B-SIDE Hip-Hop Festival 2022

This is a past event and is currently no longer running.

Presented as part of the Birmingham 2022 Festival. Birmingham Hippodrome in partnership with Bullring & Grand Central

FREE

Showcasing UK and international artists, B-SIDE is THE Hip-Hop event of the year!

Birmingham Hippodrome’s popular free festival returned, celebrating all things Hip-Hop!

This annual festival brought together extraordinary artists and breath-taking acts from across all four elements of Hip-Hop: breakin’, graffiti, DJ’ing and MC’ing.

Check out the highlights from last year's festival

Birmingham Hippodrome’s popular free festival returns, celebrating all things Hip-Hop!

Showcasing UK and international artists, B-SIDE is THE Hip-Hop event of the year!

This annual festival brings together extraordinary artists and breath-taking acts from across all four elements of Hip-Hop: breakin’, graffiti, DJ’ing and MC’ing.

Click HERE for the timetable.

A quick guide to B-SIDE 2022

Click here to view the timetable of B-SIDE 2022...

Breakin' Prelims & Qualifiers

Breakin', poppin', lockin' and Hip-Hop dance battles all to live MCs and DJs.

Sat 18 Jun, 10am - 8.30pm, Main House, Birmingham Hippodrome, FREE...

All Styles & Waacking Prelims & Qualifiers

Gather groups of dance lovers outside the Hippodrome for an afternoon of dance and music.

Sat 18 Jun, 11am - 6.45pm, Hippodrome Plaza, FREE...

Break Mission Finals

Watch the finals of the breakin', poppin', lockin' and Hip-Hop dance battles all to live MCs and DJs.

Sun 19 Jun, 1 - 6.30pm, Bullring & Grand Central, FREE...

B-SIDE After Party

The official B-SIDE After Party featuring DJ Silk, Jay Mac, Springa, Lotus, Teejay and Squire.

Sat 18 Jun, 8.30pm - 3am, Sector 57, Digbeth, Tickets from £15. Click here to book...

Breakin’ Convention presents: Emerge+See

A night of brand-new commissions from hip hop dance theatre makers in the Midlands.

Emerge+See is the latest programme to come from the internationally renowned Breakin’ Convention, led by UK hip hop cultural pioneer Jonzi D.

Taking place in four editions across the UK, Emerge+See is a professional development project supporting the creation of cutting edge work that speaks to new audiences of the hip hop generation.

Six artists, B-Boy Magic, Code Crew, Company Apidae, Dance Nuvo, Hal Mayer and Si Rawlinson, present new works developed under the mentorship of Anthony Ekundayo-Lennon, John Berkavitch, Jane Sekonya and Jonzi D.

Tue 14 Jun, 7 - 9pm, Patrick Studio, Birmingham Hippodorme, £8 in advance with £10 on the door. Click here to book your tickets.

This performance may contain language and themes unsuitable for children and young people.

Entrance through Thorp Street...

Princess Lockerooo: Waacking Workshop

Born and raised in New York City, Princess Lockerooo (she/her) is a multi-faceted performance artist, with talents encompassing choreography and artistic direction & music production for stage and film, costume and makeup design. This dynamic diva has been an advocate of bringing the popular and expressive 1970s disco era dance style Waacking back into the spotlight.

Sun 19 Jun, 11am - 12.30pm, Studio 5, Birmingham Hippodrome, £15 each. Click here to book your tickets.

Entrance through Thorp Street...

Menno van Gorp: Breakin' Workshop

Menno van Gorp is one of the most accomplished, competitive B-Boys on the breaking scene, having won almost every major solo title there is.

Known on the worldwide breaking scene simply as Menno, he was born and raised in the city of Tilburg in the Netherlands and now lives in Rotterdam. He started breaking in 2001, when he was around the age of 12 years old. At that time in his life breaking was extremely popular among the youth in his hometown, and Menno also had two older cousins that he looked up to, who were both also breaking. With the dance and culture going on all around him, Menno took up the art form as well and has built a career for himself that has surpassed anything he ever imagined he would achieve through the dance of breaking.

Fri 17 Jun, 7 - 9.30pm, Main Stage, Birmingham Hippodrome, £15 each. Click here to book your tickets.

Entrance through Thorp Street...

Jake Nwogu: Cinematic Motion Workshop

Jake is a B-Boy, martial artist, actor, motion capture artist and Ballet dancer who is providing a unique experience for dancers wanting to get into acting or fight choreography. The workshop combines elements of dance, free movement and theatre to create a piece that could be used in the next big Hollywood blockbuster.

Sat 18 Jun, 12 - 2pm, PWC Suite, Birmingham Hippodrome, FREE. Ages 10+. Click here to book your tickets...

Charlotte Bailey: Zine Making Workshop

Get to make and take home a zine based on the conversations on past, present and future.

Charlotte Bailey is a comic writer, artist and film maker with her finger on the comic and zine making pulse.

Come join Charlotte for an insightful conversation on how and why we create the way we do and get your hands on action fulfillment as you design your own collage zine.

Part of the FluxCon.

Sat 18 Jun, 12.30 - 2pm, Birmingham Hippodrome, FREE. Click here to book your tickets...

Florence Okoye: Bringing Wakanda to Brum Workshop

In this one of a kind workshop, we ask: what should the future Birmingham look like? What needs to change in our local boroughs and towns?

Part story telling session, part design jam, through comics, music, art and code, this workshop will be an opportunity to learn about community centred design and work together to rethink how the future could look.

