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Our mission

Shell Parkside CIPA operates a dedicated state-of-the-art visual and performance lab (The Shell, Parkside) and studio resources (Birmingham School of Acting, Millennium Point); both facilities are based in central Birmingham.

In addition to bringing together a world-class staff of practitioners and researchers, we support a thriving community of graduate MA and MFA students, and a new PhD practice-as-research programme starting in 2016.

CIPA is a platform dedicated to creating artistic and intellectual research environment that will benefit from the links and connections across the Faculty of Arts, Design and Media, as well as other faculties within Birmingham City University.

We will harness research excellence in practice-as-research from the internationally acclaimed Birmingham Conservatoire, the historic and well-established Birmingham School of Art, and Birmingham Centre for Media and Culture Research, which is based at the Birmingham School of Media.

External partners

CIPA will also collaborate with a number of local, national and international partners, such as BE Festival, Artrix Art Centre, Kolectiv Theatre Ltd., Theatre de Complicite, Gerald Thomas and Dray Opera Company, Laszlo Marton and Soulpepper Theatre and Academy among others.

We'll engage in cutting-edge theatre and interdisciplinary performance artworks, involving both undergraduate and postgraduate students in practice-as-research projects to provide professional creative experiences.

In addition to working on practice-led research projects for creative industries funded by the UK, EU and corporate funding, CIPA will engage in postgraduate education and development programmes through masterclasses and tuition from internationally renowned visiting performance artists and creative practitioners.

International network

CIPA’s creative partnership network, retreats and creative workshops in performative arts includes institutions and artists across Europe in Antwerp, Athens, Belgrade, Berlin, Basel, Budapest, Frankfurt, Ljubljana and Paris; as well as international collaborators in Sao Paulo, Bogota, Mexico City, New York, Montreal, Teheran, Moscow, Shanghai, and Kyoto.