfor2012.com wmfor2012.com Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands 21

March – September Breathe the Beat Roadshows

Each Breathe the Beat roadshow offers a spectacular day of free dance performances and workshops, including appearances from two of the UK’s leading street dancers – Brooke and Roxy from Hip Hop International World Champions Plague Dance Crew. There will also be showcases from local talent and professional dance companies, as well as music from DJ Moyma.

Breathe the Beat is looking for a wide range of high quality dance performers and groups of any style, from hip-hop to Bhangra to perform solos, duets or group pieces. If you think that sounds like you, please visit breathethebeat. com to download an application form.

Admission Free

Dates and locations

Saturday 24 March 12 Moves: After Dark, Croft Road Car Park, Worcester Saturday 28 April International Dance Festival Birmingham 2012, Bullring, Birmingham Saturday 16 June Leamington Spa Peace Festival, Leamington Spa Sunday 17 June Bantock House, Bantock Park, Wolverhampton Saturday 23 June Sutton Coldfield Carnival, Birmingham Saturday 30 June GLOW Dance Festival 2012, Castle Green, Hereford Sunday 1 July Stafford Castle, Staffordshire Sunday 8 July Dudley Arts Festival, Dudley Saturday 14 July Tudor Grange Park, Solihull Saturday 21 July Culture Fest, Telford Town Park, Telford Sunday 22 July Simmer Down Festival, Handsworth Park, Birmingham Saturday 4 August Shrewsbury Summer Season, Market Square, Shrewsbury

Visit the website www.breathethebeat.com to find dates and times of performances near you. 22 Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands wmfor2012.com wmfor2012.com Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands 23

The M21 From the Medieval Impending to the 21st Century Storm 5 May Free 1 & 2 May 8pm 11am – 10pm Priory Hall, Bull Ring, Much Wenlock, Shropshire, TF13 6HS, and the streets of Much Wenlock Acclaimed dancer David Toole 6 May has collaborated with a team 11am – 3pm www.dasharts.org.uk of UK and South African artists, both able-bodied and disabled. M21: From the Medieval to the 21st Century, is a live art event in The Impending Storm created Much Wenlock, Shropshire, in which disabled artists from Croatia, with artist Mark Storor is an Austria and the UK will consider what it means to be alive in the explosive and emotional look 21st century. at the stories that we tell, and the stories that we are. With the help of the audience, artists including Tanya Raabe, Alan Remix, South Africa’s only McLean and Simon McKeown will travel through the ages, from the professional integrated dance Medieval times to the present, to explore what life is like in a small company, will perform with We Love rural town in the middle of England. UK-based David Toole and You City M21 is an Unlimited Commission: London 2012, the UK Arts Councils and the Lucy Hind, to a spoken text and British Council have commissioned high quality, ambitious work by disabled and sung score by UK musician deaf artists to be experienced by a broad range of audiences and to help celebrate Dom Coyote and South African Shugborough – Inspired 8 – 26 May the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. singer Sandile Gontsana. by the Past Following a hugely successful Pushing the boundaries run in 2010, We Love You City of integrated dance the Events include: Inspired by the Past will returns to celebrate the 25th piece will premiere at celebrate London 2012 with anniversary of the year International Dance Festival 6 May, 1pm a series of music, poetry and Coventry City FC won the Birmingham 2012. 18th century music drama performances and FA Cup Final and Coventry’s hosting of Olympic football. Tickets from £7 from Shugborough at workshops in a number of Shugborough Hall venues in Stafford. The Patrick Centre, Birmingham A co-production by Belgrade Hippodrome, Hurst Street, Back in the 18th century Theatre and Talking Birds Birmingham, B5 4TB 7 May, 7pm Shugborough was owned theatre company, We Love Poetry Evening at by Thomas Anson, a famous You City, sees eleven players www.idfb.co.uk/impendingstorm Stafford Library scholar of Ancient Greek arts, take centre stage to recreate architecture and ideas. This has the events of that legendary provided the inspiration behind match and tell the funny, edgy, this fascinating project, which moving, and sometimes farcical explores the impact that Ancient stories that were playing out Greece has had, not only on the in Coventry during those Olympics, but on the whole of nail-biting 90 minutes - plus the modern world. a bit of extra time.

Please visit www.heardmusic. Tickets from £15.25 co.uk for a full list of performances and workshops. Belgrade Theatre, Belgrade Square, Coventry, CV1 1GS The Impending Storm is an Unlimited Shugborough Hall, www.belgrade.co.uk Commission: London 2012, the UK Arts Milford, ST17 0XB Councils and the British Council have Stafford Library, Market St, commissioned high quality, ambitious work by disabled and deaf artists to be Stafford, ST16 2LQ experienced by a broad range of audiences and to help celebrate the London 2012 www.heardmusic.co.uk Olympic and Paralympic Games. 24 Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands wmfor2012.com wmfor2012.com Spill – a playground of dance

May – July

Each performance will be unique, as the show scrambles around, 3 May St George’s Park, Aldgate Grove, Birmingham – 4pm over, under and through swings, 4 May Adderley Park, Hams Road, Birmingham – 4pm slides and roundabouts. Kids will 5 May Sheldon Country Park, Ragley Drive, Birmingham – love it, grown-ups will love it too! 12.30pm, 2pm, 3pm An exciting new commission 6-7 May Cannon Hill Park, Russell Road, Birmingham – by celebrated Australian artist 12.45pm, 2pm, 4pm Shaun Parker, Spill has been 16 May Huntington Tree Park, Halesowen created specifically for parks in the West Midlands, aiming to 17 May Willenhall Memorial Park, Walsall take dance to the heart of the 18 May Lightwoods Park, Adkins Lane, Sandwell region’s communities. 19 May Bantock Park, Finchfield Road, Wolverhampton 20 May Mary Stevens Park, Stanley Road, Stourbridge There are lots of opportunities for you and your family to see 23-27 May East Staffordshire Tour – Locations to be confirmed this exciting event right across 19 June Tudor Grange Park, Blossomfield Road, Solihull the West Midlands – just visit 20 June Merdian Park, Moorend Avenue, Chelmsley Wood www.dancexchange.org.uk/spill 21 June Allesley Park, Allesley Hall Drive, Coventry to find your nearest performance. Highly playful and physical, and 22 June Abbey Fields, Bridge Street, Kenilworth at times teasingly comical – Spill is 23 June St Nicholas Park, Warwick a cheeky dance celebration of the 27 June Telford Town Park, Dark Lane, Telford child within. Combining quirky, 28 June The Quarry, Priory, Road Shrewsbury dynamic dance with high energy 29 June Birchmeadow Park, Birchmeadow Rd, Broseley street gymnastics, the dancers in 30 June Donnington Park, Gibbons Rd, Telford this performance blaze a colourful 1 July The Mere, Ellesmere trail across the structures and 11 July Arrow Valley Park, Battens Drive, Redditch, Worcestershire landscapes of the playground. 12 July Ledbury Park, Bye Street, Ledbury 13 July Victoria Park, Pickersleigh Road, Malvern Admission Free 13 July Dukes Meadow Playing Fields, Grove Road play area, Malvern 14 July King George Playing Fields, St Martin’s Avenue Further information/ website 15 July Gheluvelt Park, Barbourne Road, Worcester www.dancexchange.org.uk/spill 26 Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands wmfor2012.com wmfor2012.com Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands 27

