University News Last updated 02 June
A new showcase celebrating the creativity, culture, and communities of Birmingham’s Southside opens this June at the National Trust Birmingham Back to Backs.
Free to the public and running for one year, From Around Here: Creative Responses to the Culture and Community of Birmingham’s Southside presents original work by students from the Department of Fashion and Jewellery at Birmingham City University (BCU).
A vibrant collection inspired by the area surrounding the Back to Backs - Birmingham’s last surviving example of the “back-to-back” houses that once defined industrial working-class life in the city - the exhibition features rings, garments, textiles, illustration, photography, digital media, and wallpaper created in response to Southside’s rich identity and evolving culture.
The collaboration between the National Trust and BCU began in 2023 when students first visited the Back to Backs to explore the work of master tailor George Saunders, who arrived in Britain from St Kitts in 1958 as part of the Windrush generation.
In 2024, the project expanded to focus more broadly on Birmingham’s Southside - an area recognised for its energy, diversity, and creative spirit.
More than 150 students have since participated, responding to a live heritage brief that encouraged hands-on engagement with local history, people, and place.
Their work reflects a wide range of disciplines, perspectives, and personal experiences, demonstrating how Birmingham’s communities continue to inspire new creative practices.
Students also collaborated with local figures, including drag artist, costume maker, and LGBTQ+ cultural icon Twiggy, celebrating the voices and personalities that shape Southside today.
Working in partnership, the Back to Backs and BCU developed a shared colour palette inspired by Southside’s streets, spaces, and communities.
Running throughout the display, the palette visually connects the work while reflecting the character and diversity of the area itself.
Louise Martin, Senior Lecturer in Fashion and Textiles at BCU, said: “This project has given students the opportunity to engage directly with Birmingham’s communities, histories, and creative identities in a meaningful and collaborative way.
“From fashion and jewellery to textiles and digital media, the work reflects not only the diversity of Southside itself, but also the creativity and individuality of the students responding to it.”
Sabra Khan, General Manager for the National Trust Back to Backs, said: “We’re very pleased to be hosting this exhibition from the Fashion and Jewellery students at BCU.
“They’re such a talented group of young people and our team has thoroughly enjoyed working with them. It’s been fascinating to see how the local area has inspired their creativity.
“The Back to Backs are so much more than historic buildings. They give us an insight into our social history and how the city evolved into what we know today.
“All of this is reflected in the work of the students in the exhibition. Through working together, we hope the history and stories we share will to inspire the next generation.”
Through fashion, jewellery, image-making, textiles, and digital media, From Around Here offers a dynamic portrait of Southside - honouring its heritage while exploring the creativity and innovation emerging from Birmingham today.
From Around Here: Creative Responses to the Culture and Community of Birmingham’s Southside opens on Friday 5 June 2026 following a private view on Thursday 4 June from 6pm.
Photo: LGBTQ+ cultural icon Twiggy at the Back to Backs