Balsall Heath Second Saturday

Monthly creative festival

Tag: July 2026

  • Children’s Author Session: My Rice Is Best with Selina Brown. 11am-12.30pm, Courtyard/Lower Gallery, OPW

    Rice and peas or jollof rice?

    The great rice debate is coming to Second Saturday at The Old Print Works.

    Join award-shortlisted children’s author Selina Brown for a fun, joyful children’s session based on her hilarious picture book My Rice is Best.

    There’ll be a lively story reading, arts and crafts, a chance for children to ask Selina questions, and books available to buy on the day.

    Expect big laughs, bold opinions and plenty of children shouting about which rice is really the best.

    Free to attend — all children welcome.

    Saturday 11th July 2026 at The Old Print Works,  498-506 Moseley Road in Balsall Heath, B12 9AH,
    11am–12.30pm

    My Rice is Best  follows Shane, who knows that rice and peas is the best rice in the world — until his friend Yinka turns up with jollof rice and starts a delicious showdown.

    A funny, warm and colourful celebration of food, friendship, culture and pride.

    Selina Brown is a Studio Partner at The Old Print Works and the founder of the Black British Book Festival and the inaugural National Reading Hero recipient of the Queen’s Reading Room Medal. Her Penguin picture book My Rice is Best has been shortlisted for the British Book Awards 2026, The Laugh Out Loud Book Awards 2026 and the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize 2026.

  • Carnival Futures: Creative Conversations with ITZATNA Arts. 11am-3pm, Director’s Office (Courtyard), OPW

    ITZATNA Arts invite you to a creative conversation workshop where we’ll explore the past, present, and future of Balsall Heath Carnival.

    For over 40 years, Balsall Heath Carnival has brought joy and celebration to our community. We’ve gathered an incredible archive of photos and stories from 1977 onwards, showcasing the carnival’s evolution and impact.

    Now we’re looking to the future and want to hear from you! We’ll be comparing our archive with vibrant photographs of carnivals in Mexico and Brazil, exploring what makes these events special and how we can draw inspiration from them.

    Join us for an interactive workshop where you’ll have the chance to:

    1. Explore the Balsall Heath Carnival archive and share your favourite memories
    2. Discover the sights and sounds of carnivals in Mexico and Brazil
    3. Make a carnival mask or decoration for a future carnival
    4. Share your thoughts on what you’d like to see and experience at future Balsall Heath Carnival

    This session is free, please consider making a donation here.

    ITZATNA Arts are a Studio Partner at The Old Print Works.

  • Craft Design & Technology for under 11’s. 11am-3pm, Upper Gallery, OPW

    Craft Design & Technology for under 11’s. 11am-3pm, Upper Gallery, OPW

    The CDT room has a range of tools for turning, milling, precision cutting, drilling, engraving and pyrography. Projects are designed and led by children, who make musical instruments, vehicles, furniture or whatever they can imagine out of wood, plastic and metal. Children are also encouraged to adapt and repair their tools.

    These sessions are run by Richard Newton who has 30 years of experience teaching craft, design & technology to children.

    90 minute session. £8 per child / £6 per sibling

    Richard Newton is a Studio Partner at The Old Print Works.

  • Balsall Heath Carnival in Changing Times. 11am-4pm, Director’s Office (Courtyard), OPW

    Balsall Heath Local History Society presents an exhibition celebrating the Carnival in Balsall Heath.

    For nearly five decades the Balsall Heath Carnival has been the beating heart of our community – a glorious celebration of diversity, creativity, working together to celebrate our community. Balsall Heath Local History Society volunteers have been looking through the archives – literally thousands of photos and films, artwork and crafty creations, seeing the carnival through the people who have lived it. From the legendary floats of the 1970s and 80s to all the music, dance and glitter of more recent carnivals.

    Expect fabulous and fantastic costumes, unusual sporting competitions, artwork extraordinaire and the moving, funny and proud stories of the people who have made it happen year after year.

    Whether you’ve marched in the processions, cheered from the pavements or entirely new to the Carnival, this exhibition is a love letter to the resilience, unity and a bit of craziness that is Balsall Heath.

    This is a touring exhibition, presented as part of the Balsall Heath Community Festival.

    Photo: Clowning around at the Carnival, 1981. Photography by Mick Turner.

  • The Old Print Works Market. 11am-4pm, Courtyard/Lower Gallery, OPW

    The Old Print Works Market. 11am-4pm, Courtyard/Lower Gallery, OPW

    Local makers and crafts / bric a brac / clothes / curios and more

    July stallholders include:

