Pioneers is a three year programme which aims to juxtapose new and contemporary practice with key historical work through an expansive and diverse programme of predominantly moving image based work.

The three main strands of the programme - Screen, Pioneers Series and Contemporaries- will be accompanied by the development of a public resource area. Commissioned writers and speakers will offer new insights through publications, public discussion, web resources, printed material, interviews and essays.  

Pioneers launched in April 2008 with Endurance featuring moving image work by Marina Abramovic, Vito Acconci and Tehching Hsieh and live performance including Kira O'Reilly, Eitan Buchalter and William Hunt. This was followed by FLUX-FEST in June-July 2008, a three week season of performance, film, food and print featuring established artists such as Nam June Paik, Larry Miller, George Maciunas alongside lesser known practitioners including SharedTable, Melissa Bliss and Andy Abbott.

Additional programmes include: Inspirations (February 2009) in which VIVID invites five UK based individuals who have played a major role in the development of moving image, to select one moving image work that has made a significant impact on their own practice; Figuring Landscapes (February 2009); a screen based programme of moving image work from UK and Australia curated by Catherine Elwes and Stephen Ball; Participation (August 2009); an excavation and exploration of Birmingham Arts Lab 1977-88; and The Act of Drawing (October 2009); a programme of exhibition, screenings and performance exploring the physical act of drawing and it’s representation on screen in various forms.

For photographs of our previous Pioneers events please visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/vividbirmingham/