Life in Birmingham
Birmingham, the city of reinvention, transforming itself from an industrial heritage into a vibrant, young and creative hub for future talent. Statistics show the city is fast becoming the destination of choice for those wishing to escape the expense of London in terms of production and living, but still lead an affordable cosmopolitan lifestyle.
When mentioning Birmingham, the mind instantly goes to the aesthetic of the gritty and iconic award-winning drama Peaky Blinders’ but Birmingham has also been the filming location for many high-end productions over the past few years, including Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One, Kingsman: The Golden Circle as well as Line of Duty, Hustle, Boon, Crossroads, Dalziel and Pascoe, The Game, Danny and the Human Zoo and Survivors.
The city is also the birthplace of many names in the film and television industry such as national treasures such as Tony Hancock, Julie Walters, Jasper Carrott, and Joe Lycett, Theory of Everything star Felicity Jones, silent film star Albert Austin, Director Michael Balcon, and Presenters Emma Willis, Alison Hammond and Toyah Wilcox.
More recently, the triumphant spectacle that was the Commonwealth Games took place in Birmingham over the summer of 2022. The Games took place all around the Midlands, as far out as Coventry in the south and Cannock Chase Forest in the north. But the majority of the action took place right on our doorstep in Digbeth: athletics, gymnastics, racket sports, cricket and much more, all entertained the crowds in venues in the heart of the city.
Birmingham is a city that has truly risen from the ashes over the past few decades, shaking off a gritty former image and emerging as a cultural hotspot for up and coming talent. Historically recognised for its industrial legacy as the ‘City of a Thousand Trades’ due to the vast number of industries and business that flocked to the area towards the end of the 19th Century, Birmingham is actually one the UK’s greenest districts, featuring 600 parks and open spaces accumulating to over 8,000 acres.
It’s this multi-cultural eclectic mix of old meets new, nature meets industry, and art meets culture – which draws the crowds to the area, provides a canvas for filmmakers, and makes Birmingham such a fresh and innovative location for budding members of the film and television industry.
The city also holds over 50 festivals annually, including the Birmingham Film Festival, the Flat Pack Film Festival, the Birmingham International Jazz Festival and the Fierce Art Festival, to name but a few. It’s not just an exciting and vibrant scene to enjoy socially – it’s an opportunity to meet and work with talented individuals from all aspects of the industry.
This collaborative and productive spirit and drive is what makes Birmingham stand out, and with 12 universities and over 185,000 students on average, the under 25s make up around 40% of Birmingham’s population, as the innovative and driven talent of tomorrow cluster to one of the UK’s most up and coming cities in the industry.
An inclusive city, Birmingham Pride began in 2014 and has since awarded over £250k to deserving local community and support groups in the area, also cementing the district’s place as a diverse and welcoming city featuring a wealth of culture, galleries, theatres, cinemas and live music venues including the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum, the Ikon Gallery, The Jewellery Quarter, and The Royal Birmingham Society of Artists.
As film and TV productions worldwide look for new locations, space, flexibility, and sound economic sense, Birmingham’s position in the global market as a location and source of talent is growing. Put your career centre stage, Birmingham could be the best location scouting choice you ever make for your career.
Birmingham’s film scene is on the rise. Interest in the city has grown exponentially, attracting Hollywood directors such as Steven Spielberg and his production of Ready Player One.
As well as that, films including Kingsman: The Golden Circle, Jawbone, and The Girl with all the Gifts, were all filmed here, as were iconic television classics such as Peaky Blinders, Spooks, The Game, Dalziel and Pascoe and Line of Duty. It’s no wonder then that Peaky Blinders creator, Steven Knight, is working on opening a new film studio here, which will hopefully create huge industry opportunities for the area.
It is the rich and dynamic variety of architecture and landscape which makes Birmingham a director’s dream.
From the ancient to the modern, the city has everything needed to provide directors, designers, and producers with the perfect canvas on which to paint their stories. With a multitude of studios, production houses and agencies around the city, Birmingham offers the right resources to those in the film and screen industry. Events such as the Birmingham Film Festival and Flatpack Film Festival provide huge advantages to students wishing to make contact with industry professionals.
No cosmopolitan city is complete without a vast array of eateries and restaurants to suit varying tastes, and Birmingham excels in attracting not only popular chains of restaurants, pizzerias and fast food, but a stunning range of fine restaurants in which to lose yourself for a few hours.
Starting life in 2012 as a popular Birmingham burger stall, the Meat Shack, now located on Thorp Street opposite the Hippodrome Theatre, boasts a saliva seducing menu ‘Dripping Filthy Goodness’ to get the taste buds of the more carnivorous customer tingling.
If dirty burgers aren’t your scene and you’re looking for something a bit more chić, one of Birmingham’s most highly regarded chefs, Aktar Islam, delivers his delicious modern interpretation of Indian and Bangladeshi cuisine at the stylish and sophisticated venue Opheem, earning the esteemed restaurant a Michelin star in the process.
Gaigin Sushi on Bristol Street is renowned for its theatrical approach, and wows diners with their preparation, whilst the art deco style of The Oyster Club is sure to impress as Birmingham’s finest seafood restaurant.
