This information was supplied by Andy Munroe of the Jewellery Quarter Regeration Partnership

This is not an exhaustive list but set out below are the main organisations which have influence or input into either marketing the area or business support: -

Advantage West Midlands

They are funded through central government and have a region wide brief with business support divided into ‘clusters’ including ‘interior and lifestyles’. Funding is provided to support projects which are usually subcontracted in the case of the jewellery industry to the Ceramics Forum and Birmingham City University. Contact is Mike Barton Cluster Manager on 0121 503 3360.

Assay Office

Charged with the responsibility of assaying precious metals, they also provide a number of other services such as ‘Anchor-cert’. They also have a marketing department. Assay master is Michael Allchin on 0121 236 6951.

Birmingham City Council Business Support Team

This team are responsible for the Design Space incubation scheme, the proposed Retail Support Initiative and the Business Space Initiative (the latter two due to be introduced in the early Autumn). Contact is Carol Alderson on 0121 303 4366.

Birmingham City Council Leisure, Sports and Culture

The brief includes attracting more people to Birmingham City Council Museums and the cultural offer including ArtsFest and Brilliantly Birmingham. They have a limited budget to support these initiatives. Contact for Brilliantly Birmingham is Sophia Tarr on 0121 464 9675 and for ArtsFest, Emily Bartlett on 0121 303 8489.

British Jewellers Association

This is a nationwide trade association but who have some local membership and support their members on a whole range of trade related issues. Contact is Geoff Field on 0121 236 2657.

Jewellery and Industry Innovation Centre (JIIC)

The JIIC are part of Birmingham City University, which includes Birmingham School of Jewellery, and their brief is to provide a range of services including new product development to the jewellery trade both locally and regionally. Contact is Gay Penfold on 0121 248 4578.

Jewellery Quarter Association

This is a lobbying organisation who also run bi-monthly networking breakfasts. Contact Dave Mahony (JQA Chair) on 0121 236 7070.

Jewellery Quarter Marketing Initiative

Made up of mainly retailers, restaurants and bars who pay a subscription to market and raise the profile of the Jewellery Quarter. This ranges from working with travel operators and the media to involvement in events. Contact Anna Gibson, Jewellery Quarter Marketing Initiative Manager on 0121 464 1191.

Jewellery Quarter Regeneration Partnership

Funded by Birmingham City Council the JQRP Team have a wide regeneration brief of which marketing is just one aspect. They also manage the Jewellery Quarter Information Centre. Contact Andy Munro (Operations Director) on 0121 464 1186.

Marketing Birmingham

Their brief is to market Birmingham but with the prime objective of attracting overnight visitors to bolster the economy. They are funded by Birmingham City Council, Advantage West Midlands and some private sector contributions with the aim of marketing the generic Birmingham offer.

Sterling Silver Ladies Business Card case

Well we are getting ready for mothers day here at Gifts-of-Distinction/ David-Louis.

Don’t forget mothers day is on March 22nd in 2009 and this Ladies Sterling Silver Business Card Holder is totally ideal for a sophisticated mother on Mothers Day.

Each one is hand made to order so get in touch as soon as you can.

This elegant business card holder comes with a beautifully formed bow detail for that feminine touch. This pretty little piece will fit neatly into any woman’s handbag,and is also ideal for credit cards.

Each business card case is handmade to order in Birmingham’s prestigious Jewellery Quarter.

The Sterling Silver card cases all bear the Birmingham Assay Office hallmark, and are each packaged in a presentation box with lift off lid.

Available from our online gifts site for £69.95 plus VAT.

Our Gifts of Distinction policy is all about luxury and indulgence. Treating yourself or a loved one to a gift that is and will be cherished.

With this in mind we are launching our Sterling Silver Mussel Eater

This exquisite solid Sterling Silver Mussel Eater is handmade to order in Birmingham’s prestigious Jewellery Quarter.

Each Sterling Silver mollusc bears the Birmingham Assay Office Hallmark.

Two pieces of oxidised or blackened Sterling Silver are held together with a delicate sprung hinge, so you can pick up your Moules Mariniere with the perfect pair of pincers.

Each Sterling Silver Mussel Eater is packaged in it’s own lift off lid presentation box, making it an ideal present for those with a passion for fine dining.

We do hope you like it. Please feel free to comment on our blog or products at any time.

Available for £64.95 plus vat at Gifts of Distinction mussel eater section.

Well I did say we would begin to focus more on hand made sterling silver items. This week we have added the Sterling Silver Chip Fork Key Ring to the Gifts of Distinction range.

We have had many debates here at Gifts of Distinction: David-Louis as to what category to add this Jewellery Quarter made item to and have come up with an innovative category for our Gifts of Distinction site - here it is ‘Sterling Silver Key rings’ yes its not exciting but the Chip Fork is a key ring so making it really useful and much more portable than the fork you need to keep in your wallet.