Sat 18 Jun, 12.30 - 2pm, Lloyds Suite, Birmingham Hippodrome, FREE. Click here to book your tickets
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Sun Rei: Cosplay Workshop

Learn the secrets of making cosplay with Sun Rei. Sun is a big big fan of all things anime and manga and as such she's also a wiz at creating her own outfits based on characters from classic shows such as Naruto, Bleach and Sailor Moon. Sun will guide you through the basics and help you to create your own cosplay outfit.

Sat 18 Jun, 2 - 3.30pm, Lloyds Suite, Birmingham Hippodrome, FREE. Click here to book your tickets...

Denise Pantera: Capoeira Workshop

A gentle intro into the world of Capoeira with Denise Pantera. Denise is a dancer and Capoeirista with over 20 years of experience in this Afro-Brazilian art and culture. Many people know of capoeira as a very flashy and acrobatic style that takes a lot of energy to practice but here Denise will be showing a more relaxed and easy going introduction into this fascinating artform.

Please bring loose fitting clothes and a flexible mind.

Sat 18 Jun, 2 - 3.30pm, PWC Suite, Birmingham Hippodrome, FREE. Click here to book your tickets...

Hanifa McQueen Hudson Exhibition and Talk

Hanifa, aka B-girl Bubbles, soon shot to fame as the UK's first female B-girl with her amazing moves appearing in hit music videos and adverts.

Fri 17 - Sat 18 Jun, Atrium, Birmingham Hippodrome, FREE

Talk at Fri 17 Jun, 6.30 - 7.15pm.

Entrance through Thorp Street...

Film screening of Bombin' and Q&A

A special screening of Dick Fontaine's 1987 documentary about the UK Hip-Hop scene. Followed by a Q+A with Graff Artists Brim and Goldie who feature in the film.

Fri 17 Jun, 7.15 - 8.30pm, PWC Suite, Birmingham Hippodrome, FREE.

Entrance through Thorp Street...

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FluxCon

This mini convention returns to celebrate all that's good in Afrofuturism as well as comics, games, animation and speculative fiction. Panel includes Sara Kenney, Reynaldo Anderson, Jessica Walker, Gen Uchiha and 21 Pirates. Plus, DJ sets from DJ Ali Kat, Bunny Bread and Zoya Ahmed.

Charlotte Bailey: Zine Making workshop is part of the FluxCon.

Sat 18 Jun, 12 - 5.15pm, Foyer, Birmingham Hippodrome, FREE...

FluxCon Panel

A panel discussing the achievements marked in recent years by creators of colour.

Sat 18 Jun, 3.30pm, Birmingham Hippodrome, FREE...

Graffiti Installation - Back Dock

A large new bespoke mural painted onto the back of the Hippodrome by legendary Graffiti artists including Brim and Gent 48.

Sat 18 Jun, Back Dock, Birmingham Hippodrome, FREE
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Graffiti Installation - Afroflux Wall

An immersive installation of graffiti work by high-profile graffiti artists with Afroflux.

Sat 18 Jun, 10.30am - 6pm, Hurst Street, FREE...

Marshon Kids Dance Taster Classes

Street dance and choreography for kids (ages 7-9 and 10-12) with Marshon Dance Company teachers! Learn hip hop dance foundations and a fun routine! These taster sessions are FREE.

Wed 15 Jun 6 - 6.45pm (ages 7-9) and Thu 16 Jun 6 - 6.45pm (age 10 -12), DX Studio, Birmingham Hippodrome, FREE. Email marshondance@hotmail.com to sign up and follow @marshondance on Instagram to keep up to date with future classes

Entrance through Thorp Street...

Marshon Open Evening

Join Marshon Dance Company for a welcoming evening of street dance training! Focusing on hip hop dance foundations and some choreography too. This session is open to all levels, ages 13 and above and is completely FREE.

Fri 17 Jun, 6.30 - 8.30pm, DX Studio, Birmingham Hippodrome, FREE. Email marshondance@hotmail.com to sign up and follow @marshondance on Instagram to keep up to date with future classes

Entrance through Thorp Street...

Art Of Raw - Concrete battle

A dance battle outside Bullring before the Finals.

Sun 19 Jun, 11am - 1pm, Central Street, FREE...

B-Side Hip-Hop Festival & PUNCH presents: BAR 4 BAR Cypher

From Drill, to pure Hip Hop, Bar 4 Bar will see a range of artists go back to back on hand- picked beats from some of the best local producers as we celebrate the culture each city has to offer!

Sat 11 Jun, 6.30 - 9pm, Suki10c, 21 Bordesley St, Digbeth, B5 5PJ, FREE, Age 18+, Click here to register...

DJs & Live Music

DJs jam with DJ Ali Kat, DJ Zoya Ahmed, Battle Rap is Life, King Kai, Zaeb Dust and DJ Bunny Bread.

Sat 18 Jun, 10am - 8pm, Level 2 foyer, Birmingham Hippodrome, FREE. ...

Aplus Comix Art Talk

A Plus Comix discuss their new Hip Hop Comix anthology.

Wed 15 Jun, 7 - 8.30pm, Online, FREE. Click here to view...

Live Graffiti

Introduce live graffiti jam outside Bullring & Grand Central.

Sun 19 Jun, 12 - 5pm, Central Street, FREE...

Jubilee Mural unveiling

A new mural will be unveiled at Chinese Community Centre Birmingham.
Sun 12 jun, 12 - 2pm, Outside wall of Chinese Community Centre Birmingham, 99 Bradford St, B12 0NS, FREE...

Take your seats! New spectacular shows are on sale to Friends and Patrons now.