6 May New Music 20x12: 11.45am – 5.30pm Desi Moves Ping it, Ring it, Roll it, 18 May Write it! 6–9pm

New Music 20x12 is a nation- Joe Cutler’s Ping! performed by Richard Causton’s Twenty-Seven Punch and International Dance wide project that has asked 20 the Coull Quartet, combines a Heavens offers a rare chance Festival Birmingham are British composers to celebrate string quartet with table tennis to explore a work in progress. challenging you to take part London 2012 by writing a new in conjunction with the English Through video and workshops, in 2012’s hottest competitive piece of music of 12 minutes Table Tennis Association. you are invited to discover how dance event, Desi Moves. In the length. the composer is shaping his weeks running up to the event, Howard Skempton’s Five Rings orchestral work. local dancers and dance groups New Music 20x12: Ping it, Ring Triples is a piece for bell-ringers will be invited to enter the Good Sport it, Roll it, Write it! is a daylong in association with the Central There will be a number of competition, with the best six showcase of the four New Music Council of Church Bell Ringers performances of the four works acts performing at Town Hall 18 May – 1 September Gabie’s Playing Away 20x12 works with a West and Third Ear. throughout the day, as well as Birmingham. Tuesday – Saturday photographs, which show Midlands connection. an exhibition, film showings, makeshift goal posts found in The Voyage by Michael Wolters workshops, talks and hands-on The acts will present fusion 10am – 5pm unexpected places. with Stan’s Cafe combines activities for all the family. dance, including bhangra, the legend of Ulysses with the bollywood, giddha, Good Sport is a new exhibition Over the course of the exhibition themes of journey, adventure streetdance and bashment about sport that celebrates there will also be three days of and return. styles to celebrity judges. taking part, whether as a skilled free family craft workshops. And don’t worry if you player, passionate fan or avid Admission haven’t made it to the collector. Free Tickets from £4 final six – the show will include an impromptu It will include work by Neville The New Art Gallery Walsall, Location audience routine led by Gabie, artist in residence at the Gallery Square, Walsall, WS2 8LG AE Harris, 110 Northwood St, a famous dancer. Olympic Park until December Birmingham B3 1SZ 2011. There will be a selection of www.thenewartgallerywalsall.org.uk Further information/ website Tickets from £6 www.aeharrisvenue.co.uk Town Hall, Victoria Square, The Ugly Spirit New Music 20x12 is a UK-wide Birmingham, B3 3DQ commissioning programme 23 – 25 May 7.30pm & 24 – 25 May 1.30pm delivered by PRS for Music www.punch-records.co.uk Foundation in partnership The Ugly Spirit is a cunning mix music, dance, narrative, with the BBC, LOCOG and of improvisation and text that physical theatre, film, puppetry, NMC Recordings. takes a peek into the backstage sign language and lecture, to world of Chang and Eng Bunker make brand new performance (the original Siamese twins) as works that address serious issues they take their last whistle-stop in open and entertaining ways. tour by train through the grand duchies of Central Europe. What Written by Russell Barr with was it like leading conjoined and additional material from David separate lives? What can this Hoyle, music by Leigh Stirling, experience mean for us today? Wagner and Purcell, a design by Lisa Ducie and artworks by Tanya Fittings Multimedia Arts is an Raabe. international organisation with its roots in the North West of Tickets from £5 England. They fuse different The Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton styles of storytelling such as www.arena.wlv.ac.uk/The%20 visual and tactile artworks, Ugly%20Spirit.htm

The Ugly Spirit is an Unlimited Commission: London 2012, the UK Arts Councils and the British Council have commissioned high quality, ambitious work by disabled and deaf artists to be experienced by a broad range of audiences and to help celebrate the London 2012 Howard Skempton Olympic and Paralympic Games. 28 Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands wmfor2012.com wmfor2012.com Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands 29

Glass Games 2012 1 June – 30 September Discovering

Glass Games explores the spirit Places of London 2012 in a summertime feast of shows, workshops, Discovering Places is the London 2012 Cultural exhibitions and demonstrations Olympiad campaign to inspire the UK to discover that highlight the talent and their local environment. It aims to get as many creativity of artists and people as possible enjoying the outdoors and craftspeople working with glass. getting closer to nature in a diverse range of events.

Once a national industry, The following events are accredited Meet the glass-making skills are now Species events helping to find and identify 2,012 kept alive by a small number of species of UK wildlife before the end of the London organisations and independent 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. For more artists. Glass Games highlights information, or to get your own wildlife event our living heritage and gives accredited with Meet the Species, see everyone a chance to be amazed, www.meetthespecies.org.uk. intrigued and inspired to have a go at this fascinating artform. A Whole New World: Summer Most events are free Vespers by Candlelight Some ticketed Events nationwide 20 June 9pm There will be African drumming, www.cgs.org.uk a stunning Indian vocalized To celebrate the Olympic values tabla called Speaking in of mutual understanding and Tongues, and a chance to hear World of Dance: friendship, Birmingham’s world- Hymn to Gaia, a new piece Meet the Species: Meet the Species: Quickstep class chamber choir, Ex Cathedra, from Alec Roth, sung in Ancient has developed a brand new Greek – one of ten languages Hay Making Festival Bat Walk and Talk to the Games Vespers sequence for its popular in the concert. annual summer concert. 14 June Tickets from £9.50 23 June 22 June 7.30 – 11.30pm Sung by candlelight, there will 11am – 4pm 9.30 pm – 11pm be music from around the world St Paul’s Church, St Paul’s Square, Birmingham, B3 1QZ Quickstep to the Games is and across the ages by Araujo, Join Natural England and the Friends of Mottey An opportunity to discover the amazing nocturnal Meadows for a festival of hay making with lots of world of our most enigmatic native mammals. With big band ballroom and modern Charpentier, Fanshawe, Harvey, www.excathedra.co.uk sequence dance that will take Pärt, Rachmaninov, and Whitacre. displays, rural crafts, kids activities, ferret racing, luck we may encounter several species including place in June 2012 to mark one tractor rides, guided walks and a hog roast. All are Noctule, Common and Soprano Pipistrelles and month to go until the start welcome. No booking required. Park at Wheaton Daubentons. Our bat walks are aimed at everyone of London 2012. Aston School. with an interest in nature, aged from 7 to 80! All The highest scoring teams under 16s must be accompanied by an adult. Bat Shake The Dust from each region will progress Free walks can be very rewarding to visually impaired As part of Stoke-on-Trent’s World through to the National of Dance project, which has got people, but please let us know in advance if you 9 June Shake the Dust weekend Mottey Meadows National Nature Reserve, intend to come. Meet outside Tenbury Swimming over 9,000 people dancing over to be held at the Southbank Wheaton Aston, Staffordshire the last two years, everyone will Pool, where there is free parking. Shake the Dust is a nationwide Centre in London in July 2012. be invited to grab a dance www.naturalengland.org.uk performance poetry project for Free partner and glide across the thousands of young people Supported by the National tailor-made sprung wooden all over the country. Lottery through Arts Council Palmers Meadow, Tenbury Wells, dance floor. England Tenbury Wells In the West Midlands, Shake Tickets £4 www.worcestershirebats.btck.co.uk the Dust activity will centre Nationwide Kings Hall, Kingsway, off Glebe around The Drum, an arts centre Street, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 1RG www.shakethedust.co.uk www.stoke.gov.uk/olympics2012 in Birmingham. Cultural30 Cultural Olympiad Olympiad in thein the West West Midlands Midlands wmfor2012.com wmfor2012.com Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands 31

