The first-ever Birmingham Disability Festival is set to take place this July, a free event showcasing a wide range of disabled talent through performances, sports, interactive games and talks.

Hosted by Birmingham City University, and created by Birmingham Disability Festival, the celebration aims to advance diversity, equity and inclusion in the city.

Happening on Sat 6 Jul, the Festival features a packed day of events including live performances, arts and crafts, a ‘Human Library’ featuring key speakers, invaluable networking opportunities and essential resources to empower disabled people.

Highlights of the Festival include dance performances from wheelchair based Freewheelin and Cerebral Palsy West Midlands, and music from DJ Ben Linstead, a wheelchair user who has a regular set at Birmingham’s famous The Night Owl.

Games and sports for people of all abilities will also be on offer including boccia, curling, blind football, volleyball, wheelchair basketball and RUN OF A KIND, Birmingham’s first and only Running Tour Team, will be providing a tour for blind/visually impaired runners and a disability friendly walking tour.

Attendees can take part in workshops including Ways for Wellbeing UK and Birmingham Metropolitan (BMet) College’s nature and wellbeing workshops around the themes of planting; and Tai Chi and on-the-spot muscle therapy from Release and Repair’s Roland Baskerville.

Nabila Gardner, Director at Ways for Wellbeing UK CIC a health and wellbeing coaching organisation led by disabled women said “We are very proud to lead the coordination of the first Festival of its kind in Birmingham. We know what it is like to not be seen and recognised for our work. We want to motivate others like us to see how they can make a difference just by being who they are and doing what they do.  We all have different ways of being included in our world and we are proud that we do things differently.”

The day will also feature a ‘Human Library’ where people can attend discussions with keynote speakers. The ‘Human Library’ is facilitated by Dr Shani Dhanda the multi-award-winning disability inclusion and accessibility specialist, social entrepreneur and broadcaster (Loose Women, This Morning). The ‘Human Library’ also includes, amongst others,  Dr Amo Raju, Amit Ghose, Charlie Fogarty MBE., Alice Hargreaves and Charlotte Berisford.

The first Birmingham Disability Festival is free to attendees and takes place at the university’s Curzon Building between 12pm-4pm and is fully accessible.

British Sign Language interpreters and quiet spaces will be available and assistance dogs are welcome. Food and drink will be available and there will be seating areas on site.

You can register for your free spot using the button below.