Symphony Hall's Jennifer Blackwell Performance Space celebrates five years

Symphony Hall is famous for its world-class auditorium, but some of its most joyful moments now happen beyond the main doors. In September 2026, B:Music, the charity that runs the hall, marked five years of the Jennifer Blackwell Performance Space.

The space was officially opened on 16 September 2021 by Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh. It is named in memory of Jennifer Blackwell, who, as B:Music puts it, "adored Symphony Hall", and was funded by the Blackwell Trust as part of the £13 million "Making an Entrance" redevelopment, which also created the B:Eats café bar.

Its arrival was not straightforward. Lockdown meant the new spaces stayed closed to the public for nearly six months, and chief operating officer Nick Loveland recalls that "we weren't able to show off our smart new spaces to anyone for nearly six months!"

Since then, thousands of audience members and hundreds of artists have passed through. With Centenary Square as its backdrop, the space hosts music of every genre, up-and-coming comedy, international dance and poetry. Highlights have included Generation Birmingham, with children singing songs in Senegalese, Chinese and Congolese, and Nashville Sound in The Round, a Bluebird Café-style series championing country music. Ballet and Brunch is run with Birmingham Royal Ballet, and free Jazz Fridays take place fortnightly.

B:Music chief executive Nick Reed says: "The past 5 years have seen the Jennifer Blackwell Performance Space breathe so much joy into the programme at Symphony Hall."

The main hall itself remains a jewel. Opened by Queen Elizabeth II in June 1991, it seats 2,262 and houses a 6,000-pipe Klais organ, installed in 2001 and described as the largest mechanical action organ in the UK. The hall continues to invest in its audiences, too: in June 2026 B:Music installed a new Auri assistive listening system using Auracast technology, sending clear sound directly to listeners with compatible hearing aids, receivers or headphones.

The October calendar shows how varied the offer has become, with a free Celebrating Sanctuary event and family-friendly Ballet & Brunch sessions in the performance space, alongside big-name concerts in the main hall.

To see what is coming up, visit the B:Music website or simply drop into the foyer on a Friday.