Summer holidays are here and we’re all looking for ways to entertain the kids 24/7. Thankfully, The Barber Institute of Fine Arts returns with its second-ever family festival this August to keep us occupied for nine days – and it’s completely free for anyone looking to save some pennies too.
Based at the University of Birmingham’s Edgbaston campus, it invites you to “connect with art through nature and play” from August 3 to 11. So swing by for a drop-in session in the outdoor area or explore the re-imagined building inside – all inspired by the current exhibition Hidden Lives of Plants: Botanical Illustrations from the V&A.
Activities are designed to be ideal for children up to 12. You’ll find a mix of creative workshops and activities – brought together by artist collaborators and local partners to help kids learn through play. This includes building their own adventure playground, learning about the UK’s reptiles, and a musical-inspired picnic.
Professor Jennifer Powell, Director of The Barber Institute of Fine Arts, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming families to our spaces over the Barber’s summer Family Festival again this year and to be working with local artists and creative partners to develop a fun, free, and inspiring programme, that we hope everyone will enjoy.”
The festival is designed to provide a child-centred approach, “viewing the child as capable, active agents in their own learning and art making.” You can also spend some quiet time in the galleries away from it all – The Barber Institute is home to 160 paintings, with works from Van Gogh, Turner and Monet.
What’s on at the Barber Family Festival?
Barber Family Festival is all free and drop in apart from *Seed Structures with Woodland Tribe, where booking is essential.
Riso Printing with Juneau Projects
“Be inspired by the diverse shapes and forms of plants as you create vibrant Risograph Prints with the artist duo Juneau Projects. Draw and collage fantastic botanical designs, which will be turned into “digital screen prints”. Work together to create a growing collage of your designs, building up a colourful landscape around us over two days.”
Saturday 3 August, 11 – 3pm
Sunday 4 August, 11 – 3pm
Froglife Stall
“Meet the team at Froglife and learn all about the UK’s reptile and amphibian species and their habitats. Froglife is a national wildlife charity committed to the conservation of amphibians and reptiles – frogs, toads, newts, snakes and lizards – and saving the habitats they depend on.”
Sunday 4 August, 11 – 3pm
Beautiful Botanicals
“Explore plant forms, imagining and constructing your own hybrid creations using all kinds of scrap materials. Re-invent works from the galleries or let your imagination run wild and design completely new extraordinary structures as a family, experimenting with shape, form and texture. Either take your constructions home or transform our spectacular garden landscape. This family drop-in will be led by a member of our friendly Learning and Engagement Team.”
Tuesday 6 August, 11 – 3pm
Weave Through the Landscape with Ruth Turnbull
“Join artist Ruth Turnbull for relaxed and open-ended exploration of recycled and natural materials. Help us re-imagine our outdoor space by weaving and wrapping textiles, herbs and flowers. Experiment with texture and scent by creating your own plant posies and potions.”
Wednesday 7 August, 11 – 3pm
Colour Box: Wildlife Wonders with Flatpack
“Flatpack Project’s Colour Box crew are with us for a day of film, light & shadow play, projector-making, and more. Discover how the projected image works by making your own DIY beamer from a toilet roll and a torch, create your own insect-themed shadow-puppet-show using an OHP, and make your own art print using paint, fruit, and vegetables. Flatpack have curated a brilliant selection of environmentally-themed short films that will play throughout the day including the wonderful What’s up with the Sky?- recent Colour Box Award winner, Flatpack Festival 2024.”
Thursday 8 August, 11 – 3pm
Seed Structures with Woodland Tribe
SOLD OUT
“Woodland Tribe are back at the Barber this summer to construct another extraordinary play space! Families are invited to co-create a new structure in our outdoor space, inspired by the millions of forms of plants and seedpods. Children will become engineers as they imagine and build with real tools and huge quantities of recycled wood. Will you create botanical bridges, petal platforms, or seedpod seating? Or make a mini creation of your own?”
Friday 9 August, Saturday 10 August, Sunday 11 August, 75-minute sessions.