![a landscape image of a group of people on the canalside in the afternoon sunshine. Several people stand, having a conversation amongst themselves, whilst others sit on folding chairs. The sunlight bounces off the still water on the canal, the blue industrial buildings, and the green leaves of the trees across the water.]](https://cms.grand-union.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Screenshot-2024-04-22-at-14.32.19.png)
May’s Digbeth First Friday is not only special due to the launch of ‘Love is Real, and It’s Inside of My Computer’, but it also marks ten years of this amazing event! Digbeth First Friday represents the incredible DIY and entrepreneurial spirit of the artists that make Digbeth the creative and independent place that it is. With so much recent negative news about the devaluing of culture in Birmingham, this is our chance to celebrate and support the abundance of artists and artist-run galleries, studios and live performance spaces that keep our city fresh and vibrant.
There’s going to be lots to see and do around Digbeth, including the Duplicate Publishing fair from 4-8pm at Eastside Projects, exhibition launches at Centrala and Vivid Projects, and a late night opening at Prayer Room. You can even get involved with the Digbeth Branch procession, organised by Birmingham City University’s Art Activisms and Urban Cultures research clusters, which will see BCU staff, students and Alumni walking between the Parkside campus and Minerva Works with banners and flags, showing solidarity between friends and neighbours – all are welcome to join!
Further up Fazeley Street, our Junction Works building will be host to some amazing work and events by True Form Projects, who are setting up a mini museum to show and play part of the current archiving project of the largest south asian record collection in the UK. Recent Activity presents ‘Nomadic Vitrine’, featuring new work by artist Emily Scarrott and ‘street where’, an exhibition of new work by a Birmingham based clothing project. Flatpack Film Festival will set up a screening of the best of the last 10 years of Flatpack’s short films programme, to coincide with the 10th Digbeth First Friday anniversary. And finally, Intervention Architecture are presenting an evening of sensory exploration, inspired by the Digbeth branch canal, within their studio space, featuring a special experiential collaboration with artist Kaye Winwood.
Join us for this celebration of Digbeth’s wonderful cultural scene – all of the venues will be sharing cake to mark 10 years of Digbeth First Friday, celebrate its past and come together to support its future.