Digbeth First Friday presents another jam-packed evening of exhibitions, performances, screenings, frolics and food. With a diverse range of events from a pop-up café at Digbeth Community Garden and new artist residencies at Stryx to provocative Post-Punk film screenings at Minerva Works and lightning fast footwork from International Dance Festival Birmingham: there’s definitely something for everyone!
Experience the incredible variety of events this month, discover something new and enjoy the fantastic independent culture Digbeth has to offer.
On offer this month:
Digbeth Community Garden: Pop-up Poetry Café, 6.30pm
The Real Junk Food Project and Naked Lungs have combined with Digbeth Community Garden to create an evening of food, words, music and drinking.
GAP Arts Project: Opening event, 6.30–8pm
The GAP Arts Project is opening a unique civic space in Birmingham with young artists and creatives at its heart. It will include ‘Heart of the Matter’ a young artist collective exhibition, live music, spoken word, craft, and more.
International Dance Festival Birmingham: Pop-up performances, 6 –7.30pm
Catch pop-up performances from International Dance Festival Birmingham in Minerva Works car park. JINX 103 is a breathtakingly energetic dance of lightning fast footwork, leg twisting and weaving, high kicks and turning jumps, performed by József Trefeli and Gabor Varga. World famous popping champion Salah is joined by the amazing cast of dancers in a preview of the all new major spectacular The Machine Show. Jaw dropping moves meets mechanoid mayhem!
Stryx: SOUP Part III, 6.30–8.30pm
Stryx opens its doors this Digbeth First Friday to introduce you to the recently selected SOUP artists in residence. The artists will present works that represent their current practices spanning performance, sculpture, video and installation and outline their aims for the two-month residency.
Grand Union: This is Now: Film and Video after Punk, 6–8pm
As part of Digbeth First Friday, Grand Union will host a series of screenings from the BFI/LUX touring programme This is Now: Film and Video After Punk. They will be featuring the ‘Performing the Self’ programme. New ways to think about identity, the self and the body were all part of punk’s powerful legacy.
Vivid Projects: Noise + Nostalgia, 7–9pm
Launch of NOISE + NOSTALGIA, a season of provocative, daring Post-Punk art and film featuring a special night of film programme previews across Minerva Works.
Centrala: Through A Glass, Darkly! , 9pm
Its time for yet another Digbeth First Friday at Centrala and this time they are screening, Through A Glass, Darkly! A selection of short films as part of ‘This Is Now: Film and Video After Punk’.
Eastside Projects: Performance as Publishing: Take Three, 7–8.30pm
Take Three will feature newly commissioned performances by Nicole Bachmann, Ruth Beale and Marie Toseland & Sophie Mallet, alongside screenings of artists’ films from the LUX Archive. The event is free but booking is essential, see website to book.
Artists on the Edge: First Friday Frolics, doors open 7.30pm
Come and join a collaborative effort to bring you an unforgettable celebration of eclectic local talent in “Over the Edge”. Created and curated by Friction Arts and DeBasement, raise a cocktail, sink back under a Morrocan marquee and chew street food while Birmingham based poets spit lyrics and prose. Dance, shiver and shake to cabaret, and the dulcet tones of local legends JamTidy, Sean Gambowl Walsh and The Plagiarists …and Upstairs, Nurses. The first of many guest First Fridays at The Edge to come; and an evening you’ll be unlikely to forget.
More Info:
Digbeth Community Garden: 54-57 Allison Street, B5 5TH, 6.30pm
The GAP Arts Project: 316 Jubilee Centre, 130 Pershore Street, B5 6ND, 6.30–8pm
IDFB: Minerva Works car park, B5 5RS, 6–7.30pm
Stryx: Unit 13 Minerva Works, 158 Fazeley Street, B5 5RS. 6.30–8.30pm.
Grand Union: Unit 19, Minerva Works, 158 Fazeley Street, B5 5RS. 6–8pm.
Vivid Projects: Unit 16, Minerva Works, B5 5RT, 7–9pm
Centrala: Unit 4, Minerva Works, 158 Fazeley Street, B5 5RT, 6pm–2am
Eastside Projects: 86 Heath Mill Lane, B9 9AR, 7–8.30pm
Artists on the Edge: The Edge, 79-81 Cheapside, Deritend, B12 OQH, 7pm-–late
– Digbeth First Friday launched in May 2014 and takes place on the First Friday of each month. The next event will be on Friday 3rd June 2016.
– Digbeth First Friday is produced by a group of Digbeth-based arts organisations who are working together to create a critical mass of events and allow visitors to discover the exciting independent culture this unique part of Birmingham offers.