Birmingham - City of Culture?

Birmingham (the official second city) has been shortlisted for the City of Culture Award... (Insert cheer here). As I spend a lot of my time within the city, I thought I'd do my bit to chip in and express my feelings on how amazing Brum is.

My main praise I have for the city is the range of theatre events we have. From small street theatre events to larger touring West End musicals, Birmingham has something to offer for anyone from any walk of life.

The main theatre's within the city are the Birmingham Hippodrome, the Birmingham Rep and the Alexandra Theatre, whilst smaller venues include The Old Rep Theatre and the MAC. On top of that, there are many concert venues such as Symphony Hall, the LG Arena, the NIA and the 02 Academy. Whether you're looking for a major musical or an intimate gig, you can find so much going on all year round in the city.

On top of the venues, the city holds annual events such as the International Dance Festival Birmingham and ArtsFest where events and performances take place on the streets and inside some of the venues mentioned above.

It's also affordable. Many theatres and venues offer discounts for students, OAP's, families and schools with some theatre's offering FREE tickets using the "A Night Less Ordinary Scheme". The Rep has some of the best deals, if you're a teenager you can catch one of the major in house productions or a major tour for as little as £5.99 (and that's even for the best seats in the house) or if you join the "A Night Less Ordinary Scheme" you can get in for free. (Other venues also offer discounts and free tickets).

Whether you want to catch a mid week matinee or a light night concert, you're sure to find something for an amazing price and an amazing time.

Some interesting sites:
Birmingham Hippdrome
Birmingham Rep
Alexandra Theatre
A Night Less Ordinary Scheme


And most importantly...
Birmingham Culture