Hello,
Here’s an early Saturday morning newsletter from The Old Post Office (TOPO).
This weekend, the coworking space is open Saturday and Sunday, and we wanted to tell you about it.
From 11am-5pm today and tomorrow, you can pop in and meet six artists working on, exhibiting and selling their artworks. This is all part of an initiative set up by Owen de Visser called Birmingham Open Studios.
The coworking space will also be open as usual Monday to Friday 9am-5pm, with our bonus evening coworking session taking place every Wednesday evening from 6pm-9.30pm.
See you there?
— Kerry, & Team TOPO
Birmingham Open Studios
For the second year, the coworking space is a host venue for Birmingham Open Studios - pop in today or tomorrow (Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 September) between 11am-5pm.
At The Old Post Office we have six artists taking part in Birmingham Open Studios:
Ayesha Bibi (Sketch Avenue) - After 25 years of practicing as an architectural interior designer, Ayesha has returned to her passion of using earth as her medium to create art
Debra Nelson - Debra is designer and illustrator, she creates colourful prints and products, her work often takes inspiration from travel, adventure and the environment
Izzy Kennedy - South-Birmingham based illustrator and ceramicist, drawing her way round Birmingham through street portraits and architectural prints
Kate Shipley - Kate is an illustrator and maker inspired by her love of nature. Her drawings and designs are printed onto quality papers and fabrics and are perfect as gifts or to brighten your home
Mirta Vargas Ceramics - Mirta’s work is inspired by Nature, and by the desert landscape and native heritage of her region in Northern Chile
sparklymouse - Louise Marie Jones is a born and bred Brummy creating hand embroidered illustrations under the moniker sparklymouse – working with an ambition to make life a bit more colourful in a world full of doom and gloom.
Last year, Joe Lycett even popped into TOPO.
Delighted that Francesca Leslie popped in to the coworking space all the way from Canada while visiting local family living in Cotteridge - Francesca had found this piece of wrapping paper while clearing through some of her dad’s possessions (in Canada!) - the family used to live on Pershore Road. Brilliant artefact of local history - I showed Francesca this photo from Linda Chew’s Images of Stirchley book.
And of course, we share the same last name, and both our families all the way up the family tree come from Scotland. Maybe we are even distant relatives?
Join Maisie in a few weeks for an evening of pumpkin painting, spooky snacks + refreshments and a frighteningly good playlist. All materials are included.
Thursday 24 October 7pm-8.30pm£25pp, tickets available online
Local links
Some Stirchley residents are organising a Neighbourhood get-together tomorrow, Sunday 29 September, 12noon-2.30pm at Pineapple House (Dad’s Lane Community Association, Pineapple Road). Bring and share food - sign up online.
Birmingham Literature Festival opens this weekend for three weeks (Saturday 28 September - Saturday 19 October). The festival is celebrating 25 years - you may remember it as Birmingham Book Festival before its rebrand a decade or so ago. “Every year the festival brings world class writers into the city, champions writers from across the region and showcases wonderful writing in the Midlands. This year we are delighted to be producing a jam-packed festival featuring almost 40 events and workshops across the city and online.” You can view the whole programme online and book your tickets here. To celebrate turning a quarter of a century each ticketholder will receive a free copy of a specially commissioned anthology, Forward.
It takes a village - on Saturday 5 October, there’s a one day conference for teachers, social care, S.E.N.D professionals and families - “Come celebrate Black culture and neurodiversity with us as we recognise that it truly takes a village to raise a child”. The event is taking place at the MAC. Tickets via eventbrite.
Queer Draw Birmingham have a halloween themed life drawing event at ACE Dance and Music Studio in Digbeth, on Sunday 6 October from 2-4pm, with a social afterwards. Tickets are £12pp and more info including PAYC tickets via TicketSavvy.
On Thursday 17 October, 6.30-8pm there is a heritage talk at Selly Manor Museum (just off Bournville Green) - Black Tudors in conversation. Early in 2024 Selly Manor commissioned four young, local, artists of Black Heritage to create art depicting Black Tudors. One of the artists, Annie Pearson, will discuss her work ‘Cattelena’ - about an independent, single Black woman, who lived in a small English village during the Tudor era. Tickets are £5 and include a hot drink. Call Selly Manor on 0121 472 0199 to book tickets. Full details of the event here.This event is part of Black History Month celebrations. For more information about events taking place throughout the month visit the Blackstory Partnership website.
Community coworking space in Stirchley
The Old Post Office, 1533 Pershore Road, Stirchley, South Birmingham B30 2JH
The coworking space is open:
for Birmingham Open Studios today and tomorrow (Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 September)
For coworking Monday to Friday 9am-5pm, and Wednesday evening 6pm-9.30pm
For Stirchley Sewing School on other weeknights.
Thanks for your ongoing support!