The latest news, updates and events in Birmingham
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).
An upcoming young film director from the Small Heath area of Birmingham will have his newly-crafted short movies screened at the Odeon cinema in Birmingham next weekend. Rajab Mahmood, aged 20, is looking forward to showcasing his material at a special film event on Saturday 8 October at the Odeon Luxe cinema at the Broadway…
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…
Over 100 community groups across Birmingham are to stage their own festival events and projects as part of the Birmingham 2022 Festival, thanks to funding from Birmingham City Council. The Creative City programme will see 107 community groups and artists get creative over the six months of the Birmingham 2022 Festival which accompanies the Birmingham…
With all eyes are on Coventry today (15 May) as it celebrates officially becoming UK City of Culture, a West Midlands Police officer has penned a poetic tribute to the city. For the next 12 months, Coventry will be host to a variety of arts and cultural activities and exhibitions, aiming to show how diverse and modern…
The Birmingham Contemporary Music Group returns to live indoor performances next month to showcase new music inspired by poets Paul Celan and Rabindranath Tagore, including creative responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. The classical music collective, known as BCMG, have announced two dates at the CBSO centre in Birmingham. They are scheduled to perform on 22 November and 13 December.
Spoken word artist Tarik Ross-Cameron has developed his craft over the years and now delivers creative workshops and programmes to other young individuals. A performance poet, writer and facilitator, Tarik is an Associate at city arts collective Beatfreeks and a Development Coordinator at Punch Records. We caught up with him to find out more about his…
Birmingham’s celebration of Black History Month has been launched with a special virtual event held over the weekend. As well as reflecting the city’s diversity and heritage, this year’s programme also reflects on the Black Lives Matter movement and the impact COVID-19 has had on Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.
Two very talented and exciting wordsmiths from Birmingham were named the city’s new Poets Laureate yesterday, chosen to represent the city through written and performance poetry. The Brummie duo were selected for special honours during yesterday’s National Poetry Day celebrations, which also marked the start of this year’s Birmingham Literature Festival.
An international writing competition for women and girls from diverse communities in Birmingham, Bangladesh and Pakistan has been launched. My City, My Home is part of Transforming Narratives, a ground-breaking three-year project to establish Birmingham as a global centre for contemporary arts from Pakistan and Bangladesh.