24 May London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay overnight stop – Worcester

Worcester will celebrate the Flame’s arrival with a spectacular evening concert featuring a new specially composed piece of music performed by 1000 local people, the appearance of a major pop Faster… act and your opportunity to greet the Olympic Torch Relay as it enters the city. 27–31 June Evenings 7.30pm Admission Matinee performances Free but ticketed 28 June 2pm Location 30 June 2.30pm Worcestershire County Cricket Ground, County Ground, New Road, Worcester, WR2 4QQ Faster... is a new one act ballet by Birmingham Royal Ballet’s David Further information/ website Bintley CBE and composer www.visitworcester.com/torch Matthew Hindson inspired by the Olympic motto, ‘Faster, Higher, Stronger’. 30 May GLOW Dance Festival 2012 Inspired by London 2012, the 30 June 2pm until late ballet will explore the themes of London 2012 Olympic speed, power and athleticism GLOW is the spectacular finale to hr1, an eighteen-month dance and will premiere in the run up Torch Relay overnight project taking place across Herefordshire and inspired by to the Games in Birmingham stop – Stoke-on-Trent London 2012. on 27 June. In celebration of the Olympic Flame arriving in The Warm-Up: Glow kicks off with a festival style afternoon Faster... forms part of BRB’s Stoke-on-Trent there will be a packed programme event fizzing with dance to see and do. Featuring a Breathe the Summer Celebration and is one of activities for all the family including: an amazing Beat Roadshow (see page 19) tea dances, b-boy competitions, of three ballets performed each aerial dance performance, a spectacular community a ballroom blitz, dance films, classes in styles from Bollywood evening. The programme also parade, an appearance by a popular pop and rock to Ballet and much more. includes The Grand Tour, a band and, of course, your chance to see the Olympic playful piece set in the roaring Torch Relay as it enters the city. Simply unmissable. The Blaze: At night, the Castle Green is transformed as a 1920s, and the Shakespeare spectacular dance show brings the site to life in a mesmerising inspired The Dream. Admission mix of dance and music, culminating in an unforgettable Free but ticketed torch-lit finale. Tickets from £16 Location The Chill Out: With live music, DJ’s, a silent Ceildh and Disco, The Birmingham Hippodrome, Hanley Park, Cleveland Road, a bar and lots of food stalls all day and evening, there’s plenty Hurst Street, Birmingham, B5 4TB Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent ST1 4DX of opportunity to lie back, enjoy the tunes, watch the dance and soak up the atmosphere. www.brb.org.uk Further information/ website For further information on tickets please Castle Green, Hereford HR1 2NW email [email protected] www.hr1.2faceddance.co.uk 32 Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands wmfor2012.com What’swmfor2012.com On Guide Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands 33

Before the sport begins, the London 2012 Festival will announce the arrival of the Olympic and Paralympic Games London 2012 in the UK with a world-class series of arts performances. Put simply, the London 2012 Festival will be the biggest Festival festival the UK has ever seen. 21 June – 9 September There will be lots to see and do in the West Midlands during the opening weekend. One of the three London 2012 Festival opening night concerts will be performed by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra at Symphony Hall on 21 June. Other highlights include The Voyage – an outdoor dance spectacular; Coventry Cathedral’s golden jubilee concert with a new work by composer, James MacMillan, and a weekend of music by legendary composer, Heiner Goebbels.

From unforgettable moments created by some of the world’s leading artists, to spectacular dance events, world and UK premieres, and the World Shakespeare Festival, the West Midlands will celebrate all that is inspirational about our region’s cultural life.

Festival information www.london2012.com/festival

Location Various venues

Further information/ website www.london2012.com/festival 34 Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands wmfor2012.com wmfor2012.com Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands 35

Weltethos 21 June 7.30pm

Admission Weltethos is an epic new choral piece celebrates the common Tickets £20 work from composer, Jonathan values between these different Harvey. Its first UK performance faiths and traditions, in a Location by the City of Birmingham powerful manifesto for Symphony Hall, Broad Street, Symphony Orchestra is the world peace. Birmingham, B1 2EA perfect way to kick off the Further information/website nationwide celebrations that This major new work is www.cbso.co.uk make up the London 2012 the latest masterpiece from Festival – a world-class series Jonathan Harvey, born of arts performances that will in Sutton Coldfield in 1939 announce the arrival of the and widely regarded as one Olympic and Paralympic of the world’s greatest Games in the UK. contemporary composers.

Weltethos is based on texts Performed by City of Birmingham from six of the world’s largest Symphony Orchestra, Chorus, religions: Confucianism, Youth Chorus & Children’s Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Chorus, conducted by Buddhism and Christianity. The Edward Gardner. 36 Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands wmfor2012.com wmfor2012.com Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands 37

The Voyage 21 – 24 June 10pm An enormous ship sails into Professional dancers and aerialists join forces with a huge amateur choir, live musicians and the centre of Victoria Square, over 140 local dance performers to transform Birmingham, docking itself Victoria Square. Watch the action unfold onboard beside the city’s Town Hall. the ship and be caught up in the atmosphere on High above, dancers appear the ground, where seagulls swoop and travellers in the ship’s rigging and the prepare to embark on their journey. As the ship sets sail, Birmingham’s Town Hall is voyage begins… transformed by spectacular film projections and the city’s skyline becomes a dream of undiscovered worlds.

Produced by Birmingham Hippodrome, this outdoor spectacle will be performed by Motionhouse, one of the UK’s foremost dance theatre companies, and world-renowned physical theatre company, Legs On The Wall from Australia. Original film projections by award winning Logela Multimedia.

Admission Free

Location Victoria Square, Birmingham, B3 3AA

Further information/website www.thevoyage.org.uk 38 Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands wmfor2012.com wmfor2012.com Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands 39

Heiner Goebbels: 23 June Jubilee Concert Walden 7.30pm with new work by 23 June 7pm & 9pm James MacMillan

Commanding sell-out audiences but rarely heard in Birmingham - until 2012 - Heiner Goebbels is one of the world’s most sought after composers.

Goebbels’ Walden is an hour-long musical composition that is full of evocative sounds and features nine vibrant movements. The piece, which was inspired by 19th century naturalist Henry David Thoreau’s retreat to simple living in a cabin by Walden Pond in Massachusetts, features a number of specially-built instruments such as the ‘steel cello’ and ‘bow chimes’ which resonate their sound through large sheets of steel. Enjoy a special evening A choral piece written to The concert is performed by celebrate Coventry Cathedral’s City of Birmingham Symphony In honour of the UK premiere of Admission of entertainment Golden Jubilee in 2012, James Orchestra, St Michael’s Singers, Walden, mac Birmingham will Tickets £15 in celebration of MacMillan’s Gloria is premiered tenor Ian Bostridge and a choir be brought to life during the day by local children with the City of of local school children and is Location Coventry Cathedral’s with new music theatre from Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. conducted by James MacMillan Birmingham Conservatoire, mac Birmingham, Cannon Hill Park, golden jubilee. Birmingham B12 9QH and Paul Leddington Wright. outdoor folk sets on the Terrace, To complement Gloria, Paul An extraordinary concert for an films in the cinema, visual work Further information/ website Leddington Wright conducts extraordinary occasion! exhibited in the ‘allotment’ www.heinergoebbelsfestival.org Benjamin Britten’s St Nicholas, gallery spaces, talks and which provides a further Admission discussions in the Hexagon, opportunity for the children’s Ticket prices to be announced writing workshops, and a choir to sing with a professional ‘foraging menu’ in the café. symphony orchestra in Location magnificent surroundings. Coventry Cathedral, Priory Street, Walden is performed by Ensemble Coventry, CV1 5AB Klang, Birmingham Contemporary Completing the programme is Music Group and narrator/vocalist Further information/ website another Coventry Cathedral www.coventrycathedral.org.uk/50 Keir Neuringer. commission from 1980: War in Heaven, by Neil Cox, a dramatic work for the choir, organ and the brass instruments of the orchestra. 40 Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands wmfor2012.com wmfor2012.com Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands 41

