Lift Off!

The grand opening of the Curve is on this week, starting with the exciting new show 'Lift Off'.

Featuring the award-winning NoFit State Circus, renowned internationally for their energetic performances; leading gospel singer Sharon D Clark (Last Choir Standing); Poet Michael Brome; The Kangaroos gymnastic display team; Kainé Choir with local school children; Desi Masti and Nupur Arts in a celebration of Indian dance with a contemporary twist.

For tickets click here and be part of Leicester's exciting new heritage.

Make Your Mark in Music

Make Your Mark have partnered with live music promotions company Curious Generation to find and support the next generation of music promoters.

They're looking for young people aged 18-30 from across the UK who want support to set up and run a regular, live music night in their home town or city. According to the Live Music Forum's findings, the live music sector is the fastest growing part of the music industry yet there isn't a single training course in the UK that provides specialist skills in the promotion of live music.

So if you have a passion for music and want to run a live music event in your City, click here for more information and an application form. Who knows, you may start the next legendary night!

The Unloved v. Jericho 1 at the LCB Depot

From 16th to 24th September the LCB Depot played host to The Unloved v. Jericho 1: Portraits. This was an exhibition exploring traditional portrait photography and design in a collaboration between two established East Midlands artists Koo Bhangra (The Unloved) and Chris Denner (Jericho 1). The self initiated project allowed Bhangra and Denner the creative freedom to test the boundaries of their prospective artforms and in so doing, create limited edition pieces which are already being hailed as future classics.
To contact the artists and find out more please click here.

Call for Eco Artists and Designers!

Green and Organic '08 are holding another environmentally friendly fashion, art and design show running from the 3rd September to the 15th September. They are looking for artists and designers with strong eco design values to showcase their work, and the running order looks something like this:

• 1.Green Artists Exhibition (walls) - 3-15th September 2008 – selection in person 30th August 10-5pm (download application form)
  
• 2.Green Designer Makers & Artists Exhibition (cabinets) - 3-15th September 2008– selection by post – deadline July 30th (download application form)
• 3.Opening Night and Fashion Show Thursday 4th September 6-9pm compered by BBC presenter Penny Poyser – selection by post – deadline July 30th (download application form)
• 4.Green Designer-makers, Fair Trade & Vintage Market Saturday 6th September – selection by post - deadline July 30th (download application form)

If you feel you fit the bill download the application form, stick in a tenner in cheque form and send it off! All profits go towards running the show and supporting the artists involved.

Ink This @ The Depot

As some of you may have seen, there was an amazing exhibition held at the LCB Depot by the guys at Ink This, based around the alphabet. 40 individually handcrafted letterforms designed and illustrated by 40 top artists were launched in style with our very own Tanda providing the beats. It was a fantastic exhibition and provided inspiration to all the business residents of the Depot.

Artist participants included Rinzen, the famous Australian collective, OneSideZero, who has been involved since the beginning and designed the flyers, Jamie Cullen, featured in Design Week, and Duster 132, amazing robotic suit illustrator.

Leicester: Britain's Most Musical City?

The Arts Council England has launched an online public vote to try and decide which City is Britain's most musical. Now, I don't mean to be biased but you are all going to vote for Leicester aren't you? ;)

Englebert Humperdinck the musical legend is presenting the case for Leicester, and he highlights some very good artists and musicians that are proud to call Leicester their home. This includes Kasabian, The Young Knives, Mark 'The Mac' Morrison (who went on to become part of Def Row with Snoop Dogg and 2Pac), Cornershop, and of course who can forget Showaddywaddy.

Now all this musical talent is more than enough incentive to click this link and vote away for Leicester, but just in case it isn't there's a load of other musical talent like our very own Tanda and James Kelly. On the classical side there are numerous choirs such as gospel, school, cathedral and church and the classical music scene has been growing recently.

So get clicking and vote for Leicester!

Leicester Arts and Museums Graffiti Project

Leicester Arts and Museums Service, in partnership with our mates at Pedestrian and added project management goodness at Bulb, recently ran a graffiti project in Coleman Neighbourhood Centre with a group of young people from the local community. It turned out really well, with loads of positive comments coming from the local residents, the young people involved and the Service themselves. The young people directed the project, deciding on the artwork themes and placement and spraying the final piece. The only complaint was everyone wished they could've done the other side of the walls as well! So a wicked success all round. Check our Flickr set for the full artwork.

One Leicester

There was a wicked campaign run recently called One Leicester, and the posters appeared all over town. It was regular people saying what they loved about Leicester and how they felt connected to the City. Check out our Flickr set for more photos and locations around Leicester city centre. One Leicester.

Looking up in Leicester

Leicester is an amazing place, as even though the town centre has been populated by modern shops and offices there has been a real effort to keep the traditional architecture. However, not many people look up when they walk around town, and it's easy to miss the beautiful mosaics and stained glass windows that look down on the streets. Check out our Flickr stream for all the photos, and check them out in real life in Leciester city centre.

