Birmingham: A Creative Capital
Birmingham is a city with a rich history, and a vibrant contemporary spirit has emerged as a hub of creativity, innovation and artistic expression. With a dynamic blend of cultures, a flourishing arts scene and a relentless pursuit of progress, Birmingham is a city that thrives on diversity, creativity and a pioneering spirit.
We invite you to explore what makes Birmingham a shining beacon of the UK's creative prowess. From its thriving arts and music scenes to its technological innovations and culinary delights, Birmingham offers an array of experiences that redefine what it means to be a creative hub.
Music venues
Birmingham has a brilliantly diverse music scene. We've put together a handy map featuring some of the top music venues around Birmingham.
View mapMuseums
From dinosaur skeletons to Peaky Blinders and everything in between, we've collated the best of Brum’s museums.
Must-visit museumsFestivals
There are several festivals that happen annually in and around Birmingham. Here are our top five must-visit.
Unmissable festivalsRoyal Birmingham Conservatoire Events
From great music to captivating speakers, there's something for everyone at RBC.
What's onInspired Festival
Inspired Festival is an two-week annual celebration of the final year projects of Arts, Design and Media students.
Inspired 2023Cinemas and film
Not only are there plenty of cinemas in Birmingham, but each outlet brings something unique to their offering.
Getting involved
Want to let your creative juices flow and get involved with projects and workshops around the city? We've put together a list of regular events and venues that hold exhibitions if you want to do more than just observe.
Night School
Night School is an evening of student led exhibitions, open studios, live performances and creative workshops, aimed at widening participation and developing creative communities in Birmingham. The event takes place monthly at our School of Art campus on Margaret Street and is open to the general public.
Food and drink
Nightlife
Shopping
Sport
Culture
Food and drink
The food and drink scene in Birmingham is thriving. Our street food festivals are award-winning and our restaurants are Michelin starred – well four are, the most out of any UK city outside of London. The city is packed with well-known top chains, full to the brim with a variety of independent cafés and bars (many offering student and other discounts) and the speciality supermarkets, butchers, bakers and farmer's markets make it a foodie's haven. And for the 'pot noodle' chefs, there's supermarkets and convenience stores around most corners.
Nightlife
Birmingham has nightlife covered. There’s a reason it’s a must-visit destination for revellers all over the country. If it’s big clubs and bars playing the latest hits, then Broad Street is for you. Prefer the underground? Then Digbeth’s venues are where to visit. For the more bohemian night out, the independent scene of Moseley and Kings Heath is perfect. Then there’s the brand new and old traditional pubs of the Jewellery Quarter, student-priced Selly Oak and everything the city centre has to offer..
Shopping
Birmingham is a shoppers’ paradise. The famous Bullring is packed with modern, glossy, big brand shops. It’s always developing, opening new stores and staying on trend. The brand new multi-million pound Grand Central has brought a new element to the shopping scene where shops and food, brands and independents live hand in hand. The restored Victorian arcades bring affordable class to the city and our markets offer everything from top labels to second hand bargains. Then there’s the treasure chest of music, comic and other pop culture shops ready to be explored.
Sport
Whether you're interested in sport as a participant or a spectator, Birmingham has plenty to offer. It’s home to three leading football clubs – Aston Villa, Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion. International cricket takes place at the world famous Edgbaston cricket ground. The Belfry is a well-loved and historic golf course. And with the Commonwealth Games coming to Birmingham in 2022, we're expecting stadium upgrades and new sporting venues set to pop up across the city.
Culture
With world-class art, unique drama, musical flair, diverse dance and performing arts, Birmingham is a great place to soak up culture. Birmingham’s major theatres attract the cream of the West End touring shows as well as showcasing original ballet, opera and musicals. The oldest working cinema in the UK, The Electric, is at the heart of the city centre and is a major part of Birmingham's film scene, along with the ‘Flatpack Film Festival’. The city's diversity also brings a variety of different religious festivals alongside internationally known events such as Comic Con and many music festivals.