Moving Earth 30 June

Moving Earth will bring together 20 groups of 12 dancers from across 30 June the West Midlands, representing a dazzling array of styles including Bollywood, Bhangra, Indian folk London 2012 Olympic dance, hiphop and contemporary Torch Relay overnight African and UK dance. Directed by internationally- stop – Birmingham renowned dancer Santosh Kumar Nair, the groups will combine their individual styles with Indian On 30th June, Birmingham’s Cannon Hill Park will martial-arts dance moves to create play host to an extra special night of music along a brand new form of choreography. the route of the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay. The Moving Earth groups will The event will be headlined by one of the UK’s be performing at events across foremost music acts and include performances the region as part of Dancing from well-known Birmingham artists. The full line for the Games, featuring specially up will be announced later in the year. composed music by acclaimed musician Praveen D Rao. Admission Free but ticketed Free Birmingham Location www.sampad.org.uk/movingearth Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham, B13 8RD We Dance Further information/ website To register for the chance to get free tickets, Get Dancing visit www.ticketmaster.co.uk 13 & 14 July 1 July 2pm We Dance is a two day festival of learning disabled dance led by Set in the scenic grounds of Mencap, featuring performances, workshops and an exhibition 1 July Stafford Castle, Get Dancing is at the mac in Birmingham. a daylong dance festival to mark the end of Staffordshire’s first ever Over the two days there will be a new London 2012 themed piece of London 2012 Olympic county-wide dance programme. dance by Freefall (Birmingham Royal Ballet and Fox Hollies’ popular learning disability dance company), showcase performances by local Featuring a Breathe the Beat learning disabled community groups, outdoor performances by Torch Relay overnight Roadshow (see page 19), as stop – Coventry well as live performances from internationally acclaimed dance company Stopgap, an exhibition professional dancers, young of new dance for camera films and a range of fun workshops for people and community groups, people with a learning disability. Coventry will be welcoming the Olympic Flame to as well as workshops where you the city with Coventry-themed theatre and music can learn a wide range of different Tickets £5 from Talking Birds, as well as music from a well dance styles, from breakdance to known pop act. There will be a packed programme ballroom. Bring your picnic and mac Birmingham, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham, B12 9QH of activities for all the family including your chance enjoy the atmosphere! to see the Olympic Torch Relay as it enters the city. www.artspider.org.uk Free in the afternoon Admission Stafford Castle, Newport Road, Free but ticketed Stafford, ST16 1DJ www.danceconnected.org.uk Location www.staffordshire.gov.uk War Memorial Park, Coventry, CV3 6PT 42 Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands wmfor2012.com Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands 43

Encompass 19 July 7pm Boyd & Evans: 20 & 21 July 2pm & 7pm Encompass will use film, live performance and a digital installation to Views create a breathtaking show in a huge 360-degree digital igloo, with local and international artists performing live and on-screen.

18 July – 2 September The performance will take the audience on a journey around the site, Big Dance to include the Gaskell Field, which was the birthplace of the modern Artist-couple Boyd & Evans have been working Admission Olympic movement. Moving images of dancers from around the world together since 1968. Their paintings, while highly Free will be projected, there will be live performances from local dance representational, have a perspective, scale and 7 – 15 July groups and interactive digital installations will be shown to get the composition that often edge closer to the surreal. Location audience dancing. For the finale the audience will move into the igloo The air feels thin, time frozen and gravity Ikon Gallery, 1 Oozells Square, Big Dance 2012 is the UK’s dome, where they will be surrounded by a 360-degree dance film and Brindleyplace, Birmingham, B1 2HS suspended in their dreamlike pictures. biggest ever celebration live performers. Photography has also become more central to of dance. Further information/ website Ticket prices from £3 their work in recent years, with shocks of 0121 248 0708 colour penetrating landscapes of the American www.ikon-gallery.co.uk Taking place across the country, Southwest. With selections from over 40 years Big Dance will feature thousands The Edge Arts Centre, William Brookes School, Farley Road, Much Wenlock, Shropshire, TF13 6NB of their work together, Ikon is proud to present of events inspired by dance. They will take place in all Boyd & Evans’ first major survey exhibition. www.encompass360.co.uk sorts of locations, in all dance styles and will all be open to absolutely anyone.

Events will include classes, Summer Reading Challenge: Story Lab workshops, courses, performances, flashmobs, 14 July – 9 September have-a-go days, film screenings, photography courses, Every year, thousands of families all over the UK, are involved competitions, world record in the UK’s biggest reading event for children in libraries - attempts and dancing in unusual the Summer Reading Challenge. This year the Story Lab spaces, such as shops, parks, challenge will reflect the spirit of 2012 with special events and galleries, shopping centres. activities taking place at public libraries across the West Midlands.

Learn the choreography and take The aim of Story Lab is to get children to read six books during part in a World Record attempt the summer - and not only will every child who takes part receive for the ‘Largest Dance Routine - a membership card or pack and a certificate, but this year most Multi-venue’ at 1pm on 18 May libraries will be awarding medals just like at the real Olympic and 2012 with special events at the Paralympic Games. Coventry and Birmingham BBC Live Sites. Free Public libraries across the West Midlands Free www.summerreadingchallenge.org.uk Nationwide www.bigdance2012.com 44 Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands wmfor2012.com wmfor2012.com Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands 45

Three Choirs Welcome Songs Festival Youth Choir 11 July A specially commissioned suite international community for of ‘Welcome Songs’, created by the London 2012 Games. Eliza 23 July 2.30pm leading UK Folk artist Eliza Carthy will use the traditional Admission Free Carthy, will be performed by songs and stories associated The Three Choirs Festival Youth massed community choirs as with Much Wenlock, Chipping Choir is made up of 16 to 25 year olds Location part of the Wenlock Olympian Campden, Stoke Mandeville and from Herefordshire, Worcestershire & Much Wenlock, Shropshire Games in July. The performance, Weymouth as her inspiration to Gloucestershire and was started in one of a series of four around the create four pieces of new music 2010 to help the development Further information/ website country, will be led by renowned in these places which have of young singers, very quickly www.dartington.org/arts choral director, Robert contributed so much to the becoming an important part of www.wenlock-olympian-society. Hollingworth and will feature Olympic and Paralympic the 300 year old tradition that is org.uk Eliza, Robert and members of his movements. the Three Choirs Festival. internationally celebrated choir, At this concert the Youth Choir I Fagiolini. Supported by the National will perform a new piece by Lottery through Arts Council Dobrinka Tabakova, as well as Welcome Songs will be created England. Faure’s Requiem and Debussy’s and performed against a Danse sacrée et danse profane backdrop of welcoming the with the Orchestra of the Swan Much Ado About conducted by David Hill.

Tickets from £5 Wenlock Hereford Cathedral www.3choirs.org April – June On your starting blocks! Vamos Theatre, in association Three Choirs with The Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham, presents its new production, Much Ado About Wenlock, a play about health, Festival Competitive sports, a reforming doctor, and a runaway chicken! Masterclass In 1850, the Shropshire market town of Much Wenlock hosted its very own ‘Olympian Games’, an inspiration for the modern 23 July Games. In a captivatingly comic production celebrating the Masterclass 2–5pm Games’ unlikely UK roots, Much Ado About Wenlock reveals Masterclass showcase a local doctor’s determination to improve the health of all. 5.15pm Will Dr Penny Brookes inspire the workers to swap tipple for triple jumping? Will schoolmistress Beatty win over the cynical Part of the annual Three Reverend Benedict Wayne? And will our national love of the Choirs Festival, this competitive underdog be satisfied in this heroic piece of theatre? masterclass invites aspiring professionals in their final year Tickets from £6 at UK music colleges to perform.

