Arts
Triumphant England women’s football coach portrait painted in Birmingham
A striking street art portrait of England football coach Sarina Weigman was painted in Birmingham to honour the inspirational sportswoman described as a “legend” by football fans. Birmingham-based artist Adam Illes recently painted the large scale mural on a Digbeth canal wall as Weigman was interviewed in the city.
Wolverhampton’s first South Asian dance competition showcases stunning talent
The first ever South Asian dance competition at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre proudly announced the winners of the hotly contested dance event. The sensational Just Naach night of dancing took place on Saturday 1st October with Ultimate Bhangra taking the top prize.
Virtuoso Birmingham violinist to give free performances at Black History Month event
An award-winning Birmingham violinist is to give two free performances as part of Black History Month events on Sunday (9 October). Melika Queely will give informal musical performances at the Round Room in Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery on Sunday afternoon with selections of music from the works of Bob Marley, Ravel, Ed Sheeran, Brahms…
LGBTQ+ activist becomes Birmingham’s new Poet Laureate
An award-winning writer and activist whose work has covered mental health and LGBTQ+ issues, including racism and intolerance, has been selected as the new Birmingham Poet Laureate. Jasmine Gardosi was handed the prestigious title at the Birmingham Literature Festival on Thursday (6 October).
REVIEW: South Pacific – love rises higher than prejudice and racism
The forward thinking musical South Pacific, brimming with breezy and topical melodies, is warming up audiences at Birmingham’s Alexandra Theatre. Rogers and Hammerstein’s smash-hit Broadway show, based on the the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Tales of the South Pacific by James A Michener, is back in the Midlands.
Blacklash exhibition at Birmingham Museum highlights the fight against racism
A thought-provoking exhibition exploring the struggle for equality and human rights in the UK is currently running at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. The photographic exhibition, sourced from the archive of activist and curator Mukhtar Dar, reveals the untold stories of ethnic minority groups who united to confront racism and battled to usher in…
REVIEW: The Color Purple – uplifting musical that revels in the power of love
The Tony award-winning Broadway musical The Color Purple arrives in Birmingham in an exciting new production. The highly anticipated show, based on Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel, is now playing at The Birmingham Hippodrome until Saturday 17 September.
A free family-friendly street culture and art festival is coming to Birmingham
A popular Birmingham street culture and art festival is taking place this month to showcase arts and dance performances, including workshops, with some of the best street food in the Midlands on offer throughout the day. The High-Vis Festival is coming to Digbeth for its fifth year (on Saturday 24th September) with a major spotlight…
REVIEW: Blood Brothers – songs of injustice, class division and the cost of living
Willy Russell’s worldwide smash-hit show Blood Brothers, which premiered nearly 40 years ago, makes a triumphant return to the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre. The dramatic musical, familiar to countless pupils who have seen it during school theatre outings over the last four decades, remains fresh and topical as it returns to the Midlands.
Birmingham 2022 bull mural painted ahead of major street art festival
A striking mural of the iconic, and much-loved, Birmingham 2022 bull – sometimes referred to as the Raging Bull – has been painted in the Ladywood area of the city. The art was commissioned ahead of the popular High-Vis Festival which takes place every year in Digbeth, the street art hub of Birmingham.