Monday Showcase 
Start the week basking in the high arts at the acoustically perfect Birmingham Conservatoire as part of their free lunchtime concerts series. Rachmaninov’s Cello Sonata will be performed by Aaron Bilson and Connor Wilcox, and soprano Shiyu Zhang will give her rendition of four classic pieces from the Far East with piano accompaniment from Bernard Tan.
Mon 6 Mar 1pm at Birmingham Conservatoire Paradise Circus B3 3HG www.bcu.ac.uk

Stirchley Community Market 
Market just seems so small a term for an event that encompasses the finest street food, quality craft items, luxurious groceries, treats and a wonderfully inclusive vibe. Grab a beautiful coffee from wandering bean brewers ‘There Goes’ to complement that sumptuous salted caramel brownie cake purchased from ‘Mrs Mills Makes Cakes’ and enjoy one of the friendliest community markets in Birmingham.
Tue 7 Mar 4pm at Stirchley Baths, Bournville Lane, Birmingham B30 2JT stirchleycommunitymarket.co.uk/

Journey Film Club  
The Journey Film Club have an absolute classic of heavyweight thesping and alcohol abuse screening tonight. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (dir: Mike Nichols, 1966, cert 12) is a bruising battle of wills between Martha and George played by real life married couple Elisabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. The sparks don’t so much fly as coruscate wildly as Martha and George’s booze fuelled mutual antipathy leads to the death of their ‘son’.
Tue 7 Mar 7pm at Birmingham LGBT 38/40 Holloway Circus Birmingham B1 1EQ www.journeyfilmclub.co.uk

The Koestler Trust: Still Life Killing Time
The Koestler Trust is a prison charity that works with offenders, secure patients and detainees to foster and encourage an interest in art. Some of the pieces that have been produced are astonishing and will shatter a lot of misconceptions. The mac is carrying an exhibition of art produced, with the aid of The Koestler Trust, in the West Midlands until Sun 26 Mar in their Arena Gallery. Artist and photographer Edmund Clark has worked closely with the charity and has written a book about his experiences working in prisons with long term inmates. In this evening’s event he will discuss this and also his work as artist in residence at HMP Grendon Britain’s only therapeutic prison.
Wed 8 Mar 6.30pm at mac, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham B12 9QH macbirmingham.co.uk

Hardeep Pandhal Performative Artist Talk
Birmingham born Hardeep will discuss the several projects he is part of and how as an artist this can be translated into a live performance. Most famous for his evolving animation Nightmare on BAME Street, Hardeep uses the language of rhythmic narration to express his ideas over beat based backdrops. We hope to hear more about a knitted collaboration he is pursuing with his mother.
Thu 9 Mar 6.30pm at Eastside Projects 86 Heath Mill Lane Birmingham B9 4AR eastsideprojects.org

Jazzlines: Chris Gumbley Quintet
Hard Bop heaven at the Symphony Hall this evening as the Chris Gumbley Quintet recreate the sound of the legendary saxophonist Cannonball Adderley. Chris has been around a bit and in addition to recreating legendary jazz sounds he has toured with the Four Tops and the Temptations. Kick back in the Symphony Hall cafe bar with a drink and soak up the music of legends.
Fri 10 Mar 5pm at Symphony Hall Broad Street Birmingham B1 2EA www.thsh.co.uk

Birmingham Children of War
A Friends of Birmingham Archives & Heritage project, Birmingham Children of War explores the experiences of children and young people of the city during the Great War. There are experts on hand to give mini-talks on the exhibition, trails for children to follow, live music, activities and archival film footage. An incredible amount of research has gone into the project and it provides a fascinating glimpse into the history of Birmingham.
Sat 11 Mar 1.30pm at Library of Birmingham Centenary Square Birmingham B1 2EA birminghamchildrenofwarblog.wordpress.com/

Auto Italia JunkWorkMeatSpace
Artists and film makers will discuss their creative processes and explore the possibilities of new means of expression. Patrick Goddard, Claire Kurylowski, members of Sharna Pax and Dan Ward are looking to untangle current modes of communication, search for inspiration and a re-imagining of contemporary artistic collaboration. How do artists navigate the new ‘image regime’ where anything can be appropriated and shared online.
Sat 11 Mar 2pm at Eastside Projects 86 Heath Mill Lane Birmingham B9 4AR eastsideprojects.org

One Prawn Every Minute
If you’ve not visited the cultural nirvana of Ort yet then you really are missing out on one of the most imaginative and engaging art spaces in Birmingham. Live music, spoken word, exhibitions, comedy and pop up food only scratches the surface of the Ort’s eclectic line up.  Visit on Saturday night and see what all the fuss is about as Prawn host a free party into the early hours because, ‘everything is terrible so let’s get drunk and have a dance.’ We can’t think of a better reason for a party. Jump on the number 50 bus and get down there.
Sat 11 Mar 8pm at Ort Cafe 500- 506 Moseley Road Balsall Heath Birmingham B12 9AH ortcafe.co.uk

Birmingham Food Drive Fundraiser/Collection Gig
An evening of live music, art, poetry and a booming dub sound system organised by Artivist UK and Dubgasm in response to Birmingham City Council reducing the budget for homeless people by ten million pounds. Highlights include local punk reggae hooligans Lobster, the acoustic meanderings of Johnny Kowalski, spoken word from Cheshire Cat and a reggae DJ mash up between Bongo Damo and Jah Nova. It’s only free entry if you supply items to help the homeless such as sleeping bags, clothes and food otherwise it will cost £7 OTD. Please check out a more comprehensive list of required items on the event web page.
Sat 11 Mar 7.30pm at the Wagon and Horses 28 Adderley Street Digbeth Birmingham, B9 4ED www.facebook.com

St Patrick’s Parade Day – Free traditional Irish music & DJs afterparty
You know the drill by now, Emerald Mile Fun Run at 10am, Parade and Festival from noon, Live Music Stage from 2pm (The Destroyers are on at 5.45pm), for the full line-up/event details see the official website here. But if the aftermath if of more concern, The Night Owl have solved all your post St Patrick’s Day Parade problems by laying on a full day of green themed shenanigans. Whether you need to rest your feet after a busy afternoon’s parading or just want to get straight down to some boozy (non-alcoholic beverages are probably available too) fun accompanied by fine traditional Irish music then head on down to Digbeth’s friendliest club. As St. Patrick’s Day becomes St. Patrick’s night the usual resident DJ’s will be cooking up a gaelic storm.
Sun 12 Mar 1pm a Night Owl, 17-18 Lower Trinity Street,  Birmingham B9 4AG www.facebook.com