24 April Worcester Arts Workshop The 2012 masterclass is for period 25 April Pattingham Village Hall, Staffordshire strings and is led by violinist Rachel 26 April Alfrick & Lulsley Village Hall, Worcester Podger. Participants will be asked to 27 April St Michael’s Village Hall, Shropshire perform unaccompanied Bach, with 2-3 May Hereford Courtyard Theatre a showcase concert for the public 4 May Solihull Arts Complex taking place at 5.15pm. 9-10 May Oakengates Theatre, Telford 23 May Feckenham Village Hall, Worcester Tickets £5 28-30 June Swan Theatre, Worcester Council Chamber, Hereford Town Hall www.vamostheatre.co.uk www.3choirs.org

46 Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands wmfor2012.com wmfor2012.com Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands 47

Friday 27 July 2012 will be no To make this performance Witness the amazing sight of Godiva awakening from her slumber ordinary morning. At 8am on the happen, the All the Bells team after 1,000 years... All the first day of the London 2012 invites bell ringers and those Godiva Olympic and Paralympic Games, interested in ringing bells Imagineer Productions’ 6 metre high Godiva will awake to a Bells Work No.1197: All the bells in to sign up and get involved Awakes spectacular performance involving dancers, actors, musicians, a country rung as quickly and in the performance, alongside fireworks and much more. Powered by 100 cyclists and clothed in a as loudly as possible for three thousands of people across the coat crafted by artists from across the West Midlands, Godiva will minutes, by Turner Prize- country. By ringing any kind 28 July then journey from Coventry to London to celebrate the London 2012 Work No.1197 The Awakening 9.15 pm winning artist and musician, of bell – hand bell, church bell, Olympic and Paralympic Games.On 28 July, Godiva will awake for Martin Creed, will be performed bicycle bell, door bell – you will the first time in 1000 years in Coventry and through a once-in-a- All the bells in the throughout the UK. be part of the performance and 29 July lifetime performance be presented with her quest to deliver the Book country rung as involved in welcoming the Dressing Godiva 12noon of Intent to London. The Book of Intent carries the voices of young quickly and as loudly The nation is invited to ring London 2012 Olympic and people and their global partners to the world – it is the actions they as possible for three thousands of bells at the same Paralympic Games to the UK. 29 July will take to make the world a fairer place. time, whether schools bells, Godiva Carnival Event 12.30pm minutes. church bells, town hall bells, Sign up to the project at The following day, 29 July, she will be the focal point of the Godiva bicycle bells or door bells. www.allthebells.com. Carnival in Coventry; a magnificent celebration for all the family 30 July – 5 August where she will board her Cyclopedia for the first time. On 30 July, 27 July 8am Admission The Journey she will begin her epic journey travelling along the A5 to London Event times to be confirmed Free over seven days passing through seven towns inspiring a series of extraordinary outdoor celebrations. Location Nationwide Admission Godiva Awakes is part of Artists taking the lead, a series of 12 public Free (tickets will be required art commissions across the UK to celebrate the London 2012 Cultural Further information/ website for some events) www.allthebells.com Location Olympiad funded by Arts Council England. Godiva Awakes is also University Square & Broadgate, supported by Coventry City Council and is part of the Cities Coventry City Centre 2012 programme. Further information/website www.imagineerproductions.co.uk

Martin Creed 48 Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands wmfor2012.com wmfor2012.com

Birmingham Opera Company’s production of The Wedding

“We have individual scenes from Mittwoch aus Licht in very good concert performances. But all attempts to stage Mittwoch aus Licht have not been successful. I do not want the opera performance to be incomplete” Stockhausen

Stockhausen was a revolutionary finally hits the stage – or rather figure in 20th century music. His a former chemical works in the innovation moved composition middle of Birmingham. into new territory embracing the new technology of electronic Internationally acclaimed music and breaking the barriers opera director Graham Vick between musical genres. He has assembled an outstanding has influenced pop, rock and artistic team with his unique electronic music and his appeal Birmingham Opera Company to a very broad young audience featuring some 150 performers. Mittwoch aus Licht sells out the Royal Albert Hall Under the musical direction of and the Barbican as well as large Stockhausen’s long-time Wednesday from Light concert halls in Europe, America collaborator, Kathinka Pasveer and the Pacific Rim. the line-up includes Birmingham’s Ex Cathedra and London Voices 22 – 25 August 4pm (finishes 10pm) Of his monumental achievement with an array of virtuoso Licht, (Light) a cycle of 7 operas, orchestral soloists as well one for each day of the week, as local performers recruited An opera by Karlheinz Stockhausen. Location Mittwoch (Wednesday) is the and trained through the Argyle Works, Great Barr Street, only part of the cycle he never company’s award-winning A new production commissioned for Birmingham B9 4EX the London 2012 Festival, produced saw staged. participation programme. by Birmingham Opera Company. Further information/website Even 5 years after his death Inspired by and featuring the www.birminghamopera.org.uk the challenge and scale of the central figures of Eve, Lucifer piece, in six parts including and Michael, Licht (Light) the Helicopter String Quartet explores a spiritual world of and featuring two choirs, solo world peace and global harmony. instrumentalists, live electronic Its powerful vision of harmony and acoustic music and a between humans and the dancing camel, means the universe offers a fitting piece still awaits its premiere. cultural equivalent to the internationalism and the In August 2012 Mittwoch aus values of the Olympic Games Licht/Wednesday from Light and London 2012. 50 Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands wmfor2012.com wmfor2012.com Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands 51

Using the latest digital technologies, Mandala will see Birmingham Town Hall spectacularly illuminated in colour and light and brought to life by 3D moving projections and breathtaking visual effects, presented by Sampad.

The projections will capture the beautiful forms of South Asian dance and reflect live performances from leading acts including Devika Rao and Aakash Odedra, mixed in with specially recorded footage.

The accompanying soundtrack will sizzle with the contemporary energy of British Asian music and incorporate the music of world-class artists such as Anoushka Shankar, Zakir Hussain and Talvin Singh.

Supported by the National Lottery through Mandala Arts Council England. Admission 7 September Free Location Exterior of Town Hall, Victoria Square 8.30pm & 9.30pm Birmingham B3 3DQ Further information/ website www.sampad.org.uk 52 Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands wmfor2012.com wmfor2012.com Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands 53

Boys Dancing Screened at Live Sites throughout the summer

Since 2009 Boys Dancing has been working with boys and young men, giving them the opportunity to work with professional male dancers to make and perform new dance works. This project has culminated in the creation of six dance films – The Quiet Man Suite.

The films will continue to explore the themes of masculinity, strength, sensitivity, independence and cooperation. The work will challenge stereotypes to prove to boys and young men that dance is most definitely for them. The final films will be screened on the Lawk Naach Birmingham and Coventry Live Sites through the summer. See p15 for information on Live Sites Various dates www.warwickartscentre.co.uk/ Dance Sansaar invites you to join to progress to ‘Performance Please visit www.dancesansaar. education thousands of people from across classes’. Those who make it to com for more information about the West Midlands learning the performance classes will then taking part. vibrant and energetic Punjabi showcase their new skills as dance of Lawk Naach through part of the spectacular Lawk Free joining one of the free Discovery Naach finale performance later Film Nation: Shorts workshops being held across this year. Various venues the region. Film Nation: Shorts is a national The best of the films will be Lawk Naach is an activity www.dancesansaar.com project that gives young people screened at venues during the You are invited to take part in an everyone can get involved with the chance to make films 2012 Games, as well as on giant hour long class, where you will regardless of age or ability - no celebrating the values of the Live Site screens around the UK, learn Bhangra and Giddha dance dance experience is required! Olympic and Paralympic Games. and on the dedicated Film movements and have the chance Nation website. The films are 14-25 year olds have been also available to view online, at: invited to create short films (of no longer than three minutes) www.filmnation.org.uk/ that celebrate the values of the workshops Olympic and Paralympic Games: respect, courage, excellence, friendship, equality, determination and inspiration. 54 Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands What’s On Guide What’s On Guide Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands 55

