Festival to mark city's jewellery making tradition

A month-long festival is to celebrate Birmingham's 250-year-old jewellery making tradition.

Birmingham Jewellery Biennial, to be held across May next year in the city's Jewellery Quarter, will comprise of exhibitions, activities and workshops, organisers say.

Visitors will be able to learn about the history of jewellery making, buy new pieces and design their own.

Festival director Alex Nicholson Evans predicted it would be a "major new cultural event for the country" and added: "We have some extremely exciting plans in the works."

The announcement comes a year after Birmingham was recognised as a World Craft City for its contributions to the industry.

Organisers, the Jewellery Quarter Development Trust and Birmingham City University, said the festival would feature leading names alongside up-and-coming producers.

They are planning an open call to give jewellery artists the chance to feature in a month-long exhibition, with monetary prizes on offer.

Plans for the biennial formed part of the city's bid for World Craft City status, which was granted last May.

Vice chancellor at Birmingham City University David Mba said: "Being part of the bid to have Birmingham recognised was an incredibly proud moment for us and our world-renowned School of Jewellery.

"We wanted to put Birmingham's jewellery-making talents on an international platform and have big ambitions to ensure that the biennial is a key event on the jewellery industry's calendar."

Ben Massey, chief executive of The National Association of Jewellers, said the industry was "a proud and vital part of the UK's cultural and creative landscape".

"This national festival is not about a glimpse behind the scenes; it is a full celebration and recognition of the people and businesses behind the work - those who design, make, and craft pieces that mark life's most meaningful moments."

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