Amplify Town Hall
In summer 2025, B:Music embarked on a refurbishment and archive project, Amplify Town Hall, to uncover stories and memories from the Birmingham Town Hall and make much-needed upgrades to this acclaimed venue to improve its accessibility and make it as sustainable as possible.
Birmingham Music Archive and a group of passionate volunteers invited people from across the city and beyond to share their memories and items of memorabilia related to the Town Hall. Culminating in a permanent on-site installation, alongside a fully accessible digital archive, the history of Birmingham Town Hall is now available to a local, national and worldwide audience for the first time.
First opened in 1834, Birmingham Town Hall has hosted countless legendary artists and momentous events during its 191-year history. Moments in history have been marked within its walls, with Queen Victoria and leading suffragette Emmeline Pankhurst both having taken to the stage. In more recent times the venue has showcased musical icons such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Nina Simone and David Bowie to name just a few.
In December 2025, a significant piece of Birmingham’s cultural history was permanently marked at Town Hall with the unveiling of a new blue plaque commemorating the first-ever public reading of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. The plaque recognises Dickens’ reading on 27 December 1853, delivered to an audience of nearly 2,000 people, and was unveiled by Birmingham actor Anton Lesser alongside the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Zafar Iqbal MBE.
The unveiling coincided with the launch of our new permanent archive installation across the lower floor of Town Hall, celebrating almost 200 years of the venue’s history.
Creating the legacy
During July and August 2025 we hosted 5 drop-in sessions at B:Music venues, Town Hall and Symphony Hall. Volunteers scanned and recorded memories, researched archives, and explored the Town Hall’s history to bring together all the programmes, photographs, tickets and posters that were used in the design of the installation. They’ve also populated the new digital archive with the materials uncovered.
We really want to say a special thank you to our ‘Dream Team’ – this project couldn’t have happened without them: Alison, Angela, Ann, Bernie, Caroline, Ciara, Julie, Layla, Marc, Margaret, Maggie, Marie, Mary, Matt B, Matt F, Mick, Molly, Neil, Paul C, Paul J, Phil, Phillipa, Rachel, Rob, Rosie, Simren, Susanna, Wayne and William. We’re also grateful to everyone who turned up with a piece of memorabilia, recorded a memory, or donated items to the project.
Couldn’t get to a drop-in?
If you have memorabilia or a story you’d like to contribute to the archive but couldn’t get to the drop- ins, please email info@birminghammusicarchive.com with ‘Amplify Town Hall’ in the subject line for further information about how to contribute, or use the contact form here.
Support the fundraising appeal
B:Music have launched a public fundraising appeal to raise £200,000 towards this transformative project. Your support will help them improve accessibility for audiences and artists, upgrade facilities and protect Birmingham Town Hall for future generations. Donate, set up a regular gift, name a Town Hall seat or become a sponsor.
There are lots of way to support the project.
The creation of the Birmingham Town Hall archive was made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to collate and share the extraordinary history of the Town Hall, protecting these important items and stories for future generations.
