Never Say Die exhibition – Los Angeles 2018

Home of Metal – Project Coordinator (Freelance Role)
90 days between February – October 2019 based on 2-3 days per week with possible extension
Fee: £110 per day
Employer: Capsule
Location of post: Custard Factory Birmingham
Closing date: 5pm Friday 25 January 2019
Interview date: Friday 1 February 2019

Role:
Capsule are looking for a highly organised, motivated, freelance coordinator to deliver our highly ambitious Home of Metal programme of work in Birmingham during 2019. Essential experience will include arts and cultural events, heritage, marketing and project management, audience development and community engagement.

The successful candidate must be able to multitask, coordinate and manage a variety of projects throughout the programme. They should have strong knowledge and experience of administrative systems, delivering complex programmes and an excellent working knowledge of online marketing tools and digital media in order to cover the breadth of activity which will include the co-ordinating of recruitment and training of volunteers alongside delivering new contemporary art commissions with major institutions.

Background and context:
“Heavy Metal was born in the West Midlands and has developed a global following matched only by hip-hop. It’s time to stop sneering and celebrate this proud cultural heritage.” New Statesman

Home of Metal is a Capsule project and a celebration of the music that was born in Birmingham. Music that turned up the volume, down-tuned the guitars, and introduced a whole new meaning to the word ‘heavy’. Home of Metal’s exhibitions and events join the dots between music, social history, visual art and fan cultures to produce a new perspective on Heavy Metal; one that is celebratory, eschews notions of high/low art and joins audiences and performers together.

Home of Metal will deliver a programme of activity during summer 2019 including a major exhibition at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery and exhibitions at The New Art Gallery Walsall, MAC, Centrala and Eastside Projects. Home of Metal is supported by Arts Council England, Heritage Lottery Fund, Birmingham City University and a range of project partners and supporters.

For further information about the role please download Home of Metal Co-ordinator Job Description + Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form
For more information about the project see www.homeofmetal.com

Application:

If you are interested in applying for this opportunity please email your cv, a letter of application outlining your interest and how you feel you would fulfil this role (no more than 2 sides of A4)  + the Equal opportunities form to [email protected]
Closing date: 5pm Friday 25 January 2019
Interview date: Friday 1 February 2019

The Song Remains The Same – When will Birmingham’s Music get its due respect Birmingham
Birmingham City University Wednesday, 9 July 2014

Capsule’s director Lisa Meyer will be a panelist at this event, joining Matt Everitt (BBC 6Music), Vix Vox (Vix and her MsChiefs and ex Fuzzbox) and music writer Pete Paphides (Guardian Music), which will be chaired by Prof. Paul Long (BCU School of Media), discussing Birmingham’s place in popular music, and whether the city and region gets the credit it deserves.

What do you think – When will Birmingham’s music get its due respect? Why is this question necessary? Is it?

VOTE HERE

We are delighted to have reached the finals of The National Lottery Awards for our Home of Metal project.  The Awards are an annual search to find the UK’s favourite Lottery-funded projects, and they aim to celebrate and recognise the difference that those projects have made to people, places and communities all across the UK. VOTE HERE

Home of Metal is competing against six other projects for the title of Best Heritage Project. Home of Metal is up against – Cotton Famine Park, Mary Rose Museum, Moments in Time, Museum of Liverpool, The Restoration of Hackney Empire and St George’s Market.

After over 5 years of dreaming, planning, championing and charming, Capsule managed something quite extraordinary in the summer of 2011.  Music fans as well as gifted curators and producers, Capsule threw down the gauntlet to the region.  Where were the shrines to Heavy Metal? Loved the world over, Heavy Metal in its many forms had its roots in Birmingham and the Black Country.  But you wouldn’t know to visit it.  Nary a plaque, tour or tea towel marked one of the region’s most prolific cultural exports.  But Capsule changed all that.

Home of Metal is a celebration of the music that was born in the Black Country and Birmingham, and is a project created and produced by Capsule.

At last fans in Birmingham and the rest of the world had a chance to pay homage to the music and its industrial home.

