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‘Parrots : A Flagrant Exhibition of Mimicry'

  • Bedford Street Stroud Glos, GL5 1AY United Kingdom (map)

Mika the Parrot by Deb Roberts

Call out for artists

To all our friends, artists and community members,

Storyteller, artist and parrot-concept creator, Adam White, has devised this multimedia extravaganza ‘Parrots, A Flagrant Exhibition of Mimicry' at ultra lightning speed.

This DIY, artist led one-off exhibition will take place next week with the set up on Friday 9th December and opening Saturday 10th December day and night.

We would love you to get involved!

A pop up exhibition of urgent flagrancy and mimicry inspired by the creatively wild world of Adam White, an artist based at SVA in Stroud and 'Meko' the Parrot.

We want to make this really special. We are asking creatives to submit art of any form/size relating to the term ‘Parrots’. We are aware of the short notice, but we also appreciate the power and determination of our local art scene.

Work can be experimental and collaborative with artists (and animals!) around the concept of mimicry, in language, in child development, in politics and religious practices.

The idea is inspired by the tour of ‘Miko’ (a West African Parrot) through the Open Studios in June 2022.

We’ve already been lucky enough to secure a superb lineup of music, and the party will begin at 6pm.

Opening Times

11am Saturday 10th December 2022

6pm Party with music

At Bedford Street, opposite Simpsons Fish and Chip shop.


To take part:

  • It’s a DIY and community event that SVA are supporting, but it is being organised by Adam White and Jo Casling. You can email office@sva.org.uk if you’d like to bring some artwork, or turn up on Friday with it.

  • We’ll need artists to bring labels with them so please print or write something to go with your piece.

  • We’ll also need artists to bring their own fixtures and fittings.

  • It'll be in the upstairs space opposite Simpsons fish n chip shop, hanging on Friday. So if you're free to help on Friday that would be very welcome.

  • We also need lights, heaters and extension cables if you happen to have any of these.

  • It'll open on Saturday at 11am, with the party starting at 6pm.

  • The show comes down Sunday at 5pm, so if you might also be available then, extra hands would be most helpful.


Some ideas from Adam’s brilliant mind that could be considered:

- The concept of mimicry for artists
- Colour perception in parrots and painters
- Avian behavioural habits for performance artists
- Prizes are awarded by Meko live on air with his keeper, for various artistic traits artists claim to possess in their work.
- A special gallant service Medal made from Mika’s shed feathers for service to the Psittaciforme (parrot) family tree
- Poetic interpretations: think better and un-cage your sick inner parrot
- A Parrot Motif Trail in shops and buildings and through Stroud… stray colourful feathers on the pavement indicating a pattern of flight to an art venue
- A performance artist demonstrates how to flap enough to fly at low altitude. May include ‘How to break nuts with your head & teeth without thinking’
- Cuttlefish carvings of parrots, budgies & anything else?
- The 19th century trade in bird feathers for hats etc
- Written event: ‘Evening of the Long Quills’ ~ inscribed visual & text-based poetry event
- Pecking Hell! A ‘Chatter’ of gullible budgies and their prattling government
- Tarred and Feathered: post-ritual humiliation and surgery
- Brain organisation in parrots and man
- The Last Laugh: Gauguin, Cleese and Palin on their study of dead parrots
- Lecture: Do Parrots Like People?

Becky Dick - Taxtiles

Earlier Event: December 9
Friend or Foe : May Darbyshire
Later Event: December 10
Situation Sounds