They say imitation is the best form of flattery, but here at Fierce we think BUYING SOMEONE’S STUFF is the pinnacle of admiration! If you’re celebrating the holidays via the medium of gift giving – or just fancy supporting artists and grabbing yourself a treat in the process, check out our 2023 Arty Holigay Gift Guide below – featuring arts and crafts, books, music and apparel created by artists that Fierce have worked with over the years.
And if you spot anything else that you think should be included in this guide, please send it to rebecca@wearefierce.org and we’ll add in!
Art + Craft
Kitty Finer, the brains behind the brilliant Artists Behind Bars, has created these Kitty Craic-ers. Each can be customised with a lyric or quote, and they are in a limited run of 20. Go go go!
Birmingham Craftspace have an independent design and craft store, and there are some lovely products in there designed by artists to raise funds for the charity.
Coven Oven is a project by Jo Hellier – who was one of the Horizon Residency Artists for 2023 – which celebrates love of the land, witchcraft, food, herbs and folklore. We love these hand printed lino-cut Christmas cards.
Books
Steve Lambert‘s ‘Capitalism Works for Me!‘ was a public art installation and brilliant conversation starter that was part of Fierce Festival 2017. His latest book ‘The Art of Activism’ is perhaps needed right now more than ever.
You may recognise the unique style of Girth of Venus‘s beautiful illustrations from last year’s Healing Gardens of Bab artwork. We’re super excited about the upcoming release of his debut book ‘The Romance of the Dancing Boy’ in January. Pre-order yours now!
Music
Fierce pal and vocal powerhouse of Brum, Fatt Butcher, has turned heads recently (well, 4 to be exact) on The Voice UK. Today is World AIDS Day, and this year Fatt is raising funds for the National AIDS Trust with the release of their single ‘This Woman’s Work’. Profits from purchases of the song made before 02/12/2023 will be donated to the National AIDS Trust, so get on it quick!
Ana Rab, better known as Gnucci, was part of the stellar line up at 2017’s Club Fierce: We Are Fierce. Part of the new generation of female hip-hop and rap performers on the international scene, her latest release ‘godess’ can be bought on Bandcamp right now.
Sound artist Yas Clarke was part of The Making of Pinocchio team and was one of Horizon’s Residency artists this year (alongside Jo Hellier, above). Their latest project, The Thicket, is an intricate, rhythmic and melodic text score, composed for four voices. In the context of climate change, the composition probes the limits of human capacities for understanding our position in the natural world.
Apparel
marikiscrycrycry‘s “$elfie$” premiered at Fierce Festival 2017. MISS ME ERODE sees marikiscrycrycry and Sam Ray collaborate on a collection of pieces ranging from unique hand-made garments, to ready-to-wear t-Shirts. They’ve gone like hot cakes so there’s only one design currently remaining (pictured). 5% of all proceeds will go to The Outside Project, and a further 5% will go to Hackney Caribbean Elders Association
Miet Warlop‘s Ghostwriter and the Broken Hand Break was a favourite at Fierce 2019, and we LOVED his recent work One Song at Transform and Battersea Arts Centre – grab yourself one of the original scarves featured in the piece, they’re a thing of typographical beauty!
Repent?
If all this talk of shopping has got you wanting to repent for your consumerist sins, absolve yourself by supporting Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping, the NYC-based wild anti-consumerist gospel shouters and Earth-loving urban activists that tore BMAG’s Victorian Tea Rooms down down at Fierce Festival 2017
