Birmingham’s Climate Change Festival

 

Living in a city can sometimes become dull and grey with the day to day hustle and bustle of busy workers, commuters and shoppers. So it was a pleasant surprise when coloured installations began to crop up all over the city centre a couple of weeks ago although it was a bit of mystery at first what they stood for.

 

The installations were an abstract component of Birmingham’s Climate Change Festival which ran from May 31 to June 8. The colourful festival was made up of many parts all of which covering different green issues to raise the profile of global warming. Some of these included mass recycling, fair trade events, short films, school programmes and street entertainment.

 

These were large brightly coloured blocks which acted as a window to emphasise a certain area of the city. The orange and pink structures were designed by Mark Garside and Violetta Boxill, and the phrases by Mike Reed. Mike Reed is a freelance copywriter and creative director who states, “I’m happiest coming up with powerful creative concepts backed up with engaging compelling words.” Mike Reed talks more about his contribution to the festival on his personal website http://www.reedwords.co.uk/reedwordsblog/reedlatest/latest.html

 

The festival also brought celebrity support to Birmingham including Dame Ellen MacArthur who showed her appreciation for the event. More can be viewed and read here from Birmingham based blogger Podnosh…. http://www.podnosh.com/blog/2008/06/10/localstrategicpartnerhsipyoutubeellenmacarthur/

 

Dame Ellen states on her blog, “It was fantastic to speak to so many different groups of people – schools, community leaders, the University, the Housing Association amongst others – who were so passionate about doing their bit to reduce their carbon footprint and it was really good to see how Birmingham City Council were proactively supporting this.” – http://blog.ellenmacarthur.com/

 

 

 

 Centre Piece of the Festival in Victoria Square Birmingham

 

Did anyone attend any events of the festival and what were thoughts on the installations?