On Friday 1 August Digbeth will see the return of another action packed First Friday, featuring late night exhibition openings, special events, culture in unexpected places, live music, street food and much more.
With different things to see and do each month, anything can happen on a First Friday night out. Experience the great independent culture this unique part of Birmingham has to offer – and grab a Disloyalty Card to collect stamps from any ten participating venues, which can be traded in for treats.
Come rain or shine, on the First Friday of every month Digbeth has something for everyone – August being no exception:
- Drop in to Eastside Projects for a ‘creative spa’ session with artist collective Mexico, where participants can reflect, forecast and make plans for the future. Fresh smoothies will be available for the duration of the evening. (6:30 – 8:30pm)
- Flatpack Film Festival converts Edible Eastside’s canalside garden into an al fresco cinema, serving hot dogs and beer, and screening one of the finest – and strangest – movies of the 1980s: Alex Cox’s LA punk sci-fi classic REPO MAN (8.30 – 11.30pm)
- This summer Andy Holden and his band The Grubby Mitts are touring the UK performing only at artist-run spaces. On 1 August they arrive at Grand Union with special guest, Bobbie-Jane Gardner, to perform a brand new composition. (7 – 11pm)
- Visit Centrala, the new project space set up by PEA at Minerva Works, for a second chance to watch selected videos from their recent Points of View video screenings weekend. (6 – 9pm)
- Take a trip to The Bond for an evening of summer fun with craft beer, whisky, summer punch, BBQ food and live acoustic music, alongside an exhibition preview of “Impressions of Nature” by printmakers Emma Hardicker and Stef Mitchell. (5 – 11pm)
- Join Eastside Studio’s for a behind the scenes peek of what their artists are currently working on at this open studio style event. (5 – 8pm)
- For Digbeth First Friday members of the public are invited to print their own Public Information Notice to be left for display at A3 Project Space or to take away. If you could pass on one vital piece of information to the public, what would it be? (6 – 8pm)
- Black Hole Club and Stryx are delighted to invite you to Between Two Worlds, a collaboration hosted by Vivid Projects, incorporating set design, projections, dictaphones, optical illusions, forests, wallpaper, sound installations, things indoors that should be outdoors, scraping noises, and cinematic soundtracks, all loosely inspired by the TV show Twin Peaks (6:30 – 9pm)
- This is the end of live art initiative Home for Waifs and Strays(hfwas) residency in Unit 9, Minerva Works. As a result we will be opening our door for people to come inside and take a look at what we have used our space for.
Gavin Wade, Director of Eastside Projects said:
Digbeth First Friday continues to go from strength to strength each month. The wide range of local businesses and arts organisations making it happen, mean there’s something on offer to suite everyone’s taste. It’s a fun, action packed night out full of unusual events and exhibitions, that builds on Digbeth’s reputation as Birmingham’s best destination for great independent culture.
You can find out what else is happening and more detailed information on the Digbeth First Friday website www.digbethfirstfriday.com