The Science of Sport, Daily, Ironbridge. (p.4) Romeo & Juliet Stratford 18 Two Roses for Stratford 18 Sporting Heroes. Monday to Friday until 9 Sept, Ironbridge. (p.4) Richard III CORE, Daily until 30 September, Ironbridge. (p.12) Quick Guide Children’s Lives, Daily 24 Mar - 10 June, Birmingham. (p.14) 12 May We Love You City Coventry 23 Olympic Posters: Pop and Publicity, to the 28 Apr, Wolverhampton. (p.14) May Twelfth Night Stratford 18 Style Africa, 31 Mar - 2 Sept, Birmingham. (p.5) King John Stratford 18 01 May The Impending Storm Birmingham 22 Good Sport, 18 May - 1 Sept, Tuesday - Saturday, Walsall. (p.27) The Tempest Stratford 18 Boyd & Evans - Views, 18 July - 2 Sept, Birmingham. (p.42) The Tempest Stratford 18 Two Roses for Stratford 18 Summer Reading Challenge, 14 July - 9 Sept, regionwide. (p.43) Romeo & Juliet Stratford 18 Richard III 02 May The Impending Storm Birmingham 22 13 May Home Birmingham 14 Much Ado About Hereford 45 14 May The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 Wenlock King John Stratford 18 The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 Date Title Town Page Ongoing Date Title Town Page Ongoing 15 May We Love You City Coventry 23 Romeo & Juliet Stratford 18 No events No events Twelfth Night Stratford 18 03 May Spill - a playground Birmingham 24 Richard III Stratford 18 March of dance 16 May Spill - a playground Halesowen 24 Much Ado About Hereford 45 16 Mar The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 of dance Wenlock 17 Mar Equinox - Cultures Birmingham 10 06 Apr The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 We Love You City Coventry 23 The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 in Harmony King John Stratford 18 Richard III Stratford 18 Romeo & Juliet Stratford 18 Stars in the Morning Sky Coventry 10 07 Apr Stars in the Morning Sky Coventry 10 The Tempest Stratford 18 04 May Spill - a playground Birmingham 24 The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 Twelfth Night Stratford 18 17 May Spill - a playground Walsall 24 of dance Olympic Posters: Wolverhampton 14 King John Stratford 18 of dance Much Ado About Solihull 45 Pop and Publicity 08 Apr We Love You City Coventry 23 Wenlock 18 Mar 09 Apr Twelfth Night Stratford 18 The Tempest Stratford 18 The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 19 Mar Stars in the Morning Sky Coventry 10 King John Stratford 18 King John Stratford 18 Romeo & Juliet Stratford 18 The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 10 Apr The Tempest Stratford 18 18 May Desi Moves Birmingham 27 05 May M21 From the Medieval Much Wenlock 23 20 Mar Stars in the Morning Sky Coventry 10 King John Stratford 18 to the 21st Century Spill - a playground Sandwell 24 The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 11 Apr The Tempest Stratford 18 of dance Spill - a playground Birmingham 24 King John Stratford 18 21 Mar Stars in the Morning Sky Coventry 10 of dance We Love You City Coventry 23 12 Apr The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 Twelfth Night Stratford 18 Big Dance World Coventry & 43 Richard III Stratford 18 Record attempt Birmingham 22 Mar Stars in the Morning Sky Coventry 10 Romeo & Juliet Stratford 18 13 Apr Twelfth Night Stratford 18 Good Sport opens Walsall 27 Twelfth Night Stratford 18 06 May M21 From the Medieval Much Wenlock 23 King John Stratford 18 Richard III Stratford 18 to the 21st Century The Tempest Stratford 18 14 Apr The Tempest Stratford 18 23 Mar Stars in the Morning Sky Coventry 10 Spill - a playground Birmingham 24 Richard III Stratford 18 Richard III Stratford 18 CORE opens Ironbridge 12 of dance 19 May Spill - a playground Wolverhampton 24 15 Apr Twelfth Night Stratford 18 New Music 20x12: Birmingham 26 of dance 16 Apr The Tempest Stratford 18 Richard III Stratford 18 Ping it, Ring it, We Love You City Coventry 23 24 Mar Stars in the Morning Sky Coventry 10 Richard III Stratford 18 Roll it, Write it! The Tempest Stratford 18 12 Moves: After Dark Worcester 11 17 Apr Twelfth Night Stratford 18 Inspired by the Past - Milford, 22 King John Stratford 18 (including Breathe the Richard III Stratford 18 18th century music Staffordshire 20 May Spill - a playground Stourbridge 24 Beat roadshow) 18 Apr King John Stratford 18 from Shugborough Hall of dance Children’s Lives opens Birmingham 14 The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 07 May Spill - a playground Birmingham 24 21 May King John Stratford 18 Twelfth Night Stratford 18 19 Apr The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 of dance 22 May We Love You City Coventry 23 Richard III Stratford 18 Twelfth Night Stratford 18 Inspired by the Past Stafford 22 Richard III Stratford 18 25 Mar King John Stratford 18 - poetry evening at 23 May We Love You City Coventry 23 26 Mar Richard III Stratford 18 20 Apr The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 Stafford Library Much Ado About Feckenham 45 27 Mar Stars in the Morning Sky Coventry 10 Richard III Stratford 18 The Tempest Stratford 18 Wenlock Richard III Stratford 18 21 Apr Twelfth Night Stratford 18 Two Roses for Stratford 18 The Ugly Spirit Wolverhampton 27 28 Mar Stars in the Morning Sky Coventry 10 King John Stratford 18 Richard III In A Pickle Stratford 18 Breathe the Beat Birmingham 20 The Tempest Stratford 18 08 May We Love You City Coventry 23 Richard III Stratford 18 roadshow (at IDFB) 22 Apr The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 King John Stratford 18 Richard III Stratford 18 23 Apr Believe Coventry 14 King John Stratford 18 24 May Torch Relay - Worcester 31 29 Mar Stars in the Morning Sky Coventry 10 The Tempest Stratford 18 Two Roses for Stratford 18 overnight stop Richard III Stratford 18 24 Apr Much Ado About Worcester 45 Richard III We Love You City Coventry 23 30 Mar Stars in the Morning Sky Coventry 10 Wenlock 09 May We Love You City Coventry 23 The Ugly Spirit Wolverhampton 27 The Tempest Stratford 18 The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 Much Ado About Oakengates 45 In A Pickle Stratford 18 Richard III Stratford 18 25 Apr Much Ado About Pattingham 45 Wenlock Richard III Stratford 18 31 Mar Stars in the Morning Sky Coventry 10 Wenlock Twelfth Night Stratford 18 25 May We Love You City Coventry 23 Style Africa opens Birmingham 5 The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 King John Stratford 18 The Ugly Spirit Wolverhampton 27 The Tempest Stratford 18 Twelfth Night Stratford 18 Two Roses for Stratford 18 In A Pickle Stratford 18 Richard III Stratford 18 26 Apr Much Ado About Alfrick and 45 Richard III King John Stratford 18 Wenlock Lulsley 10 May We Love You City Coventry 23 26 May We Love You City Coventry 23 The Tempest Stratford 18 Much Ado About Oakengates 45 In A Pickle Stratford 18 April Romeo & Juliet Stratford 18 Wenlock King John Stratford 18 27 Apr Much Ado About St Michael’s, 45 Twelfth Night Stratford 18 Richard III Stratford 18 01 Apr Wenlock Worcestershire Richard III Stratford 18 27 May In A Pickle Stratford 18 02 Apr The Tempest Stratford 18 The Tempest Stratford 18 Two Roses for Stratford 18 28 May Playing for Peace Coventry 5 03 Apr Stars in the Morning Sky Coventry 10 Romeo & Juliet Stratford 18 Richard III exhibition The Tempest Stratford 18 28 Apr The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 11 May We Love You City Coventry 23 Julius Caesar Stratford 18 04 Apr Stars in the Morning Sky Coventry 10 Romeo & Juliet Stratford 18 Twelfth Night Stratford 18 Richard III Stratford 18 The Tempest Stratford 18 29 Apr Richard III Stratford 18 05 Apr Stars in the Morning Sky Coventry 10 30 Apr Twelfth Night Stratford 18 56 Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands What’s On Guide What’s On Guide Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands 57

