The latest news, updates and events in Birmingham
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…
Centenary Square was transformed into a grand stage for Wondrous Stories, a spectacular open-air show to kick-off the Birmingham 2022 Festival this evening. The one-hour live experience had everything from stunning visual displays, groups of dancers from across the region representing the very best of Birmingham’s diversity, a huge neon-lit globe rising from the ground with acrobats…
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…
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.
A video has been released for Learning Disability Week featuring young school children from across Birmingham sign performing a poem written by a dyslexic poet from the city. Joe Cook, 28, is a dyslexic poet, performer and musician who works in a primary school teaching poetry and rhyme Year 4 to Year 6 pupils. To mark Disability…
A free mini theatre festival is set to take place in West Bromwich this weekend, with performances being held in actively running businesses. Actors and music artists are taking their talent to retail spaces in the Sandwell market town, including in an Afro Caribbean fast food shop, a hairdressers, an Asian sari store, a coffee shop and …
An exciting arts event which includes painting, spoken word, and video projection, comes to the Paradise Circus multi-storey car park in Birmingham this month. The event – titled ‘Re-imagining the Opposition: The Art of Empathy’ – will include a performance by futurist storyteller Mark Gonzales and include original artworks by prominent Brummie street artist Mohammed Ali; alongside award-winning…
A Birmingham based artist has created a powerful spoken-word piece illustrating the need for change in North Birmingham. Titled “Communities Breathe”, local artist Tarju Le’Sano has collaborated with Punch Records to spotlight some of the north of the city’s area’s best features, while highlighting the places which need improvement and arts funding.
As National Storytelling Week gets underway, Brummies are celebrating storytelling in theatres, schools, and spoken word venues. On the 19th anniversary of National Storytelling Week, members of New Street Authors, David Wake and AA Abbott told us about their journeys into writing and their involvement in spoken storytelling.
Poet and activist Hussain Manawer has released the video for his recent work ‘Mamma’s Kitchen’, the third piece in his ‘Homemade’ poetry cycle. ‘Mamma’s Kitchen’ explores Hussain finding the everyday paraphernalia of his home and recalling memories of his mother, as he deals with the grief of her loss.