Birmingham to host world famous international arts festival
Birmingham will host South Asia’s iconic Serendipity Arts Festival next year, with backing by Birmingham City University (BCU).
The city was selected ahead of London, Dubai and other major cities around the world to secure a partnership which marks Birmingham as the only location outside of India to host the event.
The festival - which showcases South Asian culture through performance, visual, culinary arts, fashion and more - will offer mostly free events in Birmingham from 23 May until 1 June 2025 at venues and outdoor spaces across the city.
It will be one of the biggest celebrations of culture and creativity ever seen in the region with more than 60 events, exhibitions and performances scheduled across ten days. Any ticketed events will only incur a minimal entry charge.
BCU and the city region have a longstanding relationship with India and the South Asian region, built on shared cultural heritage and strong economic ties.
Serendipity Arts Festival Birmingham 2025 will celebrate this connection, highlighting the alignment between the two regions.
Now in its 9th edition, Serendipity Arts Festival is an annual event which takes place in multiple venues throughout Panaji, Goa over eight days in December.
Established by founder-patron Mr. Sunil Kant Munjal, it has grown into one of South Asia's largest and most anticipated art festivals, offering a unique platform for innovation and cultural exchange across a range of disciplines, including visual arts, dance, food, music, craft and wellbeing.
Birmingham was chosen following a competitive process that examined its facilities and infrastructure, its commitment to nurturing the arts, and the cultural offer of the city which is widely regarded as one of the first ‘super diverse’ regions in the UK.
BCU students will play a large part in the festival, taking place at a range of University venues and locations including the iconic Royal Birmingham Conservatoire - from cultural research initiatives to playing alongside the festival’s performers.
Some of the other confirmed city venues include The Rep, Centenary Square, Victoria Square, Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Library of Birmingham and the Town Hall.
Sunil Kant Munjal, founder-patron of Serendipity Arts Festival, said: “Birmingham is the ideal place to bring the Serendipity Arts Festival to the international stage for the first time.
“The city is synonymous with culture and creativity and also exceeds all the requirements needed to stage a multicultural global event at this scale.
“We have been incredibly impressed by the BCU’s focus on nurturing the arts, and its ideas for creating an event which celebrates inclusivity and diversity and is truly for everyone.”
Birmingham City University vice-chancellor, Professor David Mba added: “I am incredibly proud that our University will partner with Serendipity to host the festival for the first time outside of India.
“Since our founding almost 180 years ago, arts, design and performance have been at the core of our University, and our education provision remains rooted in the city’s diverse cultural landscape.
“All the while, we have continued to deepen our ties with India and the rest of the world. This event, which promises to be a very special one indeed, will not only cement Birmingham’s position as a cultural destination of choice but will build on the talents and aspirations of our students and University.”
Pictured from left to right: Mr Munjal, David Mba, Stephen Maddock OBE, Anita Bhalla
