Local Events

Doctors have been to Broad Street in Birmingham to help raise awareness about HIV and Aids ahead of World Aids Day.

Positively Red

The exciting new festival is aimed at confronting the legacy of stigma and prejudice associated with HIV and raising awareness of the condition in Birmingham.

Running in conjunction with the 'Get Tested' campaign, people will be encouraged to utilise the numerous 'Fast Test' facilities now on offer in the city.

Calendar of events

Red Lantern Parade workshops

November 1st – December 1st

World Aids Day

Every Saturday afternoon 3-6pm & Thursdays evening 6-9pm, members of the LGBT community are invited to attend and create lanterns for the carnival parade. Children and families are welcome to attend.

November 25th – December 1st

Retail Installations, Selfridges, Bullring

Fashion students from Birmingham City University will display costumes from the forthcoming Fashion Show at strategic points around the store.

November 29th – December 6th

Art exhibitions

Pavilions Shopping Centre & BBC Birmingham Public Space, Mailbox

Two art exhibitions will take place this year as part of Positively Red.

A mixed media exhibition of specially commissioned work will take place at the Pavilions Shopping Centre (the old Footzie Shop), students from both Coventry and Birmingham City University will show work, along with members of ARTpride and the Works artists group and other invited artists, the theme of the exhibition is a celebration of life.

Candlelit vigil

Meanwhile at the BBC, photographers Jamie Cox & David Viney have collaborated with well know personality Sid from DV8 to create a series of images about Stigma and Identity.

December 1st

Fashion Show, Red Lantern Parade and Town Hall Concert

Fashion Show

December 1st, 6.00pm Selfridges, Bullring

Fashion students from Birmingham City University and Selfridges have collaborated to produce a spectacular RED fashion show, featuring red couture from Selfridges designer collections and a capsule of the students own specially designed creations, music will be provided by Chic Nightclub DJ’s, models will leave the runway and join the Red Lantern Parade in Rotunda Square.

Red Lantern Parade

December 1st, 6.20pm Rotunda Square

Rainbow Voices

The parade will wind its way through Birmingham city centre on its way to Birmingham Town Hall, along the way it will stop at Birmingham Cathedral where a short blessing will be held in the cathedral grounds to remember those lost to AIDS in Birmingham over the last 25 years. A special lantern will be released into the air.

The parade will continue to the Town Hall, where the its arrival will herald the start of the Free Gala Concert

Town Hall Gala Concert

December 1st, doors open at 7.00pm, to be seated by 7.30pm

This Free event is the main focus of events in Birmingham, hosted by everyone’s favourite Kings Heath housewife, Mrs Barbara Nice & Richard Ainslie with a keynote speech by Lynne Jones, Labour MP Selly Oak. It features performances by artists drawn from across Birmingham’s diverse communities, including music, dance, theatre and poetry.

Fitzgerald Arts String Quartet
Rainbow Voices Choir
New Life Wesleyan Dancers
Sue Brown
Celia Porter
Argosy Musical Theatre Company
Benjamin Brunel
Congole Group
Bournville Musical Theatre Company
Rod Dungate
Ita and Predencia
Plus surprise guests

For more details about ‘Positively Red’ please see www.worldaidsdaybirmingham.org.uk