29 May Playing for Peace Coventry 5 In A Pickle Stratford 18 Moving Earth Birmingham 41 Open Stages 19 exhibition Julius Caesar Stratford 18 GLOW Dance Festival Hereford 30 16 July The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 Julius Caesar Stratford 18 King John Stratford 18 2012 (including Breathe A Soldier In Every Son - Stratford 18 King John Stratford 18 17 June Breathe the Beat Wolverhampton 20 the Beat roadshow) An Aztec Trilogy 30 May Torch Relay - Stoke-on-Trent 31 roadshow Much Ado About Worcester 45 17 July The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 overnight stop In A Pickle Stratford 18 Wenlock A Soldier In Every Son - Stratford 18 Playing for Peace Coventry 5 18 June Julius Caesar Stratford 18 Spill - a playground Ironbridge 24 An Aztec Trilogy exhibition King John Stratford 18 of dance 18 July Boyd & Evans opens Birmingham 42 In A Pickle Stratford 18 19 June Spill - a playground Solihull 24 Julius Caesar Stratford 18 Twelfth Night Stratford 18 Richard III Stratford 18 of dance A Soldier In Every Son - Stratford 18 A Soldier In Every Son - Stratford 18 Julius Caesar Stratford 18 Julius Caesar Stratford 18 An Aztec Trilogy An Aztec Trilogy 31 May Playing for Peace Coventry 5 Richard III Stratford 18 19 July Encompass Much Wenlock 43 exhibition 20 June A Whole New World: Birmingham 28 The Tempest Stratford 18 In A Pickle Stratford 18 Summer Vespers July Richard III Stratford 18 Julius Caesar Stratford 18 by Candlelight 20 July Encompass Much Wenlock 43 01 July Torch Relay - Coventry 40 King John Stratford 18 Spill - a playground Chelmsley Wood 24 The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 overnight stop of dance A Soldier In Every Son - Stratford 18 Get Dancing Stafford 41 I, Cinna Stratford 18 An Aztec Trilogy (including Breathe Julius Caesar Stratford 18 21 July Encompass Much Wenlock 43 June the Beat roadshow) King John Stratford 18 Breathe the Beat Ironbridge 20 01 June Playing for Peace Coventry 5 Spill - a playground Ellesmere 24 21 June Weltethos Birmingham 34 roadshow exhibition of dance The Voyage Birmingham 36 The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 In A Pickle Stratford 18 02 July Julius Caesar Stratford 18 Spill - a playground Coventry 24 Twelfth Night Stratford 18 Julius Caesar Stratford 18 A Soldier In Every Son - Stratford 18 of dance Open Stages Stratford 19 Richard III Stratford 18 An Aztec Trilogy Julius Caesar Stratford 18 22 July Breathe the Beat Birmingham 20 02 June Playing for Peace Coventry 5 03 July Julius Caesar Stratford 18 Richard III Stratford 18 roadshow exhibition A Soldier In Every Son - Stratford 18 22 June The Voyage Birmingham 36 Open Stages Stratford 19 In A Pickle Stratford 18 An Aztec Trilogy Spill - a playground Kenilworth 24 23 July Three Choirs Festival Hereford 45 Julius Caesar Stratford 18 04 July Julius Caesar Stratford 18 of dance Youth Choir Richard III Stratford 18 A Soldier In Every Son - Stratford 18 Meet the Species: Tenbury Wells 29 Three Choirs Hereford 45 King John Stratford 18 An Aztec Trilogy Bat Walk and Talk Festival Competitive 03 June In A Pickle Stratford 18 05 July Julius Caesar Stratford 18 Julius Caesar Stratford 18 Masterclass A Soldier In Every Son - Stratford 18 04 June Julius Caesar Stratford 18 A Soldier In Every Son - Stratford 18 Richard III Stratford 18 An Aztec Trilogy King John Stratford 18 An Aztec Trilogy 23 June The Voyage Birmingham 36 06 July I, Cinna Stratford 18 05 June Julius Caesar Stratford 18 24 July Henry V Stratford 19 Heiner Goebbels: Birmingham 38 Julius Caesar Stratford 18 Richard III Stratford 18 Walden The Tempest Stratford 18 A Soldier In Every Son - Stratford 18 06 June In A Pickle Stratford 18 Richard III Stratford 18 Jubilee Concert Coventry 39 An Aztec Trilogy Julius Caesar Stratford 18 with new work by 25 July The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 07 July Julius Caesar Stratford 18 King John Stratford 18 James MacMillan A Soldier In Every Son - Stratford 18 A Soldier In Every Son - Stratford 18 07 June In A Pickle Stratford 18 Breathe the Beat Sutton Coldfield 20 An Aztec Trilogy An Aztec Trilogy Julius Caesar Stratford 18 roadshow 26 July Twelfth Night Stratford 18 08 July Breathe the Beat Dudley 20 Richard III Stratford 18 Spill - a playground Warwick 24 roadshow A Soldier In Every Son - Stratford 18 08 June In A Pickle Stratford 18 of dance An Aztec Trilogy 09 July Richard III Stratford 18 Julius Caesar Stratford 18 Meet the Species: Wheaton Aston, 29 Much Ado About Stratford 19 10 July A Soldier In Every Son - Stratford 18 King John Stratford 18 Hay Making Festival Staffordshire Nothing An Aztec Trilogy 09 June Shake the Dust Birmingham 28 Julius Caesar Stratford 18 27 July All the Bells 46 11 July Welcome Songs Much Wenlock 44 In A Pickle Stratford 18 King John Stratford 18 Much Ado Stratford 19 Spill - a playground Redditch 24 Julius Caesar Stratford 18 24 June The Voyage Birmingham 36 About Nothing of dance King John Stratford 18 25 June Julius Caesar Stratford 18 28 July Godiva Awakes - Coventry 47 A Soldier In Every Son - Stratford 18 Richard III Stratford 18 The Awakening 26 June Julius Caesar Stratford 18 An Aztec Trilogy 10 June In A Pickle Stratford 18 The Tempest Stratford 18 27 June Faster... Birmingham 30 12 July Spill - a playground Ledbury 24 11 June Julius Caesar Stratford 18 Spill - a playground Ironbridge 24 of dance A Soldier In Every Son - Stratford 18 Richard III Stratford 18 An Aztec Trilogy of dance Twelfth Night Stratford 18 12 June Julius Caesar Stratford 18 Much Ado About Stratford 19 Julius Caesar Stratford 18 King John Stratford 18 King John Stratford 18 Nothing 28 June Faster... Birmingham 30 RSC Pilot Night Stratford 2 13 June In A Pickle Stratford 18 29 July Godiva Awakes - Coventry 47 Much Ado About Worcester 45 13 July We Dance Birmingham 41 I, Cinna Stratford 18 Wenlock Dressing Godiva Spill - a playground Malvern 24 Julius Caesar Stratford 18 and Carnival Spill - a playground Shrewsbury 24 of dance King John Stratford 18 of dance The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 The Tempest Stratford 18 14 June World of Dance Stoke-on-Trent 28 Julius Caesar Stratford 18 30 July Much Ado About Stratford 19 A Soldier In Every Son - Stratford 18 Quickstep to Nothing 29 June Faster... Birmingham 30 An Aztec Trilogy the Games 31 July Twelfth Night Stratford 18 Much Ado About Worcester 45 Open Stages Stratford 19 In A Pickle Stratford 18 Wenlock Much Ado About Stratford 19 14 July We Dance Birmingham 41 Julius Caesar Stratford 18 Spill - a playground Broseley 24 Nothing Spill - a playground Redditch 24 Richard III Stratford 18 of dance of dance 15 June In A Pickle Stratford 18 Julius Caesar Stratford 18 Breathe the Beat Solihull 20 I, Cinna Stratford 18 A Soldier In Every Son - Stratford 18 roadshow August Julius Caesar Stratford 18 An Aztec Trilogy The Tempest Stratford 18 01 Aug Twelfth Night Stratford 18 Richard III Stratford 18 30 June Torch Relay - Birmingham 40 Richard III Stratford 18 Much Ado About Stratford 19 16 June Breathe the Beat Leamington 20 overnight stop Open Stages Stratford 19 Nothing roadshow Faster... Birmingham 30 15 July Spill - a playground Worcester 24 02 Aug The Tempest Stratford 18 of dance 58 Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands What’s On Guide What’s On Guide Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands 59

