Katarzyna Perlak & Khadija von Zinnenburg Carroll at Stryx
This months Digbeth First Friday will see a collection of new work by the artists Katarzyna Perlak and Khadija von Zinnenburg Carroll. Exploring the migrant condition through their works, Zinnenburg Carroll’s ‘Men in Waiting’ consists of a performance which will incorporate shadow, puppetry and spoken word, and is the result of a three year project, Perlak presents a sound installation featuring 142 exchanges between the artist and participants pronouncing the word Vulnerable, made in response the to the racist murder of Arkadiusz Jozwik. Part of The Matter of Life and Death Festival.
Fri 4th May 6pm at Stryx, Unit 13 Minerva Works, Fazeley Street, Digbeth, Birmingham B5 5RS. 6-9pm Free. http://www.stryx.co.uk/

Moseley Arts Market
One of the city’s most vibrant monthly arts markets continues to thrive in the culturally eclectic kingdom of Moseley with its strict criteria for stall holders ensuring the events are always brimming with quality wares including original artwork, handmade jewellery, crafts and designers, with a distinct absence of tat.
Sat 26th May, Alcester Road, Moseley Village, Birmingham, B13 8DD. Free www.facebook.com

Charlotte Jarvis: Et in Arcadia Ego at ORT Gallery
Artist Charlotte Jarvis has collaborated with Professor Hans Clevers and Dr Jarno Drost to grow her own tumour. Exploring the dialogue that surrounds cancer, Jarvis will be tackling themes of mortality, whilst creating a work of art that is completely herself. Whilst made of Jarvis’ cells, this tumour will exist beyond her, taking on a different dimension with the gallery setting.
Thu 10 May – Thur 28 Jun at Ort Gallery 500-504 Moseley Road, Birmingham, B12 9AH Free ortgallery.co.uk

Beyond Windrush at mac
It’s been seventy years since the Empire Windrush docked at Tilbury Docks with 1027 passengers who had boarded in Kingston, Jamaica, to sail to the UK, after The British Nationality Act of 1948 gave citizenship to people of the British colonies. To celebrate this, and the several decades of cultural coexistence that followed, the mac has a whole season of events ranging from exhibitions, music, art, spoken word, dance, comedy and workshops. Check out the full guide here, but highlights for us include an evening of spoken word and song in the company of Reggae Women, a rum masterclass with Ian Burrell and the Miss Black and Beautiful exhibition highlighting the first major solo exhibition from late photographer Raphael Albert.
Sat 21 Apr to Sat 7 Jul at the mac, Cannon Hill Park, Queen’s Ride, Birmingham B12 9QH various prices macbirmingham.co.uk

A Matter of Life and Death
Last year, the inaugural A Matter of Life and Death festival presented an unforgettable week of imaginatively curated events exploring that most taboo of subjects, death, and its absolute inevitability. What on the surface may appear grim (reaperish?) content for  ‘entertainment’ is a blossoming cultural carnival of frank and honest discussion, mixed easily with tears of joy and sadness. There is simply no escaping the fact that life ends, what events such as A Matter of Life and Death foster is the space to understand, accept and ultimately embrace the full circle of existence. So many highlights including a Kitchen Conjurer Sleepy Hollow screening complete with bizarre snack tastealong, workshops on fabulous funerals, the stunning exhibition Memento Mori: Exploring Death and Dying through Art, a natural burial ground tour and our favourite, a performance of The Many Doors of Frank Feelbad, a production exploring bereavement for kids. The wonderful Death Cafe’s will be running throughout.
Thu 10 May to Sat 30 Jun at various venues, various prices brumyodo.org.uk/

Medicine Bar Gallery
The rescheduled Project Birmingham presents Medicine gallery launch (see details here) offers all of life’s best stuff in one beautiful spot, making this an instant art hit in the city. Food, music and art combine at the launch of this funky new exhibition space, conveniently located above Birmingham’s notorious Medicine Bar Bakery with the likes of cronuts, sourdough pizza and cruffins fuelling the B’ham based colourful cultural pursuits. The launch weekend kicks off on the 5/6 May with music and celebrations with the exhibition A Sense of Place running until Mon 14 May.
Sat 5 May – Mon 14 May, at Medicine Bakery and Gallery, 69 New St, Birmingham B2 4DU. 10am – 4pm. Free.