Sit back, relax and watch the good times roll

These portable benches are something else, moving around the city every so often and allowing you to have a seat, catch your breath and look around at what's going on. Leicester is changing, catch it while you can.

Can Culture Count Premiere

Check out the photos from the premiere of the 'Can Culture Count?' film which we produced with young people from Leicester - with thanks to funding from the Local Network Fund... See the Slideshow on the right or click the image above to see the images on Flickr.

Bulb Roots - Can Culture Count 2008

The Can Culture Count Video made as part of our Local Network Fund, Funded project with young people from Leicester. The project discusses the cultural regeneration of Leicester City Centre and asks what role young people have in the steering the developments and the future of the City... The answer - well watch the young peoples' film. Enjoy.

CAN CULTURE COUNT PREMIERE...

1st February 2008

Last Night saw the premiere of the 'Can Culture Count?' Film and the exhibition of the photography from the ISHT 'Geotag!' Project at the LCB Depot in the heart of our fair city's Cultural Quarter.

The turnout was fantatstic, we were pleased to welcome an enthusiastic audience made up of the Principle and teachers from Riverside Business & Enterprise College, the young people who participated in the projects, their friends and family, local artists and arts practitioners, and friends of Bulb Roots, Isht and Pedestrian. Thank you to everyone, particularly the staff from Riverside for spending their own time to come and support our work.

The film was enthusiastically received and will be distributed far and wide next week - the Geotag photographs have created a real buzz around the depot already and will be displayed for the next few days in the depot reception.

Photos from the evening and the film itself will be posted here shortly so please do check back soon.

GEOTAG - Leicester Train Station

Leicester Train Station

This Panorama is part of the ISHT & Bulb Roots GEOTAG project. The photography from the Geotag project will be exhibited in the LCB Depot, Leicester on Thursday 31st January from 7.30pm. Click the images to see the geotag information and to see this image on the map

Keep checking back here to see how our city changes over the coming months and years..

GEOTAG - Leicester High Street

Leicester High Street

This Panorama is part of the ISHT & Bulb Roots GEOTAG project. The photography from the Geotag project will be exhibited in the LCB Depot, Leicester on Thursday 31st January from 7.30pm. Click the images to see the geotag information and to see this image on the map

Keep checking back here to see how our city changes over the coming months and years..

GEOTAG - Leicester Market

Leicester Market, originally uploaded by bulbstudios.

This Panorama is part of the ISHT & Bulb Roots GEOTAG project. The photography from the Geotag project will be exhibited in the LCB Depot, Leicester on Thursday 31st January from 7.30pm. Click the images to see the geotag information and to see this image on the map

Keep checking back here to see how our city changes over the coming months and years..

GEOTAG - Leicester Vaughan Way

Leicester Vaughan Way, originally uploaded by bulbstudios.

Leicester Vaughan Way

This Panorama is part of the ISHT & Bulb Roots GEOTAG project. The photography from the Geotag project will be exhibited in the LCB Depot, Leicester on Thursday 31st January from 7.30pm. Click the images to see the geotag information and to see this image on the map

Keep checking back here to see how our city changes over the coming months and years..

GEOTAG - Leicester Cultural Quarter

PAC centre, originally uploaded by bulbstudios.

Leicester Cultural Quarter,

This Panorama is part of the ISHT & Bulb Roots GEOTAG project. The photography from the Geotag project will be exhibited in the LCB Depot, Leicester on Thursday 31st January from 7.30pm. Click the images to see the geotag information and to see this image on the map

Keep checking back here to see how our city changes over the coming months and years..

GEOTAG - Leicester Clock Tower

Leicester City Centre, originally uploaded by bulbstudios.

Leicester Clock Tower

This Panorama is part of the ISHT & Bulb Roots GEOTAG project. The photography from the Geotag project will be exhibited in the LCB Depot, Leicester on Thursday 31st January from 7.30pm. Click the images to see the geotag information and to see this image on the map

Keep checking back here to see how our city changes over the coming months and years..

Straight 8 Film Competition 2008!

Straight8 is a film competition held nationwide, and the idea is that you shoot 3 minutes on 8mm film, and the only editing you are allowed is on camera. No editing, no touching up, no nothing. Some of the freshest and most innovative films have been produced by entrants, and it is well worth considering because there is the possibility your film will be screened at Cannes! Start filming now guys :)

A Hunger For Truth

Rafael Morgan has produced several "avant garde products", but the most interesting and possibly the most influential is the Indigestive plate. A vivid reminder of how much your food is worth, and also how lucky we are in some respects. Would it change the way you view food?

Byron William's Leicester Photography

Continuing the theme of photography projects in Leicester, Byron William's site Reactor10 is particularly interesting, as it shows a very casual take on Leicester's culture. A favourite photo is the 'Posing Pigeon' ;)

Leicester never looked so beautiful...

Ben Ravilious is a photographer who portrays Leicester in a totally different light, capturing the culture and feel of the city every time.

Check out his section on Leicester here. His work is also being exhibited at the Guru Tegh Bahadur Gurdwara (Sikh Temple), on East Park Road, Leicester. Well worth a look.