The Silver chip fork is both a gadget and an excellent gift for any one who goes out and about, it adds pizzazz to any take away or night out.

The Sterling silver Chip forks features are, Hand made in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter, Hallmarked at Birmingham’s Assay Office, Supplied in an elegant gift box and available on the Gifts of Distinctions web site for  20.00 plus VAT.

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B4AM - Birmingham At 4AM - Jewellery Quarter

Originally uploaded by karenstrunks

Here is a Jewellery Quarter photo project by Karen Strunks, her project is entitled B4AM and I recommend you have a look at the rest of the images, totaly fantastic.

http://tinyurl.com/9c54hp

Please do get involved - it takes around 5 seconds.

These blog entries are getting shorter…… got a mention today on 4Talent magazine web site.

Have just delivered 20 of the coolest glowing awards known to man. The presentation is on next week and I will be able to upload a few piccies so you can see them in action - I can’t wait.

Update - here is the image of the flask as take at the event.

I have completed a bespoke corporate hip flask commission for fashion designer Todd Lynn to produce his bespoke, limited edition hip flask on behalf of and to promote  Chivas Regal and the Chivas Studio, this fine whiskey has been relaunched world wide over the last few months and the three day event in London was what I consider to be totally fabulous, I will upload some images of the event and the hip flask itself over the next week or so. Alexander McQueen also designed an exclusive bottle top for the Chivas Regal bottle which were a limited edition and handmade. I was delighted to see the Hip Flask being exhibited along side the bottle in very contemporary style and being viewed as works of art as opposed to total consumer products. Of course I need to thank Todd and all his team for entertaining me at the do and hope we can do it again. I also would say the cocktails we had using the Chivas Regal were delicious.. more please

How can I start this post? I’m always saying there is loads going on but its true!!! But I will keep it simple if I can..

Well, the FROST project is now confirmed and the 18 Design Space creatives will be exhibiting in St Paul’s Gallery, St Paul’s Square from the 2nd to the 6th of December and moving to ‘The David-Louis project’ at Artfull Expression on Warstone Lane, from the 8th to the 14th of December.

So in this world of virtual information and communication this is an exhibition you actually have to visit by using you two feet in order to see the wares and designs of these new makers. To compliment this exhibition at the Warstone Lane venue there are already over 150 makers work on show, so you cannot but be bowled over by the choice and style of all the makers. Just to say as well, the David-Louis Project and Artfull Expression are open all year round so you can visit us any time of the year.

Also, I have completed a commission by fashion designer Todd Lynn to produce his bespoke, limited edition hip flask on behalf of Chivas Regal and the Chivas Studio, this fine whiskey has been relaunched world wide over the last few months and the three day event in London was what I consider to be totally fabulous, I will upload some images of the event and the hip flask itself over the next week or so. Alexander McQueen also designed an exclusive bottle top for the Chivas Regal bottle which were a limited edition and handmade. I was delighted to see the Hip Flask being exhibited along side the bottle in very contemporary style and being viewed as works of art as opposed to total consumer products. Of course I need to thank Todd and all his team for entertaining me at the do and hope we can do it again. I also would say the cocktails we had using the Chivas Regal were delicious.. more please

I had to run off at the end of the night, like Cinderella, to catch my train back to Birmingham as early the next morning I had a new product design meeting with our external support group the, JIIC, it looks like we will be working together on two new product concepts, one is the coolest tax disc holder in the land and t’other is Top Top secret until it launch in March ‘09 I would say. All the new designs will contain what I consider to be my philosophy, function and beauty blended seamlessly together. So keep an eye, join my mailing list if you like and I will mail you the preview and launch details.

Byeee,

David-Louis

Wahoo - I did say I wouldn’t mention it again if I didn’t get anywhere so you can probably imagine my delight at being able to say the Magnetic Beer Cube Bottle Opener by David-Louis has been short-listed for the releaseonedotzero competition. You can see a video of it in action here.

On Tuesday 4th November 2008 at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, (ICA), London the short listed items will be projected on the gallery walls along with the ultimate winners to a broad range of national and international museums - culture organisations plus journalists from prominent titles and journals. So fingers crossed and I await to hear the jury’s final decision.

On another note work has begun on our new extension to the retail outlet here in the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham, The David-Louis Project at Artfull Expression, a crew of 6 volunteers from Design Space (Thanks to Fiona Mawlam, Sarah Kelly of Saloukee, See Sun Yung and Claire Pardoe for all there help) came to help me on Saturday last and we managed to empty the new space of years of accumulated nonsense - we filled many a skip - the goal is to open an exhibition space so we can attract touring exhibitions and local designer makers etc.

The proposed opening our first exhibition is approx. 12th December 08 - entitled FROST. I hope this project works out and it does seem we have the support of the local designer maker community along with support from within our building here so we are on course….

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