No menu items!

Show business

The Birmingham Awards: an award that captures the cultural spirit of the city

Britain has long had a reputation as a country of high-profile cultural awards and prestigious ceremonies. It is here that awards such as the BAFTAs and the Brit Awards are presented. These are events watched by millions of viewers around the...

Key Hill Cemetery in Birmingham: an exclusive Victorian cemetery with a rich history

Key Hill Cemetery in Birmingham is one of the city’s oldest and most famous cemeteries. It was opened in 1836 and became the first non-denominational burial ground in the UK, open to people of all faiths. Consequently, the cemetery quickly became...

Late Night Lycett: Birmingham humor live on air

British humour has long been a global phenomenon, recognised far beyond the borders of the UK. Its wit, irony, absurd plots and clever wordplay have shaped an entire cultural tradition—from the legendary Monty Python sketches to modern satirical shows on the...

When the city becomes a stage: Birmingham’s new music formats

Birmingham has a long and vibrant tradition of hosting concerts and various music shows. This history ranges from large-scale open-air festivals to chamber performances in theatre halls. The city has long established itself as one of the most important cultural centres...

A city without applause—how COVID-19 put Birmingham’s show business on hold

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the world. The deadly virus tested many areas of life, and the cultural industry was no exception. In the United Kingdom, the government imposed strict quarantine restrictions. All mass events were cancelled, theaters, concert venues,...

The Birmingham native who made the United States laugh

John Oliver is an Emmy and Writers Guild Award-winning comedian and writer. He is the host and producer of the HBO show "Last Week Tonight with John Oliver," which has earned a host of prestigious awards, including 28 Emmys, seven Writers...

ACTUAL

A city without applause—how COVID-19 put Birmingham’s show business on hold

In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the world. The deadly virus tested many areas of life, and the cultural industry was no exception. In the United...

About the man who invented British popular cinema

As is well known, the Jewish community in Birmingham has a rich and eventful history. This is partly due to its participation in the cultural, social...

Festival

No headliners. No tickets. No big stages. This is the Birmingham International Jazz & Blues Festival

If you happen to come across a saxophonist in Birmingham this July, don’t rush to get your change out—chances are, this isn’t a street musician trying to scrape together enough for a ticket home, but a performer at the Birmingham International...

A festival that doesn’t try to please everyone: how Birmingham created Supersonic

Birmingham has a real love for festivals, although lately this love has come to resemble a long-distance relationship. Some of the city’s iconic festivals are gradually disappearing from the map—partly due to ‘budget cuts’ and partly for more mundane reasons. Others,...

Birmingham Photography Festival — here you can communicate and learn how to take photos

Birmingham Photography Festival, the first of its kind. It has made it a point to showcase a wide range of talent. The event was organised by a creative trio of photographers - Fraser McGee, Beth Astington and Martin O'Callaghan. This team,...

Autumn Fair in Birmingham — search for new trade “bestsellers”

Since 1976, the Spring and Autumn Fairs have brought businesses, brands, and buyers together at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham. Over the years, the fair has steadily established itself as the premier trade event for the gift, homeware, and fashion...

Birmingham Heritage Week — the history of the city that will interest everyone

The city's popular annual Heritage Week is back in 2025 with the support of the Birmingham Museum Trust, the University of Birmingham and the National Trust, as well as Birmingham City Charity and the William A. Cadbury Charitable Trust. To find...

Birmingham October is a great pleasure for those who write and love to read

The Birmingham Literature Festival is a project of Writing West Midlands, a regional literary development agency that is a charitable organisation. The national portfolio organisation Arts Council England is also involved. It was these two companies that organised the last Birmingham...

ACTUAL

Fraud and scams in Birmingham — between cunning, audacity and vigilance

Every year, thousands of Britons fall into the cunning traps set by modern fraudsters. From large cities such as Birmingham to the remotest corners of England,...

Benjamin Zephaniah — life in poetry as an act of resistance

Benjamin Zephaniah was a poet, writer and activist whose voice has remained an important part of the British cultural landscape for decades. As one of the...

Success Stories

About the man who invented British popular cinema

As is well known, the Jewish community in Birmingham has a rich and eventful history. This is partly due to its participation in the cultural, social and business life of the city. And, of course, people such as Oscar Deutsch. They...

Fraud and scams in Birmingham — between cunning, audacity and vigilance

Every year, thousands of Britons fall into the cunning traps set by modern fraudsters. From large cities such as Birmingham to the remotest corners of England, no one is immune to the possibility of being deceived. When asked how people can...

Benjamin Zephaniah — life in poetry as an act of resistance

Benjamin Zephaniah was a poet, writer and activist whose voice has remained an important part of the British cultural landscape for decades. As one of the active participants in the dub poetry movement, a form of poetic recitation that emerged in...

Philip Edward Fisher — from his native Birmingham to the international stage

He began playing the piano at the age of nine, making his stage debut just three years later with Shostakovich's Second Piano Concerto. He has performed in many prestigious venues, including Carnegie Hall and Alice Tully Hall in New York, as...

George Edmonds — Birmingham reformer and radical, advocate for artisans and small traders

George Edmonds, a well-known Birmingham lawyer and native of the city, who was famous primarily for his rebellious spirit, wanted to reform Birmingham through the law. The methods he proposed for this were quite radical. In 1819, he was accused of...

Birmingham native John Cadbury is the founder of a world-class chocolate brand

John Cadbury was born in Birmingham in 1801 and went on to found the Cadbury chocolate company, one of the most famous and beloved chocolate brands in the world. It all began in 1824 when he opened a small grocer's shop...

ACTUAL

Philip Edward Fisher — from his native Birmingham to the international stage

He began playing the piano at the age of nine, making his stage debut just three years later with Shostakovich's Second Piano Concerto. He has performed...

LATEST

No headliners. No tickets. No big stages. This is the Birmingham International Jazz & Blues Festival

If you happen to come across a saxophonist in Birmingham this July, don’t rush to get your change out—chances are, this isn’t a street musician trying to scrape together enough for a ticket home, but a performer at the Birmingham International...

A festival that doesn’t try to please everyone: how Birmingham created Supersonic

Birmingham has a real love for festivals, although lately this love has come to resemble a long-distance relationship. Some of the city’s iconic festivals are gradually disappearing from the map—partly due to ‘budget cuts’ and partly for more mundane reasons. Others,...

The Birmingham Awards: an award that captures the cultural spirit of the city

Britain has long had a reputation as a country of high-profile cultural awards and prestigious ceremonies. It is here that awards such as the BAFTAs and the Brit Awards are presented. These are events watched by millions of viewers around the...

Key Hill Cemetery in Birmingham: an exclusive Victorian cemetery with a rich history

Key Hill Cemetery in Birmingham is one of the city’s oldest and most famous cemeteries. It was opened in 1836 and became the first non-denominational burial ground in the UK, open to people of all faiths. Consequently, the cemetery quickly became...

Late Night Lycett: Birmingham humor live on air

British humour has long been a global phenomenon, recognised far beyond the borders of the UK. Its wit, irony, absurd plots and clever wordplay have shaped an entire cultural tradition—from the legendary Monty Python sketches to modern satirical shows on the...

When the city becomes a stage: Birmingham’s new music formats

Birmingham has a long and vibrant tradition of hosting concerts and various music shows. This history ranges from large-scale open-air festivals to chamber performances in theatre halls. The city has long established itself as one of the most important cultural centres...
..