The original Awkward Bastards workshop and symposium in 2015 brought together artists, thinkers and producers to challenge ideas around diversity. Awkward Bastards 2 reflects on how the range of diversity from disability, ethnicity, and sexuality, to gender and class are represented amongst artists. Spread across two days it’s an intensely eclectic mix of professional artists and ‘short provocation’ open mic opportunities as part of the Radical Practises  strand. The opening day provides a choice of four workshops which all offer the viewer mechanisms with which to understand a complex world differently.  Sue Austin presents an introduction to 360 degree immersive technology and how this could be implemented to allow disabled audiences to engage with art, bring along your smart phones for live demonstrations. The complexity of the human condition is explored in Rachel Gadsden‘s ‘The Physical Expression of Painting and Drawing’, pioneering street artist Mohammed Ali gives advice on engaging effectively with the public and Rachael Savage shares the skills of Full Mask Theatre where no spoken language is used. Day two is the symposium which consists of two panels, ‘Framing Diversity’ with key note by Frances Morris, Director of Tate Modern and ‘Pasts and Futures’, with key note by David A Bailey  of the International Curators Forum. In addition to the panels Tanya Raabe-Webber will be creating a live portrait painting and we’re looking forward to some challenging performances from the Radical Practices open mic including Alex Leggett’s ‘Posthuman Autistic does some shit things and fails horribly’, Catherine Hoffmann’s ‘Stenchwench Presents Ten Tips On Being Feckless And Poor Whilst Pretending Not To Be’ and Vera Boysova’s ‘Objectify Me’. Full programme of events available here.

Wed 22 Mar 9.15 am choice of four workshops, each workshop £30 & Thu 23 Mar 10.15 am symposium £60 at mac, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham B12 9QH www.macbirmingham.co.uk/awkward-bastards