Music-lovers asked to shape city's musical story

8 hours ago

Susie RackWest Midlands

News image — Birmingham's Ozzy Osbourne is celebrated in murals and exhibitions in the city

Reuters A man passes by a mural of Ozzy Osbourne on a white wall, depicting the former Black Sabbath frontman in his trademark round dark glasses, with hood up and his hands crossed in front of his throat. — Birmingham's Ozzy Osbourne is celebrated in murals and exhibitions in the city

Birmingham has long being a hub for musical innovation, credited as the birthplace of heavy metal, and with roots in genres as diverse as Bhangra, rap and reggae sound systems.

Now, music-lovers are set to be quizzed on how they engage with a city's gigs, festivals and musical heritage sites, to help shape future experiences.

The Birmingham "music visitors' experience" survey has been drawn up by local organisations working together to celebrate and expand the region's rich musical offering.

"We know that Birmingham has an incredibly diverse musical heritage," said Dr Patrycja Rozbicka, from Aston University.

Getty Images Five members of UB40 on a stage in the centre of a stadium, with dry smoke blurring the image. — UB40, pictured on stage at the Commonwealth Games closing ceremony in 2022, are rooted in Birmingham, playing their first gig at Kings Heath's Hare & Hounds, in 1979

Researchers are additionally gathering evidence through workshops, and talking to consumers, tourism groups and performers to map existing musical assets.

The work will identify opportunities and shape recommendations for future development and investment, they say.

Rozbicka added: "We're keen to find out whether people attend festivals, musical landmarks and museums in the city which will help to inform what a future music-led visitor experience could look [like]."

PA Media Two people walk past a museum stand for the Ozzy Osbourne exhibition, which depicts his funeral parade and tributes. A female visitor is wearing a black coat and jeans and the male a red coat, red hat and jeans. — The Ozzy Osbourne: Working Class Hero exhibition has attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors to Birmingham

The research is a joint project between the university, Birmingham Museums Trust, Birmingham Music Archive, Lara Ratnaraja, and Birmingham City Council, with government funding support.

Charlotte Holmes, director of engagement at Birmingham Museums Trust, said the city's "rich musical legacy" reached far and wide.

For example, the Ozzy Osbourne exhibition at Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery has attracted more than 425,000 visitors since opening last year.

Steel Pulse perform on stage at the 2024 Glastonbury Festival. In the foreground the keyboardist dominates the shot, but behind him can be seen a guitarist, drummer, a trombonist and a saxohphonist. — Steel Pulse, whose debut album Handsworth Revolution in 1978, was a manifesto to unite Birmingham

Birmingham Music Archive founder Jez Collins said, following the "Summer of Sabbath events in 2025", it was the "right moment to build on the renewed interest in Birmingham's rich and diverse music offer".

"Help us shape what this might, or should, look like by getting involved and telling us what is important to you and what stories we should be telling to the world about Birmingham and its music," Collins added.

The survey closes on 27 February.

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