Colmore sits at the heart of Birmingham’s story – a place shaped by centuries of commerce, creativity and civic ambition.
From its Georgian origins to its role today as the commercial heart of Birmingham, we’re deeply proud of our heritage. It remains front and centre of our identity and inspires our work today: respecting the past, while looking confidently to the future.
In 2019, we surveyed businesses and visitors and found that history and heritage were among the most requested themes for our future activity. In response, we created a dedicated programme to celebrate the character of our District, share its stories and help people feel more connected to the place they live, work and visit.
Our work in celebration of Colmore’s history includes:
In July 2020 we launched our very first Colmore History Week — a social media campaign shining a spotlight on Colmore’s historic buildings, people and stories. As part of the launch, we produced our first publication, ‘Colmore Then and Now’, which featured archive material, written histories and a series of short videos exploring highlights around the area. We delivered a second History Week in 2021, releasing a new edition of our history magazine.
Today, Colmore partners with the popular Birmingham Heritage Week each September, allowing us to work alongside organisations across the city to promote shared stories and celebrate Birmingham’s history together.
As we continue to grow and evolve, our heritage remains a guiding thread. We are committed to exploring more stories, uncovering new historical material, and weaving the District’s past into future placemaking and cultural projects.
Explore Colmore’s history projects, publications and upcoming activities below.
