Birmingham, England – once the butt of European jokes, a “city gripped by a concrete stranglehold” – is undergoing a design renaissance. Many observers credit Conductor Simon Rattle, formerly music director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, for boosting civic morale and prompting the arts-led transformation. Rattle introduced the city council to the “idea that bribing key players in the arts to decamp to Birmingham would change its image. And it did.” – The Times (UK)