    • AimeeJMakes, selling handmade gifts that are upcycled, foraged and repurposed
    • Anawim, Birmingham’s Centre For Women, selling pre-loved clothes and recruiting volunteers
    • Change Kitchen CIC, selling fresh cakes and award-winning healthy and tasty ReadyMealsForGood™ including their signature Homity Pie
    • Daily Thread, selling craft kits and plants
    • Delish Bakery, selling Gluten-Free cupcakes and brownies
    • Esca09 / Sector9.Lab, selling original acrylic keychains and pendants, handmade futuristic accessories, art prints, badges and stickers
    • Fahima Akthar, delivering decorative henna tattoos
    • Lisa Birchall, selling hand-drawn illustrations
    • Little Crafter, selling bookmarks, cards, key rings, necklaces, rings, bracelets and airdry clay
    • MAKE & TADA!, selling handmade wooden pieces including gifts for teachers
    • Maji Designs, selling crystals and precious stones
    • Tammy Woodrow, visual/performance artist and OPW Studio Partner, selling prints and pamphlets. You can also make your own print with her mobile etching press.
    • Taradhin is a small reworked fashion/accessories business which focuses on reducing textile waste and making slow fashion more accessible and inclusive. 
    • The Old Print Works, bric a brac
    • Youth Front For Palestine, information and merchandise

    If you would like to be part of the market, please contact us at info@oldprintworks.org or book a stall here (cost £10 or £90 for 12 months).

  • Banner design workshop with WMPSC. 11am-4pm, Lower Gallery/Courtyard, OPW

    Join a free workshop to design banners and placards for West Midlands Palestine Solidarity Campaign (WMPSC). They will also be promoting produce from Palestine.

    This session is free, please consider making a donation here.

  • The Original Art Club. 11am-4pm, Courtyard/Lower Gallery, OPW

    The Original Art Club. 11am-4pm, Courtyard/Lower Gallery, OPW

    The Original Art Club is a safe creative space for children to explore, create and develop their artistic skills. This is project-based learning tailored to each individual and their ability. The idea is progress not perfection and with an ‘I can do’ attitude here at the club we want all our budding artists to feel confident and encouraged in their creative journey.

    We teach several 2D and 3D techniques within our projects using a wide range of materials from pencil, acrylic paint and watercolours, to clay and paper mache. Our mixed age and mixed ability classes is a unique way in building self-confidence, independence and social bonding. Those children who have been with us longer will have gained more flexibility in steering their own projects and outcomes. We use mediums such as acrylics, watercolours, oil/soft pastels, inks, fine liners and 3D work with papier mache, clay and paper sculpture. At the club we value art and believe it is a significant component for the holistic education of children.

    This workshop is free, please consider making a donation here.

  • Balsall Heath Local History Society. 11am-4pm, Lower Gallery/Courtyard, OPW

    Meet members of the Balsall Heath Local History Society and learn about their project Balsall Heath in Changing Times and the relaunched local newsletter The Heathan.

    Balsall Heath Local History Society is a Studio Partner at The Old Print Works.

  • Creative activities at The GAP. 11am-4pm, Drawing Room (Courtyard), OPW

    July is a very special Balsall Heath Second Saturday, where we’ll be celebrating our local neighbourhood as part of the Balsall Heath Community Festival!

    Join us at The GAP for:

    • ‘Drawing Connections: An exhibition sharing stories of community spirit in Balsall Heath’. Featuring:
      • Illustrations by local artist Haseebah Ali
      • Oral history listening booth
      • Self-guided audio walking tour
      • Postcard activities – Write a letter to your neighbours, a love letter to Balsall Heath, or imagine you’re sending a postcard from here to someone on the other side of the world… What might you say?
      • Pick up your own free Out & About Explorer Pack! Produced especially for children in Balsall Heath to get active, make their mark and spark curiosity about how we interact with our physical environment creatively exploring the streets and sights of their local neighbourhood in new and exciting ways
    • Bunting Showcase! Over the past 6 months we’ve invited Second Saturday attendees to help us create a load of bunting to help decorate and celebrate Balsall Heath. Come and see the final thing on show!

    Open between 11am – 4pm – drop-in any time!

    The GAP Arts Project is a Studio Partner at The Old Print Works.

    If you’d like to support The Old Print Works please consider making a donation here.

  • Change Kitchen. 11am-4pm, The MIX Cafe

    Change Kitchen CIC will be doing a Cafe Takeover and running The Mix Community Cafe at The Old Print Works.

    Open 11am-4pm, serving artisan drinks and ethical, climate-friendly food that’s yummy, and does more good across our communities.

  • Seeing Rhonda. 11am-5pm, Upper Gallery, OPW

    The work, activism and far-reaching influence of Birmingham photographer Rhonda Wilson are being brought back into the spotlight through a new exhibition titled Seeing Rhonda and the launch of a community archive led by Birmingham City University and The Old Print Works.

    Together, the exhibition and archive span over three decades of Wilson’s work, from the 1980s to the 2010s. Photographs, letters, posters and publications sit alongside personal notes, sketches and overlooked ephemera, revealing not just what Wilson created, but how she worked, collaborated and built opportunities for others. Seeing Rhonda presents Wilson as more than a photographer; as a cultural entrepreneur, journalist, educator and activist, she spent over 30 years championing others and reshaping the photography landscape in Birmingham and beyond. Wilson’s constructed social documentary style of photography was underpinned by her commitment to addressing issues of women’s representation, low pay and homelessness.

