Digbeth celebrates its independence again on Friday 5th September when it comes alive with exhibitions, late-night openings, special events, live music, street food and more. Experience culture in unexpected places and explore everything this unique part of Birmingham has to offer.
With different things to see and do each month anything can happen on a First Friday night out and visitors are invited to grab a Disloyalty Card and collect stamps from ten different participating venues to trade for treats.
First Friday offers variety, mystery and quality and the sixth event on Friday 5th September features a host of activity:
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Polish Expats Association bring three surviving films by Stefan and Franciska Themerson, the most important avant-garde film-makers in pre-war Poland, to Minerva Works with chillout music and tasty food. (6-9pm)
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The Bond explores the natural world and the simple act of walking with an art exhibition by Emma Hardicker and Stef Mitchell, which you can enjoy with craft beer, a barbecue, live music and licensed bar. (5-11pm)
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Marcia Farquhar’s solo exhibition ‘Larger than Life’ opens at Grand Union with a performance lecture and a chance to hang out in this cool artist-led space. (6-8pm)
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For something fast paced, First Friday regulars Teamworks Karting Birmingham offer their signature £5 karting deal at their racetrack on Fazeley street. (5-8pm)
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Eastside Projects will be taken over by Giant Axe Field’s live, immersive audio- visual reworking of Jindř ich Polák’s pioneering film Ikarie XB 1. Bass, guitar and drums will trigger film clips during performances starting at 7.30 and 8.30pm and the Black Pleasure bar will be open throughout. (6-9pm)
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S Mark Gubb & Gordon Dalton run a pop up dive bar you’ll want to forget at A3 Project Space. The best bar you’ve never heard of, where nobody knows your name – ‘Nowhere Bar’. A place somewhere in time where anything and nothing but a good time happens. (6-12pm)
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Emerging artists create ‘Operation Tom’ at Friction Arts, an exhibition including prints, drawings, paintings, and a finger-knitting enlarged to an industrial scale, that reflect the vibrancy of childhood and the depth of young thoughts. (6-9pm)
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Black Hole Club at Vivid Projects presents an evening of sound, data and performance. Music video director John Bradburn presents a new live audio visual performance uniting elements of paganism, bass culture, the uncanny and beyond, with further performances from Michael Lightborne and Antonio Roberts. (6-9pm)
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Edible Eastside open a canal-side Hummus Bar, with insanely delicious home-made hummus, pitta bread, and herbs picked right from their own raised beds. Explore traditional recipes and tasty variations with Digbeth Chilli and Mint, Fresh Garden Herbs, Allotment Peas and Beans, and Zesty Spring Onion and Lemon. (5.30-8.30pm)
Pamela Pinski, Secretary of Digbeth Residents Association said: “Digbeth Residents Association is delighted to support Digbeth First Friday. Just as Digbeth’s residents are passionate about the area, its creativity and vibrancy, so are our independent businesses and art-based organisations.
The self-organisation of such a mass event with everyone working together to achieve collaborative growth in Digbeth shows just how strong the partnerships are, and the benefits of having a small local independent-based economy. Long live Digbeth First Friday!”
Full listings, times and locations can be found on the Digbeth First Friday website www.digbethfirstfriday.com. On First Friday maps will be available from the venues. Events are free unless indicated otherwise!