Open Door: Disorder at the Rep
What happens when things in your head aren’t what they’re supposed to be? Or what if they are and it’s everyone else who has the problem? In 4 short plays BOLDtext Playwrights Stephen Jackson, Vanessa Oakes, Julia Wright and Sayan Kent focus the dramatic microscope on mental health.
Mon 26 Sep 8pm at Repertory Theatre, Centenary Square, Broad Street Birmingham B1 2EP boldtextcollective

John the Baptist in art at The Barber Institute
The Barber Institute holds lunchtime tours and talks every Tuesday to introduce visitors to their exhibitions, displays and collections. Each talk is 30 minutes long, no booking is required and they are free of charge. A great way to soak up some culture in a wonderful environment.
Tue 27 Sep, 1.15pm at The Barber Institute, Edgbaston, B15 2TS barber.org.uk/

Conversations in Curatorial Practice at the Ikon Gallery
An evening of conversation about curatorial research, exhibitions and performance projects being developed by three freelance curators from the West Midlands: Aly Grimes, Roma Piotrowska and Sonya Russell-Saunders. All three curators received a bursary award from New Art West Midlands – the Contemporary Visual Arts Network for the region – as part of the Art Market Project initiative to foster their curatorial practice as individuals.
Tue 27 Sep 6.30pm at Ikon Gallery, Brindley Place, Birmingham B1 2HS ikon-gallery.org/

Swing Dance Classes at Cogs
Beginners swing dance classes, Time for some Steampunk Swing!
Tue 27 Sep 6.30pm at Cogs Bar, 61 Newhall Street, Birmingham B3 3RB www.facebook.com/

The Cheeky Monkey Comedy Club at The Dark Horse
Featuring this week Russell Hicks, Rahul Kohli, Nicola Wilkinson and Graeme Collard. Four comedians for whatever you decide to put in the donations bucket or otherwise.
Tue 27 Sep 8pm at The Dark Horse, 145 Alcester Road Moseley B13 8JP www.cheekycomedy.co.uk/

GRRRLS ON FILM
As part of the nationwide Scalarama ‘Month of Cinema’ initiative and the Homeless Period campaign in Birmingham the ever wonderful arts space that is the Ort is hosting an evening of short films from both local and international artists. A free event and please check out the link for a list of suggested items to donate to the campaign.
Wed 28 Sep 7.30pm at Ort Cafe, Moseley Road, Balsall heath, Birmingham B12 9AH Free www.facebook.com/

Nightingale Film Club
A screening of Weekend (dir: Andrew Haigh, 2011, cert 15) a 2011 British romantic drama film directed by Andrew Haigh. It stars Tom Cullen and Chris New as two men who meet and begin a sexual relationship the week before one of them plans to leave the country.
Wed 28 Sep 8pm at Nightingale, Kent Street Birmingham B5 6RD www.nightingaleclub.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 28 Sep 9pm at The Night Owl, Lower Trinity Street, Digbeth, Birmingham, B9 4AG. www.facebook.com

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 29 Sep, 7pm at Cogs Bar, 61 Newhall Street, Birmingham B3 3RB cogsbar.co.uk/

Kolya (dir: Jan Svěrák, 1996, cert 12) at The Gunmakers Arms
Those clever people at Brum Cinema Addicts have got together with the Birmingham Czech and Slovak clubs to bring you the first in what should be an ongoing series of classic Czech cinema. To begin there is a screening of the sweetly serious Kolya. The tale of a Russian boy, the titular Kolya, who unwittingly falls into the care of the ‘politically unreliable’ František Louka played with grizzled aplomb by Zdeněk Svěrák who also wrote the screenplay. What sets Kolya apart from similarly themed ‘odd couple’ films and prevents it from degenerating into an asinine feel good movie is the political backdrop to its setting and the delightfully deadpan Czech humour. If you can’t speak Russian and Czech you will miss some of the comedy of conflicting languages. If you have a heart you will revel in a beautiful story told to perfection. Bring a hanky.
Fri 30 Sep 8pm at Gunmakers Arms, 93 Bath Street, Birmingham B4 6HG Free www.facebook.com/

Eye Candy Art Fair & Pop-up Store
Art fair, Sat 1 Oct at the spectacular venue of St Martins Church in the Bull Ring, 10am-4pm and Pop-up Store in the Great Western Arcade, Wed 28 Sep – Sat 8 Oct. For details see our full preview here

Bearwood Street Jumble and Procession of Light
Sat 1 Oct, see our full preview here

VOWS Black History Free Family Fun Day Event
Please join us in Celebrating Black History Month at the VOWS Community Enterprise Annual “Make the Dream Real” on Sunday 2nd October 2016. This is a Free Family Fun Day, Community Got Talent Showcase. The event will be highlighting and commemorating the war veterans and the NHS nurses from the Caribbean Islands, in recognition of the hard work, sacrifices and contributions that they have made to make Britain Great. Indoor & Outdoor Exhibitions, Food & Drink Stalls, Guest Speakers, Talent show – Live performers (local & international), Children’s activities, Community information, Health & Wellbeing.. Guest DJ’s and Radio Presenters.
Sun 2 Oct 10am at New Bingley Hall, 1 Hockley Circus Birmingham B18 5BE www.vows4uenterprise.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 2 Oct 4pm at The Old Crown, 188 High Street, Digbeth, Birmingham B12 0LD www.facebook.com/theoldcrownacoustic

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 2 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