–  Over 200 000 people attended events and activities as part of Home of Metal
–  The total economic activity for Home of Metal is estimated at £2.69 million
–  The PR value was over £1 million
–  Home of Metal events and activities had visitors from countries such as USA, Australia, The Philippines, South Africa, Canada, Egypt, India, Brazil, France, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Sweden, Iceland and Finland.
–  At least 80 volunteers were engaged in the exhibitions and events of Home of Metal
–  35% of all visitors to the exhibitions were visiting to the museum/gallery for the first time
–  92% of all respondents felt that their overall experience of the exhibition was either ‘very good’ or ‘good’.

Every vote counts, so we really appreciate your support!  We’ll keep you updated on our progress – thank you.

VOTE HERE

Supported by the legendary the one and only Mr. Tony Iommi

Remember “Home of Metal” exhibition back in 11? Well it’s up for an award so we need your votes now to make permanent http://t.co/HkTVYUPOwy

— Tony Iommi (@tonyiommi) June 28, 2014

Back by very popular demand is the Home of Metal Family Tree tea towel. Illustrated by Bunny Bissoux, the map traces the tangled web of heavy metal history. A lovely Christmas present we reckon, but make sure you get your order in by Thursday 19th December at the latest. Visit our shop.

Home of Metal is a celebration of the music that was born in the Black Country and Birmingham – check out, and contribute to, the digital archive.

From Tuesday Studio Mysercough will be in residence in the Discovery Pavilion.

Studio Myerscough have created the structure which acts as a billboard for the entire Discovery Programme. Situated in the Library foyer, The Pavilion will house an 18-week rolling programme of creative residencies focused around the theme of Discovery.
Morag Myerscough is an award winning artist, founder of Studio Myerscough and member of the creative collective Supergroup. Often referred to as a ‘place- maker’ she has produced an eclectic — and sometimes eccentric — body of work that is frequently unclassifiable but always engaging. Morag & Luke were the exhibition designers for Home of Metal at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery. For The Pavilion, Morag worked with fellow Supergroup member artist Luke Morgan to create an upbeat and stimulating surrounding for the residents.

Entirely hand–crafted and hand-painted The Pavilion is a bold and engaging structure reflecting the diverse, and often radical, offerings of the Discovery Season. During the residency participants will have the opportunity to have a go at some of Morag’s design techniques and stencil some of the bespoke furniture for the space. Not to be missed, she is a truly inspirational artist.
See examples of more of Morag’s work – http://www.studiomyerscough.com/

Morag will also be doing a talk about her practice as part of  Volume, followed by a performance by Luke’s band The Highliners and a key note by Bill Drummond. We can’t wait – find out more HERE

For the Heavy Metal of course!

In its recent UK city culture guides, the Guardian highlighted the city’s Heavy Metal heritage as the key cultural highlight of Birmingham. With a nod to Capsule’s Home of Metal project and 2011 programme, they recommend a visit to Brum to check out the current heavy music scene.

Lots of great pieces have been added to the Home of Metal digital archive recently. Including Judas Priest stage costumes, direct from the band themselves. How they manage to perform in those is beyond us. There’s also a handwritten letter to a fan from Rob Halford, where he passionately declares his love for all things METAL, a gig journal from the most devoted Sabbath fan the Home of Metal team have met yet and handwritten lyrics from Ozzy’s ‘Diary of a Madman’ loaned by the album cover artist Krusher.

It’s so exiting to see these pieces from music history alongside precious fan memorabilia. And we want more! Upload images of your ticket stubs, photographs, prized records or tell us about your Heavy Metal memories and be part of this global music archive. To find out more, go here .

Thanks to all who made it on Sunday for our event at IKON. Part of the gallery’s Autumn Almanac series, celebrating the city’s cultural activity, we were invited to program a night of music and sound art. This seemed a wonderful way to round off our wonderful Home of Metal year, celebrating the sound of Birmingham with two exciting performances that explored the concept of Heavy Metal and created something entirely new.

Fresh from their Supersonic debut, Ore played their tuba doom. Referencing Metal, Classical and Experimental sounds.

Andrew Moscardo Parker took inspiration from the newly reformed godfathers of Metal, taking the first three notes of the song ‘Black Sabbath’ ( these notes were known as the Devil’s Intervals in Medieval times) and creating a 30 minute string piece. Eight string players surrounded the audience to create a truly immersive piece of work.

Capsule’s very own Ms Sara Fowles (centre) contributes viola

Huge thanks to all the players, to SOUNDkitchen for contributing field recordings based around the notion of ‘Metal’ and to IKON.