Much Ado About Stratford 19 20 Aug Much Ado About Stratford 19 Much Ado About Stratford 19 Nothing Nothing Nothing 03 Aug The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 21 Aug Richard III Stratford 18 Forests Birmingham 19 Much Ado About Stratford 19 Much Ado About Stratford 19 05 Sept Richard III Stratford 18 Nothing Nothing Twelfth Night Stratford 18 Troilus and Cressida Stratford 19 22 Aug Mittwoch aus Licht Birmingham 48 King John Stratford 18 04 Aug Breathe the Beat Shrewsbury 20 Richard III Stratford 18 Much Ado About Stratford 19 roadshow Much Ado About Stratford 19 Nothing The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 Nothing Forests Birmingham 19 Twelfth Night Stratford 18 King John Stratford 18 06 Sept Twelfth Night Stratford 18 Troilus and Cressida Stratford 19 23 Aug Playing for Peace Coventry 5 The Tempest Stratford 18 Much Ado About Stratford 19 exhibition Richard III Stratford 18 Nothing Mittwoch aus Licht Birmingham 48 Much Ado About Stratford 19 05 Aug The Tempest Stratford 18 Richard III Stratford 18 Nothing 06 Aug Troilus and Cressida Stratford 19 The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 Forests Birmingham 19 Much Ado About Stratford 19 Much Ado About Stratford 19 07 Sept Mandala Birmingham 50 Nothing Nothing The Tempest Stratford 18 07 Aug Troilus and Cressida Stratford 19 24 Aug Playing for Peace Coventry 5 King John Stratford 18 Much Ado About Stratford 19 exhibition Much Ado About Stratford 19 Nothing Mittwoch aus Licht Birmingham 48 Nothing 08 Aug Troilus and Cressida Stratford 19 Twelfth Night Stratford 18 Forests Birmingham 19 Much Ado About Stratford 19 King John Stratford 18 08 Sept The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 Nothing Much Ado About Stratford 18 King John Stratford 18 09 Aug Troilus and Cressida Stratford 19 Nothing Much Ado About Stratford 19 Much Ado About Stratford 19 25 Aug Playing for Peace Coventry 5 Nothing Nothing exhibition Richard III Stratford 18 10 Aug A Midsummer Stratford 19 Mittwoch aus Licht Birmingham 48 Forests Birmingham 19 Night’s Dream The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 09 Sept Twelfth Night Stratford 18 Troilus and Cressida Stratford 19 King John Stratford 18 Much Ado About Stratford 19 Richard III Stratford 18 Nothing Much Ado About Stratford 19 11 Aug A Midsummer Stratford 19 Nothing Night’s Dream 26 Aug Twelfth Night Stratford 18 Troilus and Cressida Stratford 19 27 Aug Richard III Stratford 18 Much Ado About Stratford 19 Much Ado About Stratford 19 Nothing Nothing 12 Aug A Midsummer Stratford 19 28 Aug The Tempest Stratford 18 Night’s Dream King John Stratford 18 Troilus and Cressida Stratford 19 Much Ado About Stratford 19 Much Ado About Stratford 19 Nothing Nothing 29 Aug King John Stratford 18 13 Aug A Midsummer Stratford 19 Much Ado About Stratford 19 Night’s Dream Nothing Troilus and Cressida Stratford 19 The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 Much Ado About Stratford 19 Richard III Stratford 18 Nothing 30 Aug The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 14 Aug A Midsummer Stratford 19 Twelfth Night Stratford 18 Night’s Dream King John Stratford 18 Troilus and Cressida Stratford 19 Much Ado About Stratford 19 Much Ado About Stratford 19 Nothing Nothing 31 Aug Twelfth Night Stratford 18 15 Aug A Midsummer Stratford 19 Richard III Stratford 18 Night’s Dream Much Ado About Stratford 19 Troilus and Cressida Stratford 19 Nothing Much Ado About Stratford 19 Forests Birmingham 19 Nothing 16 Aug A Midsummer Stratford 19 Night’s Dream Troilus and Cressida Stratford 19 September Much Ado About Stratford 19 01 Sept Twelfth Night Stratford 18 Nothing Richard III Stratford 18 17 Aug A Midsummer Stratford 19 Much Ado About Stratford 19 Night’s Dream Nothing Troilus and Cressida Stratford 19 The Tempest Stratford 18 Much Ado About Stratford 19 Forests Birmingham 19 Nothing 02 Sept The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 18 Aug A Midsummer Stratford 19 03 Sept King John Stratford 18 Night’s Dream Much Ado About Stratford 19 Troilus and Cressida Stratford 19 Nothing Much Ado About Stratford 19 Forests Stratford 19 Nothing 04 Sept The Comedy of Errors Stratford 18 19 Aug Richard III Stratford 18 Cultural Olympiad in the West Midlands What’s On Guide Search for events near you wmfor2012.com @WestMidsfor2012 Review and post at /thegamesandme www.london2012.com/festival #London2012Fest

Legacy Trust UK is an independent charity creating a lasting impact from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games by funding ideas and local talent to inspire creativity across the UK. The Trust is delighted to be a Principal Funder of the Cultural Olympiad and London 2012 Festival and funds cultural, sporting and educational projects in communities across the UK that are inspired by London 2012. Legacy Trust UK supports a wide range of activities from street art to volunteering, music to animation, school sports to dance and digital art to festivals.

Since 2008 Legacy Trust UK has been supporting Dancing for the Games and Community Games in the West Midlands. The Trust committed £2.2 million to these projects to ensure that people across the region have the opportunity to get involved in celebrating London 2012 in their communities. We are now looking forward to a fantastic summer of events and activities that are open to everyone across the West Midlands and beyond. www.legacytrustuk.org

Arts Council England is proud to be a principal funder and supporter of the Cultural Olympiad, a nationwide programme of the UK’s best arts and culture in celebration of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Cultural Olympiad is a chance for everybody to be part of London 2012 by joining one of thousands of arts and culture events around the country. It’s an opportunity to put the best of British arts on an international stage.

The Arts Council believes in Great Art for Everyone, and champions, develops and invests in artistic and cultural experiences that enrich people’s lives. We support a range of activities across the arts, museums and libraries - from theatre to digital art, reading to dance, music to literature, and crafts to collections. Great art and culture inspires us, brings us together and teaches us about ourselves and the world around us. In short, it makes life better. www.artscouncil.org.uk

All copy correct at time of going to press. Please refer to organisations’ websites to check information and for more detail. Arts Council England does not accept any liability for details being changed or altered.