    The project was initiated by Dr Annette Naudin, Associate Professor at Birmingham City University, in partnership with The Old Print Works and in collaboration with PRISM Photography Network. This exhibition is supported by Birmingham City University and The Old Print Works.

    Opening times (free entry):
    Saturday 11 July, 11am-5pm

    Location:
    Upper Gallery, The Old Print Works
    Please note access is via a number of stairs and The Old Print Works does not have a lift.

    This is a free exhibition, please consider making a donation here.

    Photo: Archive material, Rhonda Wilson community archive. Image courtesy The Old Print Works.

  • Pasta Maker Printing Press Pigeon Party! with Jane Thakoordin. 11.30am-1.30pm, Lower Gallery, OPW

    Join textile artist Jane Thakoordin in a printing session, making mono and relief prints on the theme “we are all birds of one sky”.

    Drop in anytime between 11.30 and 1.30 to contribute to the flock and to take a print home with you.

    This workshop is free, please consider making a donation here.

    Jane Thakoordin is a Studio Partner at The Old Print Works.

  • Create Your Own Anime Character with Esca09. 12-4pm, Lower Gallery, OPW

    Join artist Esca09 for a drop-in beginner friendly workshop to create your own anime character.

    Participants learn some simple techniques for drawing an original anime-style character, including facial features, hairstyles and clothing, before adding colour and personal details to make the character their own. The workshop is suitable for beginners, including children (with parental supervision), and no previous drawing experience is needed.

    The session will be around 30–45 minutes, depending on the participants.

    This session is free, please consider making a donation here.

  • Woodwork with MAKE & TADA! 12.30-2pm, Lower Gallery, OPW

    In this session with MAKE & TADA!, participants can make a World Cup flag.

    This is a relaxed, welcoming free community workshop, suitable for all abilities. All materials are provided, along with guidance throughout. *Children under the age of 10 must be supervised by an accompanying adult*

    Workshop sessions:
    12.30-12.55pm
    1-1.25pm
    1.30-1.55pm
    Booking is essential, please book here.

    This workshop is free, please consider making a donation here.

    MAKE & TADA! is a Studio Partner at The Old Print Works.

  • Mapping Balsall Heath Through Islamic Art. 12.30-3.30pm, MIAH Gallery, 496 Moseley Road

    As part of the Balsall Heath Festival, MIAH invites you to take part in a special community arts project where together we’ll create an illuminated Ottoman-style map of Balsall Heath, inspired by traditional Islamic artistic practices, including geometric design, illumination, biomorphic patterns, decorative drawing, and Ottoman-style visual motifs.

    Whether you have five minutes or an hour to spare, you can contribute to the map in a way that suits you. Participants will be invited to identify places and spaces that are meaningful to them and add their own creative contribution to this collective artwork.

    The completed map will celebrate Balsall Heath’s rich heritage, diverse communities, and shared stories. It will also help inspire a future heritage trail for the area and become part of MIAH’s ongoing gallery programming.

    Your visit also includes free access to “Under the Sultan’s Shadow”, our exhibition exploring the artistic and cultural world of the Ottoman Empire.

    🗓️ Saturday 11th July 2026
    📍 MIAH Foundation, 496 Moseley Rd, Balsall Heath, Birmingham B12 9AH
    🎟️ Free and open to all – no experience required. Drop in anytime and get creative!

    #BHCFest26

  • Balsall Heath Repair Cafe, 12.30-4pm. The Mix Cafe, OPW

    Balsall Heath Repair Cafe is back again at Balsall Heath Second Saturday. Repairers include textiles and knife sharpening.

    Check balsallheathrepaircafe.org for repairers closer to the day.

    This session is free, please consider making a donation here.

  • Waffle Poetry. 1-3pm, The Transfer co-working space, OPW

    Join us in the co-working space for Waffle Poetry – a space dedicated to all things poetry!

    Bring a poem you like (or your own if you’re brave enough) and waffle away in creative discourse as we discover new voices and fresh perspectives.

    Places are free, please book here.

  • A Green Vision for Balsall Heath. 2-4pm, Director’s Office (Courtyard), OPW

    Join a drop-in workshop with Balsall Heath People’s Emergency Briefing.

    We are writing and/or drawing requests to our MPs to speed up the transition away from fossil fuels and to properly brief the nation on the scientific, economic and societal need to treat the changes in climate and nature as an emergency.

    All ages welcome.

  • Climate Justice and Palestine Solidarity: Deepening the Connections. 3-4.30pm, Lower Gallery, OPW

    With Faisel Farooq, John Munro and Myka Tucker-Abramson

    Although we live in a moment when multiple concerns compete for our attention, a planet made unlivable for future generations and a genocide carried out with impunity are, rightly, subjects of sustained interest and outrage in Birmingham and beyond. And yet, issues of climate justice and Palestine solidarity are not always thought about as directly related to one another.

    Rising to the challenge of deepening the political and activist connections between these burning issues, this workshop will begin with two presentations that encourage us to think how ecocide, racism, extractivism, state repression and mobility justice are all linked. From here, we’ll open the discussion to all workshop participants, as we think and talk together about how local action can address the injustices of our times when we see them as intertwined.