Warwickshire &amp; West Midlands


<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><strong>FOODIE NEWS</strong>: Last chance to enter Coventry &amp; Warwickshire&#8217;s first Foodie Awards 2021</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1158" src="https://warks.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2020/12/Glyn-Purnell-cropped.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-40619" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2020/12/Glyn-Purnell-cropped.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2020/12/Glyn-Purnell-cropped-259x300.jpg 259w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2020/12/Glyn-Purnell-cropped-432x500.jpg 432w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2020/12/Glyn-Purnell-cropped-768x889.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2020/12/Glyn-Purnell-cropped-453x525.jpg 453w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption>BBC One Saturday Kitchen regular Glyn Purnell, who runs Purnell&#8217;s Michelin-star restaurant in Birmingham<br></figcaption></figure>



<p>Michelin-starred Birmingham-based chef Glynn Purnell, his former employer Andreas Antona, owner of Michelin-starred The Cross in Kenilworth, and Russell Allen, managing director of Aubrey Allen will be judging the new Foodie Awards 2021.</p>



<p>The awards are a celebration of the best of the region’s food and drink scene as they re-emerge from the pandemic year, run in partnership with Warwickshire County Council and Visit Coventry. So far 150 entries have been received.</p>



<p>Categories for the awards include best artisan food and drink producers, best farm shop, best independent food and drink retailer, best newcomer, best street food trader and best chef or cook of the year, as well as best food/drink experience.</p>



<p>Three special awards will also recognise businesses and individuals who went above and beyond during the coronavirus pandemic &#8211; including a Covid-19 Resilience Award backed by Visit Coventry and The Godiva Award, sponsored by Coventry BID.</p>



<p>Also, on the judging panel will be Chris Hardy, The Fat Foodie, &#8211; a multi award-winning influencer and street food expert  &#8211; and fellow Stratford-based influencer Katie Matthews, The Hangry Blonde.</p>



<p>These awards complement Warwickshire county council&#8217;s new <a href="https://visit.warwickshire.gov.uk/">Visit Warwickshire</a> site as well as the <a href="https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/directory-record/6451/survive-sustain-and-grow-supporting-post-covid-19-business-recovery-in-warwickshire">Survive, Sustain &amp; Grow businesses support programme</a> created this year to help businesses through the pandemic. </p>



<p>The deadline is fast approaching! Businesses need to enter <a href="https://foodieawards.co.uk">here</a> before New Year&#8217;s Eve on Thurs Dec 31. This will be followed by a finalists’ night on Jan 25 at Coventry’s new Telegraph Hotel and then a grand ceremony in the spring.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FILM &amp; TV NEWS</h2>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><em>Christmas at Warwick Castle</em>, Channel 4</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="841" src="https://warks.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2020/12/Father-Christmas-enjoys-the-view-at-Warwick-Castle-c-Warwick-Castle-1-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-40618" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2020/12/Father-Christmas-enjoys-the-view-at-Warwick-Castle-c-Warwick-Castle-1-1.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2020/12/Father-Christmas-enjoys-the-view-at-Warwick-Castle-c-Warwick-Castle-1-1-300x252.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2020/12/Father-Christmas-enjoys-the-view-at-Warwick-Castle-c-Warwick-Castle-1-1-595x500.jpg 595w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2020/12/Father-Christmas-enjoys-the-view-at-Warwick-Castle-c-Warwick-Castle-1-1-768x646.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2020/12/Father-Christmas-enjoys-the-view-at-Warwick-Castle-c-Warwick-Castle-1-1-624x525.jpg 624w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Warwick Castle stars in a new Channel 4 documentary filmed in the run up to a most unusual Christmas. It aired on Tues Dec 22, and is available  for catch up on All 4. Filmed over six weeks in November and December this year, the show gives a behind-the-scenes look into the flurry of activity leading up to the big festive launch on Dec 5 &#8211; just as Tier 3 restrictions were announced.  </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Watch The Herbert&#8217;s first digital-micro commission featuring Coventry spoken word poet John Bernard</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-embed-youtube wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Blurred - A Poem by John Bernard" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/y47kR4S2YAM?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



<p>Coventry-based spoken word poet and rapper John Bernard is the first local artist to receive £700 for a digital micro-commission by <a href="https://www.theherbert.org/">The Herbert Art Gallery &amp; Museum</a>, Coventry. </p>



