Following the huge popularity of Birmingham’s Artists Behind Bars events in 2017 and 2019, we’re doing it again on Friday 1st October
The Artists Behind Bars 2021 will be announced nearer to the event.
Artists Behind Bars is an event concocted by Kitty Finer that brings together artists to build, install, host, and run their own bars.
For one night shift only, the bar is the work of art, the artist is the bartender, and the spectator is the punter. Long before the term “pop up” popped up, Kitty’s many and various makeshift shops, bars and galleries have appeared under the influence of interim interventions, the often illicit social spaces of raves, fiestas, carnivals and beach bars.
Examples of past bars include French Riviera’s purple rain bar (tribute to Prince), Louisa Robbin’s Hard As Nails Bar (nail bar serving watermelon cocktails), Brian Catling put himself behind literal bars – held himself prisoner whilst serving sprits, Benedict Drew served drinks from the inside of his jacket, Turner Prize winning Tai Shani served shots of sambuca, sans toga from a Greek column and Marcia Farquhar hosted a champagne speakeasy where punters could sit and hear a story or two.
Join us for this legendary event to try drinks specially developed by some of the region’s most exciting artists, from behind their bespoke bars, then join us on the dance floor till the small hours.
This event is 18+.
ACCESS: The venue is flat throughout and has a disabled toilet.
Refugees and asylum seekers go free and we are also operating a free ‘skint list’ for those without the funds to attend. Email contact@wearefierce.org to confirm your place.
COVID POLICY: We are closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation. The venue is large and we will space bars out, and has very good ventilation. We currently plan to ask all audience members to show evidence of a negative covid test (lateral flow or PCR) within 48 hours. We reserve the right to update this policy if the situation changes.
1. Quick Duck Theatre
SubLime
Insta: @QuickDuckTheatre
Birmingham’s least-qualified health and beauty technicians invite you to SubLime, an elite spa resort offering an array of dubious care packages, each guaranteed to stimulate little to no effect! Brought to you by a team of delusional, deceitful, deranged amateur healthcare professionals, guaranteed to leave you slightly less calm than when you arrived.
2. Cathy Wade + Black Hole Club
Insta:@cathy__wade / @blackholeclub
Party like it’s 2019 A bar of multiple personalities, serving equal measures of Hi-Vis realness, all day spreadsheet zoom marathons, and imminent gentrification nightmares. Part uber bougie artisanal craft meets there’s a cashpoint a mile away facety car park shenanigans. We are the bar of your dreams, fancy a shandy?
4. Waj Hussein
Insta: @wajhuss3
#play43 SLE4Z3#
++close eyes + haunt urself++ in search of :: #ple4sure#3dom#play43 touch2touch giveit2me
[] escape nowhereS infinity [] fall back in to the night
##you#cant#find#me## under strobe light —— bad*boy dream*boy —— beautiful thing, sweet thing —— waste me . sedate me . violate me . degrade me :: everything*sexxxy
destruction in2 satisfaction
show me what ur made of #freedownload
5. Ellis Miles Stewart
Babstation
Insta: @ellismilesstewart
XXX hey caller, you’ve reached Babstation. LIVE for one night only — i’m here just for you and only you. XXX 0121-01-10-2021 £££
6. Liz Ord
The Winners Only!™ Bar
Insta: @lizord
You’re probably DEFINITELY A WINNER baby… So why not show it off?!The Winners Only!™ bar is a place where you too can be an OPULENT DELUXURY WINNER with more TROPHIES, AWARDS, SASHES AND CROWNS than you can shake your jewel-adorned sceptre at!The Winners Only!™ bar brings you a LUXURIOUS and VERY DELUSIONAL space where everyone WINS and everything is about YOU (for as long as it takes you to pose for a photo and finish your expensive drink).You’ll be APPLAUDED, WHOOPED* and served CHAMPAGNE** in your very own Head in a hole Winners landscape, no toxic wieners allowed*!! YES!
*AS LONG AS YOU PAY US
**OR SOMETHING THAT LOOKS LIKE IT
***anyone within the winners only bar™ zone is a winner™ – the concept of loosing is relegated to far far away.
7. Mojere Ajay
Have you tried?
Insta: @Mojere.Jpeg
“Oh dear…you’re…disabled? Well, have you tried…fixing it? My brother’s, uncle, cousins hairdresser tried yoga and it worked wonders!”
Have you tried is a bar full of all the obnoxious remedies people have offered me as a disabled person over the years. Come get your chakras aligned! Get rid of all that toxic 3D matrix energy, it’s bringing you down babe, that’s why you’re so sick! Don’t bother waking up at 6am doing sun salutations and mainlining sea moss gel- just come to my bar because I have tried it all!
8. Lilith Laceration
In Low Spirits
Insta: @herelieslilith_
Twitter: @herelieslilith
In low spirits is a bar shrouded in mystery and the occult, tormented by what lies on the other side. Come and see what messages and foreboding words the (not so great) medium Lilith has for you.
9. Albert Smith
A Taste of South Africa
Albert Smith shares stories of South Africa alongside traditional music and tasty vetkoek dumplings
10. Round Lemon
The 258th Gathering of The Four Saints Of The Yellow
Insta:@round__lemon
The year of the lemon is upon us and we are here to spread the word. The Four Saints of The Yellow invite you to join us to hear the gospel of the Lemon God and the Orange Devil. Become part of our gathering through the sacrificial lemon ceremony.