If Italian cuisine is more your style then the family run Laghi’s Deli on the fringes of the city centre brings an authentic taste of Northern Italy to Birmingham.
If good old classics pub food is more your style then it’s hard to find better than The Pint Shop and their unique take on ‘pub grub’. Whether it’s their exhaustive list of beers or flair for a unique twist to their meals, there’s something to suit everyone’s palette in and around Birmingham.
No matter what your taste, Birmingham proves itself as a city full of flavour.
It’s hard to get much more diverse than Birmingham’s vibrant and bustling night time scene, featuring some of the best bars, pubs, clubs and restaurants the UK has to offer, from popular chains to unique boutique establishments, a flavour for every taste.
A rich and eclectic mix of live music, comedy and clubbing is available, whether it’s a retro and soul night you fancy at The Night Owl, a 1940’s style cinema evening at The Electric Cinema, hilarity at stand-up spot The Glee Club, indie vibes at at Snobs, or a mad night out devastating the dance floor at top clubs such as Lab11, The Tunnel Club, The Rainbow Venues, Hare and Hounds, the O2 Academy, The Mill, or Monastery, an actual former Monastery now transformed into a 21st century Birmingham nightspot.
Birmingham is an inclusive city, and the LGBTQI+ community have their very own ‘gaybourhood’ which is centered along Hurst Street, next to the Chinese Quarter in the city centre. Clubs such as The Nightingale, Bolts and the Village inn are weekly hotspots, whilst Club Kids Birmingham run events hosted by legendary RuPaul’s Drag Race stars such as Miz Cracker, Shea Coulee, Thorgy Thor and Bebe Zahara Benet.
There’s also Birmingham Pride held every Spring Bank Holiday weekend which attracts over 70,000 visitors each year and offers a variety of day and night time events for everyone to enjoy.
If headline acts are your thing you’ve come to the right place. Birmingham Genting Arena has featured A listers such as Adele, Metallica, Emelie Sandé and the Killers. The Utility Arena has hosted Ariana Grandé, Harry Styles, Queen, Elton John, Pete Tong and Erasure, whilst the BIC has hosted stars such as Little Mix, Aha, and The Pet Shop Boys,
With such a huge student population the city has become a hub for having a good time, and because everything is so close together it makes getting from place to place a few minutes walk, or you can travel around the city by taxi for less than a fiver.
With over 600 parks and open spaces over 8,000 acres, Birmingham is the ideal place to enjoy nature and get some fresh air. With its beautiful twisting paths, woodlands and orchards, Martineau Gardens is a bubble of tranquillity, whilst historic Winterbourne House and Gardens is the home of stunning landscaping and the perfect retreat on a sunny afternoon.
Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens features 10 acres of walled gardens in the Baroque aesthetic, and includes a holly walk, summer house, and maze. In the middle of town you’ll find the City Centre Gardens located next to the International Convention Centre, filled with exotic-looking plants it’s a great location to escape between lectures, or spend a day lazing.
Nearby you’ll also find the Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Glasshouses, which boasts 15 acres of stunning landscaped gardens, and 4 glasshouses for lovers of the more tropical, from cascading palms and ferns through to Mediterranean citrus and cacti, it’s the perfect way to relax.
Birmingham is an extremely well connected city with a wide variety of travel options, not just within the local area, but across the UK.
Bike
Birmingham is a cyclist friendly city, with traffic free cycling routes, on-road cycle lanes, signed routes and canal towpaths. There’s also community cycling clubs and cycle centres for those pound on the pedals!
For a wealth of information on cycling routes, maps, plans and downloads visit the Birmingham Cycling pages by clicking here.
Bus
With an immense bus network linking all areas of the city Birmingham is a city that’s easy to get around, with commercial bus services running into the city centre from all areas, it makes being a student easy, accessing the city centre hassle free.
Birmingham buses have facilities to allow access for everyone, such as low floors to allow entry for those with wheelchairs or assisted walking equipment.
There’s also a Swift Pay As You Go card which also offers discounts. You simply put money on your card and then present it when you board the bus or metro.
Taxi
Birmingham is well serviced by taxi cabs, UBER and other similar minicab companies. Due to the way Birmingham is laid out it’s possible to travel around the city’s vibrant night spots for less than £5 at night.
Always make sure to pre-book your taxi from a fully licensed taxi firm.
Train
Birmingham New Street is extremely well connected and one of the principal stations of the UK rail network as a whole, providing rail links all across the United Kingdom.
Three railway stations service Birmingham city centre, and there is a further station, Birmingham International 9 miles east of the city centre next to Birmingham Airport and the National Exhibition Centre.
There are two further stations. Five Ways in the south west of the city centre with connections on the New Street to Redditch line, and Jewellery Quarter in the north west of the city centre with connections on the Snow Hill to Worcester line and the West Midlands Metro.
Plane
The nearest airport to Birmingham is Birmingham (BHX) Airport which is 7 miles away and carries international flights to several countries. East Midlands (EMA) airport is 34 miles away also, but once the new HS2 line opens in 2026, both Heathrow and Gatwick will be reachable in just over an hour, making the world your oyster.
Any questions?
For any questions regarding Birmingham student life or if you’d like more information on how to apply to Screen and Film School, please contact our Enquiries Team on 01273 840 346 or email [email protected].
