Birmingham Festival praised in report

Mukhtar Dar was an artistic associate for the event

Birmingham Festival 23 had a positive economic and cultural impact on the city, according to a new report.

The free, nine-day outdoor event this summer saw a footfall of 123,500, the Birmingham City Council document found.

The festival in Centenary Park was made up of 153 projects and performances from more than 800 artists. It was created to mark the first anniversary of the city hosting the Commonwealth Games.

About 80% of attendees agreed with the statement the event made them feel proud of their local area, the report said.

Most people who visited - 85% - were from Birmingham and the surrounding West Midlands.

Local audiences spent a total of £422,391, with visitors from further afield spending £210,616.

As for cultural impact, more than half of attendees were said to come from areas of high social deprivation, with 93.9% of audiences agreeing the event was friendly and inclusive.

The report said two artistic associates, Elizabeth ‘Zeddie’ Lawal and Mukhtar Dar, formed part of the event's decision-making team and ensured Birmingham's many cultures were represented and included.

In addition, the report found 44.8% of attendees were from black, Asian or minority ethnic backgrounds, and more than three-quarters of audiences agreed with the statement that they felt more connected to people in their communities as a result of the festival.

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