Monday Showcase: Handel, Warlock, Mahler, C Schumann at Birmingham Conservatoire
The Monday Showcase is a series of free lunchtime concerts of varied music performed by Conservatoire students.
Mon 3 Oct 1.05pm at Recital Hall, Birmingham Conservatoire, Paradise Circus B3 3HG www.bcu.ac.uk/

V.Press Poetry Launch – Fragile Houses by Nina Lewis plus guest readers at Waterstones
Home is more than a brick building, family trees or ancestral bones. In Fragile Houses, Nina Lewis explores the people, places and memories carried through life. Vibrant imagery and precise insight reveal strength in the most tender places. Guests include Birmingham born Roy Macfarlane, Claire Walker and Antony Owen. Booking essential as limited seating.
Mon 3 Oct 7pm at Waterstones, High Street, Birmingham B4 7SL www.waterstones.com/

Monday Night Jazz at Yorks Bakery
Join us every Monday night at our Stephenson St cafe between 7:15 – 9:00 for live jazz music, cocktails, amazing food, craft beers, coffee & more.
Mon 3 Oct 7.15pm at Yorks Bakery Cafe, 29/30 Stephenson Street Birmingham B2 4BH www.yorksbakerycafe.co.uk/

Journey Film Club at Birmingham LGBT
Screening My Beautiful Launderette (dir: Stephen Frears, 1985, cert 15) ground breaking Hanif Kureshi scripted film exploring homosexuality and racism under the horrible eighties yolk of Thatcher’s Britain.
Tue 4 Oct 7.30pm at Birmingham LGBT 38/40 Holloway Circus Birmingham B1 1EQ www.journeyfilmclub.co.uk/

Tales and Ales at The Prince of Wales
For storytellers and lovers of a good story ‘come along to listen or tell’. A pleasant way to while away a couple of relaxing hours in one of Moseley’s best pubs; always a warm friendly atmosphere, so put your feet up (maybe not literally) and enjoy a pint of the good stuff listening to some spoken word tales.
Wed 5 Oct 8pm at The Prince of Wales, Moseley, Birmingham.www.tradartsteam.co.uk

Gregory Peck’s Jazz, Funk & Soul Open Mic Night at The Night Owl
The Night Owl is always a cool venue to spend time in, throw in some free live funk music and, if you’re that way inclined, bring along your own instruments to plug in and make some tuneful noise.
Wed 5 Oct 9pm at The Night Owl, Lower Trinity Street, Digbeth, Birmingham, B9 4AG. www.facebook.com

Care and Share Festival 2016 at The Bond Gallery
Arts All Over The Place – the mental health arts organisation for Birmingham and Solihull – is holding its annual arts festival entitled ‘Care and Share’. The full programme of events and exhibitions are open to the public and free of charge. The festival will showcase music and drama performances, together with 2 and 3D art, craft and poetry created by over 50 local people with a history of mental ill health. There will also be workshops led by some of the exhibitors to motivate others to be creative and get involved. Also part of the monthly Digbeth First Friday events.
Thu 6 Oct – Mon 10 Oct at The Bond Gallery, 180-182 Fazeley Street Digbeth Birmingham B5 5SE www.artsallovertheplace.org.uk/

COGnitive Jazz Therapy at Cogs Bar
Every Thursday, Cogs Bar hosts a Jazz themed night which features live bands, music and amazing people. This night used to be hosted at the Yardbird in Birmingham City Centre.
Thu 6 Oct, 7pm at Cogs Bar, 61 Newhall Street, Birmingham B3 3RB cogsbar.co.uk/

Lunchtime Guitar Concert with Leo Turner
The lunchtime guitar concerts are a unique and popular event on the Birmingham music scene and feature some of the most compelling and exciting guitar music from the Spanish, Latin and Classical repertoire. The concerts take place in the beautiful setting of the Round Room.
Fri 7 Oct 1.10pm at BMAG, CHamberlain Square, Birmingham B3 3DH www.birminghammuseums.org.uk/

James Turnbull & Clare Hammond at the Barber Insitute
An annual fixture in the Barber Lunchtime series, this year’s Presteigne Festival tour concert is given by acclaimed pianist Clare Hammond and oboist James Turnbull. The programme features works by the Festival’s composer-in-residence, Robert Saxton and a newly commissioned work by Ninfea Cruttwell-Reade, composition pupil of featured composer Thomas Hyde.
Fri 7 Oct 1pm at Barber institute, University of Birmingham Edgbaston B15 2TS barber.org.uk/

Poets Place at the library
Organised by the Library of Birmingham and Apples & Snakes, Poets’ Place is an informal gathering of poets that meets twice a month. The Poets’ Place is an opportunity for local poets to meet like‐minded people, where poets can give and solicit feedback on poetry, or just sit back and write for a couple of hours without interruption. Poets’ Place can be used to make new friends, discover new poets, find out about poetry events, share and have your work critiqued, make useful connections, set a writing schedule.
Sat 8 Oct 3pm at Library of Birmingham, Centenary Square, B1 2EA www.libraryofbirmingham.com/

Birmingham Comedy Festival Free Stand-up Half-dayer at Cherry Reds and The Victoria
Sun 9 Oct, 1.30pm – 5.15pm, see our preview here

Ricky Cool & The In Crowd at The Brasshouse
In his new line up, Ricky Cool and the In Crowd, Ricky Cool has teamed up with some of the Midlands top players in a six piece band presenting an explosive mixture of ska, bluebeat, rhythm and blues and rock ‘n’ roll, plus entertainment in the inimitable Ricky Cool style. Their music is guaranteed to get your feet itching to dance.
Sun 9 Oct 3pm at the Brasshouse, 44 Broad St Birmingham B1 2HP www.rickycoolandtheincrowd.co.uk/

Acoustic Sunday Social at The Old Crown
Awesome local sound providers Birmingham Promoters bring some of the region’s best acoustic artists to perform live in what will be a series of very special afternoons you won’t want to miss! Open mic slots also available.
Sun 9 Oct 4pm at The Old Crown, 188 High Street, Digbeth, Birmingham B12 0LD www.facebook.com/theoldcrownacoustic

Professor Firestick’s Sunday Music session at the Bear Tavern
An Afternoon of Electric Folk-Rock with The Kate Gee Band and Support from Folk Trio, Claret.
Sun 9 Oct 3pm at the Bear Tavern, 500 Bearwood Road, Smethwick, B66 4BX www.facebook.com/

Pour On The Sauce, daytime Reggae, Ska n Soul Party at the Night Owl
Late summer Carribbean vibes at this free daytime party. Expect Reggae, Ska and a bit of Soul with DJs, live music &  jerk BBQ.
Sun 9 Oct 12pm at The Night Owl, Lower Trinity Street, Digbeth, Birmingham, B9 4AG www.facebook.com/events

Free exhibition: Birmingham People and Change in the Inner City at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery.
Fascinating exhibition running until 2017. See preview here

Birmingham on Film 2016
Flatpack Film brings us an incredible season of Birmingham celebrated on the screen. See our round-up of the best FREE film events here

Free Culture at Ikon Gallery
See our feature here