WATCH and LISTEN: Sport, jewellery and Birmingham's ‘city of makers’ story explored in new Brumbassadors podcast
Birmingham's growing reputation as a host city for major sporting events, its World Craft City status for jewellery, and preparations for International Day of Birmingham are among the topics discussed in the first episode of new podcast, ‘Brumbassadors: Why Birmingham Means Business’, launching today.
Episode one of the podcast - created by Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce in partnership with STEAMhouse - features Stuart Cain, chief executive of Edgbaston Stadium, Warwickshire County Cricket Club and Birmingham Phoenix, and Alex Nicholson-Evans, festival director and city curator behind Birmingham Light Festival, Birmingham Restaurant Festival and the new Birmingham Jewellery Biennial.
The episode, hosted by the GBCC’s chief executive Henrietta Brealey, is available to watch on YouTube and to listen to on all major podcast apps.
Much of the conversation focused on Birmingham’s credentials as a home for major international sport, with Edgbaston preparing for next summer's Ashes alongside a new Radisson RED hotel on site.
“We bring test match cricket to the region, so we've just had the India-Pakistan test, which was brilliant,” said Stuart Cain.
“The economic impact for the city on that is massive. Brings about £60 million in through the use of hotels, restaurants, as well as the global reputation that it brings for the city.
“You start to think about sport as a catalyst for change, not just in terms of people enjoying the event on a Saturday afternoon, but actually as a catalyst for jobs, employment profile."
Alex Nicholson-Evans discussed Birmingham's World Craft City status for jewellery and allied trades, awarded last year, and the launch of the Birmingham Jewellery Biennial.
“We still produce over 40 per cent of jewellery from the UK,” she said.
“We are trying to present this as the UK's jewellery festival, which I think is incredibly exciting because we're going to be drawing people from across the UK, across the world to celebrate jewellery in what I consider to be the home of British jewellery.”
The episode also looked ahead to International Day of Birmingham on 24 September, the annual celebration that spawned from Joe Lycett's United States of Birmingham documentary.
The episode is the first in a fortnightly series featuring influential voices from business, culture and sport, who are shaping the UK’s Second City.
Subscribe to ‘Brumbassadors: Why Birmingham Means Business’ on the following platforms:
Pictured: From left – Henrietta Brealey, Alex-Nicholson-Evans and Stuart Cain
