Let’s be honest: people love to underestimate Birmingham. They picture slabs of concrete, industrial history, and a grey filter. But Brummies know the truth: this city breathes. It grows. It surprises you. Beneath the red‑brick factories and beside the canals are the green spaces and wildflowers that give Birmingham a rhythm all its own, one that refuses to be flattened into an outdated stereotype. One of the greenest cities in Europe, it’s a place where the industrial skeleton and the wild green heart are constantly negotiating, colliding, and always in conversation.
This May, Seventh Circle gallery in Digbeth is throwing open its doors to celebrate that glorious interstice with their new exhibition, Beauty and the Beast.
Opening with a Private View on Friday 1st May, the exhibition brings together the work of over 40 independent artists, both local and those who may no longer live in the 0121 but still carry Birmingham in their artistic DNA. Their humour, resilience, warmth, and creative spark run through the show like a pulse.
“Brummies know Birmingham is a city of gorgeous duality, where our signature grit meets sudden, heavenly glimpses of nature,” says Marie Hutton, Director of Seventh Circle. “Beauty and the Beast is a loud, proud exhibition that dives into the charged spaces where these forces coexist, clash, and celebrate each other.”
Featured Artist Award
As part of Beauty and the Beast, one exhibiting artist will be selected for the Featured Artist Award, a dedicated spotlight within Seventh Circle Gallery designed to support and elevate emerging talent. The award continues the gallery’s mission to champion artists who are pushing their practice, expanding their voice, and contributing to the creative scene of Birmingham.
Exhibition Highlights
Private View: Friday 1st May, 6-8pm
Exhibition Dates: 1st - 29th May 2026
Workshop: On Friday 8th May, 6-8pm, Root13 plant shop are taking over Seventh Circle for a Tropical Terrarium Workshop, bringing their signature mix of expertise, warmth, and botanical magic into the industrial gallery space.
Featuring street photography, painting, ceramics, jewellery, printmaking and more, the exhibition highlights a creative community deeply connected to the city it represents.
All are welcome to join us for the opening night. Come on down, Bab.
