Solihull Arts Complex

Celebrate the launch of the Surreal Solihull exhibition in Solihull Town Centre with a weekend packed full of Surrealism-inspired music, dance and spoken word performances on Thursday 6, Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 March. Find out more about what's on below:

 

Thursday 6 March. Solihull High Street from 7pm

Surreal Solihull kicks off on Thursday with performances on Solihull High Street between 7 – 8.30pm, including a dance performance by local professional dancer Rob Hemming, a devised music and dance piece by musician Kris Chase Byrne, and an imagined meeting between Frida Kahlo and Emmy Bridgwater by theatre company Itzatna Arts. 

Find out more about the performers:
ITZATNA Arts
Kris Chase-Byrne
Robert Hemming

 

Saturday 8 March, The Core from 10am

Family workshops will be taking place at The Core on Saturday. At 10am and 2pm, poet Adrian Johnson invites family groups aged 6 years and above to join in for some surreally good fun and games, colouring and pasting together mini dreamscapes inspired by Solihull. Families can also join Alison Penn and Milly Best at 1pm for a fun dance workshop exploring all things surreal through games, dance and movement. Workshops are FREE but must be booked.

Find out more about the performers:
Adrian Johnson
Alison Penn and Milly Best

 

Saturday 8 March, Solihull High Street 11am

Meet the curator of Surreal Solihull, author and writer Ruth Millington, at 11am by Metro Bank on Solihull High Street for a FREE 30 minute personal tour of the exhibition. 

 

Saturday 8 March. Solihull High Street from 1pm, repeated in Touchwood from 3pm

On Saturday, join musician Isaac Boothman to create a live sound collage with strange layers of music. Dance artist Nicole Nevitt will perform a duet inspired by the need for connection, and local theatre makers Skylar Mabry and Kelly Casey present a two woman show inspired by three different stages of Emmy Bridgwater's life. Rupinder Kaur also peforms a new piece exploring Surrealist art using the body as a canvas. 

Find out more about the performers:
Isaac Boothman
Nicole Nevitt
Skylar Mabry and Kelly Casey
Rupinder Kaur 

 

Sunday 9 March. Solihull High Street from 12pm, repeated in Touchwood from 2pm

On Sunday, help create a puppet for performance based on a Surrealist game with Amber Gollay and Annie Brighton. Vivi Bayliss will present a dance solo inspired by 'automatic drawing', Amy Leigh Sandford will share her reflections on Surrealism based on conversations with the public and Disorderly Theatre will present their new family theatre piece ‘Lobster Phone.' 

Find out more about the performers:
Vivi Bayliss
Amy Leigh Sandford
Chantelle Oriss (Disorderly Theatre)
Amber Gollay and Annie Brighton

 

Throughout the exhibition

A new composition based on Emmy Bridgwater’s dreamlike artworks by musician Natalie Roe will be able to be listened through via QR code, and a dance film by local dancers Alison Penn and Millie Best will be available to view throughout the exhibition. 

Find out more about the performers:
Natalie Roe
Alison Penn and Milly Best
 

‘Surreal Solihull’ is supported by the West Midlands Combined Authority’s Commonwealth Games Legacy Fund and developed in partnership with Solihull Council, The Mayor Gallery in London and the Emmy Bridgwater Estate.