<p> You can now view his work, a short spoken word poetry film, <em>Blurred</em>, filmed in the city, above. John, a finalist on BBC 1Xtra and Asian Network’s BBC Words First programme, looks at the perception of people of colour and how this affects young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.&nbsp;</p>



<p>This new micro-commissioning project welcomes artists to respond to themes within the gallery’s recent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2020/oct/28/thirteen-ways-of-looking-review-cultural-identity-herbert-art-gallery-coventry">critically-acclaimed Thirteen Ways of Looking exhibition</a>, ranging from the lived experiences of people of colour to questions of where art belongs and digital spaces as sites for resistance and representation. </p>



<p>The Herbert has worked with Coventry arts organisation&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wearemaokwo.com/our-mission">Maokwo –&nbsp;</a>which supports marginalised communities, women, refugees, asylum seekers and migrant artists– to shape the project.</p>



<p>Details on the next micro-commission opportunity will be shared via the Herbert’s website in the coming weeks, so keep your eyes peeled!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Coventry/Warwickshire filmmaker wins Best Breakthrough (Offscreen) in 2020 Royal Television Society awards for <em>Swiped </em></h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1001" height="667" src="https://warks.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2020/12/Swiped-BTS-6551-2.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-40622" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2020/12/Swiped-BTS-6551-2.jpg 1001w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2020/12/Swiped-BTS-6551-2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2020/12/Swiped-BTS-6551-2-720x480.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2020/12/Swiped-BTS-6551-2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2020/12/Swiped-BTS-6551-2-788x525.jpg 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1001px) 100vw, 1001px" /><figcaption>Swiped, a Black Mirror-inspired BBC New Creatives film short about a virtual dating app in the not-too-distant future. Image: Luke Collins</figcaption></figure>



<p>Coventry-born freelance cinematographer and filmmaker Luke Collins was crowned winner at the regional Royal Television Society Awards for his film <em>Swiped</em>  about a virtual dating app set in the near future.  </p>



<p>The 28-year-old, who lives in Leamington Spa, graduated in Media Production at Coventry University in 2014, and now works as a lecturer on the course. His first scripted pieces, <em>Cappuccino</em>, examines the life of a performer with a stammer and was commissioned last year by Channel 4’s Random Acts.  </p>



<p><em>Swiped</em> was commissioned for the BBC New Creatives talent scheme for 18-30-year-olds. The film, starring Will Merrick and Laura Fleming, examines the modern dating conundrum in a provocative and disruptive manner, and has been compared to Charlie Brooker’s Netflix hit, Black Mirror. </p>



<p>It has since gone viral and attracted critical acclaim, including the BBC Arts Best Of 2019 campaign. You can watch <em>Swiped</em> on BBC iPlayer <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p07vdkjf/new-creatives-swiped">here</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">NEW YEAR&#8217;S EVE VIRTUAL COMEDY GIG</h2>



<p>As venues will be closed on New Year’s Eve top comedians including Romesh Ranganathan, Al Murray, Suzi Ruffell and John Thompson are taking over one of the Ed Fringe Festival Just The Tonic venue &#8211; The Caves for some live comedy, pre-recorded bits, chats, sketches and silly stuff.&nbsp;</p>



<p>The show will be live-streamed from 8pm &#8211; 1am, with intro music from 7.15pm (to give you time to get logged on, hit your laptop, shout at the internet then realise you haven’t done it all correctly!). <em>Book tickets <a href="https://www.justthetonic.com/everywhere-comedy/shows/thursday-31-dec-2020/5111/">here</a>. Early Bird Tickets: £9 &amp; after £10. </em></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Alan McGee curates Creation Day, a new two-day Midlands indie festival in May 2021</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://warks.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2020/10/Sleeper.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-38932" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2020/10/Sleeper.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2020/10/Sleeper-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2020/10/Sleeper-720x480.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2020/10/Sleeper-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2020/10/Sleeper-787x525.jpg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption>Sleeper</figcaption></figure>



<p>Editors, Happy Mondays, Echo and the Bunnymen, Friendly Fires, Sleeper, Ash, Black Grape, Cast and many more headline the first&nbsp;Creation&nbsp;Day festival&nbsp;exclusively curated by music mogul Alan McGee at <strong class="">Wolverhampton’s West Park</strong> next year&nbsp;(May 29-30). <em>For ticket details and information, head to: <a rel="noreferrer noopener" class="" href="http://creationdayfestival.com/tickets" target="_blank">Creationdayfestival.com/tickets</a> </em></p>


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