It’s 2020! Happy New Year everyone!

Certainly I expect this New Year to be a momentous one for the Birmingham Big Art Project.  Last year I told you that a dedicated army of professionals and other supporters were beavering away behind the scenes.  When, as expected, this newly formed Government announces the go-ahead on the largest infrastructure project in Europe – the HS2 railway line from London to Birmingham (Curzon Street) and beyond – we will be released to publish new strategies to ‘Get Station Clock Done’!

• The project is now referred to as ‘Station Clock’ under the umbrella of the Birmingham Big Art Project, which itself is overseen in financial and governance terms by the registered charity ‘Birmingham Big Art Foundation’.
• ‘Station Clock’ is being progressed in two stages:
  – The physical side, which is to be located in the new public square leading to the HS2 terminal.
  – The aural clock, made of up 1092 voices from Greater Birmingham’s diverse communities. We call this part of our project ‘Twelve Tones’ and this is in partnership with the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.
• The newly formed UK Government is shortly to announce whether or not HS2 is to proceed. We anticipate the first stage will be commissioned shortly; the line from London to Curzon Street.  When we know their revised timetable, we can then finalise our marketing and fundraising strategies.
• The work on recording the 1092 voices is progressing well. To date we have recorded some 400 voices from Birmingham schools and local community groups.  Our producers are inviting individuals and groups/clubs etc to contact them via our Commission Agents if they wish to participate.
• A crowdfunding exercise is currently being devised to enable us to attract funding from people/groups interested in bidding for the last 100 required voices.
• Advertisements have just been placed on social media to find two suitable individuals to sit on our Board of Trustees, one of whom will run the crowdfunding strategy.

So, we have much to get on with.  We will need to work in partnership with HS2 and set up a close working relationship with that infrastructure project’s Main Contractor.

As ever if anyone feels they have some spare time to help us deliver ‘Station Clock’ then it would be good to hear from you.

I wish you all a successful and healthy 2020.

GLYN PITCHFORD

Chairman, Birmingham Big Art Project

January 2020