Twin Cities in Song: A Celebration of Birmingham and Frankfurt
Join us in welcoming Brandhall Community Choir and The German-American Community Choir to perform at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery.This special performance celebrates the longstanding links between Birmingham and Frankfurt, highlighting the significance of our cultural connections. Through music, the event showcases the enduring friendship between our cities and the value of international exchange and community.The performance begins at 1:30 pm and will last for approximately one hour.Brandhall Community ChoirBrandhall Community Choir is a vibrant and lively mixed-voice choir from the Oldbury area. Established in 2010, the choir was founded with a vision of creating community, fostering a sense of belonging, and encouraging shared endeavour through music. Known for their enthusiasm and engaging performances, they will be showcasing familiar tunes with a distinctive Brandhall flair.The German-American Community ChoirThe German-American Community Choir e.V. (GACC e.V.) was founded in 1973 by members of the US military stationed in Frankfurt, with the aim of strengthening international friendship through a shared love of music.Following the withdrawal of American forces from Frankfurt in 1995, the choir re-formed as a registered non-profit association. Today, it has around 180 active members, including Germans, Americans, and singers of many other nationalities.As part of a short tour of the West Midlands in July 2026, the choir will perform in Birmingham to help mark 60 years of friendship between Frankfurt and Birmingham.Come along and enjoy an afternoon of uplifting choral music celebrating community, culture, and international friendship.
Healing Arts – Art Meets Infusion: Reclaiming ‘Truth to Nature’
Step away from the curated veneer of modern wellness and immerse yourself in the radical sincerity of the Pre-Raphaelite Gallery. In an era where nature is often reduced to a mass-produced commodity, we invite you to reclaim a genuine “Truth to Nature.”In this workshop, we apply the 1848 manifesto to the art of the infusion. While a true herbal tea is simple to prepare, it offers a vibrant, unpolished sense of well-being and belonging.Just as the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood rejected idealised art in favour of the sincerity of “deep noticing” and scientific precision, medical herbalist Katie Beswick invites you to experience plants as they truly are: complex, vibrant, and sacred.The ExperienceGuided by the emotional resonance of the gallery’s iconic masterpieces, you will move past the superficial and engage with the authentic apothecary.Radical Sincerity: Discover why herbal tisanes remain the most immediate and powerful way to engage with plant medicine.The Art of the Blend: Using your senses and intuition, you will craft a bespoke herbal infusion.Folklore & Form: Uncover the traditional stories and healing actions woven through these plants, bridging the gap between artistic inspiration and physical wellbeing.Mindful Harvesting: this all begins with noticing, then building the confidence to work with nature safely and intuitively, honouring the landscape as a sacred.Drop in to the Pre-Raphaelite Galleries and join us to translate the precision of the canvas into the alchemy of the cup.Katie Beswick is a medical herbalist, nature connection facilitator, forager and soapmaker from Stratford-Upon-Avon.This session is part of Healing Arts Birmingham (HABrum) is a week-long, city-wide event showing how arts, culture and heritage can improve health, wellbeing and social equity.The programme brings together community activity and professional practice from across Birmingham and the West Midlands. It showcases Birmingham’s creative sector while demonstrating the evidence and methods behind creative health.
Birmingham Drag and Burlesque Festival: The Allure Games
Birmingham Drag and Burlesque Festival: The Allure GamesBurlesque and drag stars from all over the globe come together, for one night only, in a fierce battle royale for The Allure Games crown. An outrageous evening filled with wacky wonderment, gorgeous glamazons and a whole lot of r*unch! Judged by some of the best in the biz! These prestigious industry professionals will score each act, and help YOU, theaudience, to decide who deserves: ‘The Allure Games Star on The Rise!’.Being the first festival of its kind in the UK, expect jaw dropping entertainment, comedic cabaret and fantastical fabulousness. Birmingham Drag and Burlesque Festival invites you to step into the arena to witnesswho will take The Allure Games Crown 2026!★★★★★ – ‘The Drag and Burlesque Powerhouse of the West Midlands’- Express & StarBest Local Cabaret Show’ – Midlands Rainbow‘Leading The Way In Brum’ – The Bromsgrove Standard‘Blown Away By The Artistry’ – Birmingham Review‘Stomping All Over The West Midlands’ – Scene Magazine‘Represents Positivity, Empowerment, Confidence and Self Belief’ – Birmingham Mail‘Boosting Birmingham Confidence’ – Birmingham Mail‘Energetic, Funny and Sexy’ – Birmingham Review