City Curator Highlights: Week Three

100 Days of Creativity: City Curator Highlights

Week 3 of 100 days of creativity is nearly upon us and my goodness it’s a good one. This might just be my favourite week so far. Why, I hear you ask? Well, read on – here are my highlights from 3 – 9 June:

Birmingham Design Festival

Across the City

6 – 8 June 2024

This isn’t just a highlight for me, it’s a highlight in the city’s creative calendar – a true celebration of the design industry. Birmingham Design Festival was founded back in 2017 by two local legends, Dan and Luke. They wanted to create a festival for the local design community but what they have achieved is much bigger than that – a flagship event for the city and one that attracts visitors from across the UK and internationally too. The 2024 programme theme is process and the programme is jam packed with great sessions. 

Book onto a talk or workshop now before tickets sell out, or get a taster by heading down to Digbeth for this year’s exhibition (free & no booking required). You’ll find the full programme here: https://birminghamdesignfestival.org.uk/whats-on/

Insider tip – don’t miss the friday night talk which has a behind the scene look at the making of Across the Spider-Verse: https://birminghamdesignfestival.org.uk/whats-on/events/process-movements/

B-SIDE

6 – 9 June 2024

Hippodrome, Southside and Bullring & Grand Central

A four-day festival taking place across the city. Now in its ninth year, B-SIDE is a showcase of the very best Hip-Hop talent. 

There is loads going on so check out the full programme but don’t miss watching the Break Mission Worldwide & Queer-Side Dance Championship finals on Sunday. It’s completely free, no tickets required, just head down to the Bullring (outside M&S). If you fancy giving it a go yourself, you can also book tickets to a professional dance masterclass on the Friday, led by the championship judges no less.

More here: https://visitbirmingham.com/event/b-side/160215101/

Garden Cinema: Barbie

Botanical Gardens

8 June 2024

The Botanical Gardens are starting strong for their first Garden Cinema event of the year on Saturday.

In partnership with Flatpack Film Festival and the Mockingbird Cinema, they are screening Barbie! There will, of course, be prosecco, cocktails, street food, lots of people dressed in pink and even a live DJ set. 

The weather is set to be dry so picnic blankets at the ready!

More here: https://visitbirmingham.com/event/gardens-cinema%3a-barbie/160298101/

UniPodfest

Birmingham City University

5 June

When I first started working on the idea of 100 Days of Creativity, I really wanted to introduce people to events they might not already have heard of and, for me, this was one of them. I discovered UniPodfest through 100 Days of Creativity and I’m so glad I did. 

Presented by Soundtruism – this event is the perfect starting point if you’re keen to get a podcast idea off the ground. Equally a great place to learn and connect with others in the space if you’re already podcasting. The list of speakers is extraordinary and I have no doubts the day will be incredibly inspirational.

Open to all, but BCU students can access free tickets.

Alex Nicholson-Evans

City Curator

29 May 2024