I just want to list a few bloggers who’ve thrown their weight behind Created in Birmingham to win the UK blog category in these awards. CiB is run by a number of my friends and the impact they’ve had on Birmingham in the last year or so deserves recognition. When I last looked it was running just behind Melanie Phillips, the Daily Mail columnist.
http://2008.weblogawards.org/polls/best-uk-blog/
You can vote every 24 hours (click here) from each computer you use between now and 10pm UK time on Jan 13th.
Thanks and a little bit of link love to:
Ian T Edwards “CiB is a great resource for keeping track of creative endeavours in Birmingham. It’s not run by the council or some company. It’s run by ordinary people who are doing it in their spare time. It supports artists and other creative types. In return the Birmingham online community which is strong, is getting behind CiB to support and canvas for it in these awards.”
Digbeth is Good “CiB is thoroughly deserving of this award, it’s done a brilliant job of covering the arts and creative output of Birmingham and has been a true inspiration to others interested in blogging. I’m pretty certain Digbeth is Good wouldn’t have been born without it”.
Daniel Davies “When I moved to Birmingham I didn’t know a soul. Thankfully, I had the Internet and I stumbled upon a pokey little blog which advertised creative events around the city. Created in Birmingham is vital asset to Birmingham, connecting the creative community and providing a simple enough approach for anyone to find it useful. Its also independent, free from the pressures of advertisers to plug content and its readership is actively encouraged to contribute
Karen Strunks: ” I am grateful for CIB’s support, and if it wasn’t for them, this wouldn’t have happened. It was through CIB’s website that the magazine found me.”
Laura Whitehead: “as an ex res of Brum it is a fine and creative place”
Ordo Paginarum: “the blog is doing an excellent service for creative types in Birmingham”
Ed Russell Community Matters
Clare Edwards: Blogging Solidarity “all the key blogs in the area have got behind it and it is a great example of how the good work of Created in Birmingham has gained them respect from all sorts of quarters.”
Ewan Spence: “Go Brum… there is something special about every blog, but one that promotes the arts and culture that’s away from the mainstream is extra special; and if you need to find abstract artists in the Aston Area, then CiB is a perfect fit.”
Pete Ashton (also in the race but the bloke who set up CiB)
Rachel Gilles.
Chris Unitt (CiB is his baby at the mo) “I’m not sure of the chances of winning, especially as this is essentially a popularity contest and the other blogs have huge readerships, but I’m doing my damndest to get people voting. It often feels like I’m stretching goodwill to breaking point every time I send another reminder and for that reason I’ll be pleased when the voting period is over”
Liberal Conspiracy (this is one is mostly anti Mel)
Podnosh (!)
Nosemonkey is sacrificing their own vote. Thank you: ” vote often. To those still voting for me – thanks, you’re very sweet, but even I’m not voting for me any more.”
Citizensheep twice! Here he tries to help Neil Clark, who’s also on the shortlist, appreciate the extent of real support CiB has.
Kebabablog
Art Stalking “I’m keen for them to win not just because I think their hearts are in the right place, but because it’s a way of saying that Birmingham has a strong creative community.”
Bostin (through a facebook group)
Joanna Geary “It has changed the way I think about my industry, about the businesses that form it and the organisations that claim to support it.”
Peter Bacon “Strength and influence are both crucial to the vitality of the arts and creative industries, and strength and influence are greatly enhanced by those who link us all together.”
Shona. (politer than sometimes) “If you don’t, I will scweam and scweam and scweam and scweam. And you wouldn’t want to be responsible for a breach of the peace now, would you?”
Sunny at Pickled Politics “You’ll be doing humanity a favour.”
Anthony Herron “It was started by Pete Ashton, who is also up for the award but who has already asked people to vote for CiB instead. Pete is renowned for his blogging and he puts a massive amount back into the community, along with Chris Unitt, who has been running CiB for the last year now. CiB is about to be taken over by Kate Spragg for the next year or so I guess. Let’s not forget the contributors and people who’ve help CiB start up – Stef Lewandowski, Danny Smith, Frankie Ward, I’m sure there have been a few more.”
Birmingham City Council Webteam, for linking from the front page of their site.
The Birmingham Post sums up what’s going on. If I’ve missed you off please leave a comment – if you blog vote CiB in the next few days let me know and I’ll add you to the list.
