Friction Arts

What it’s like

A free visual art club and foundation course for young people aged 8 and up, run by professional artists in Birmingham.

This is a working studio for young artists rather than a drop-in craft table. From 8 years old, kids can join the foundation course and get stuck into proper art-making with professional artists guiding them, and there's a free visual art club running alongside it for anyone who wants a regular creative outlet. The Culture Club sits under the same roof for young people after something a bit broader than one-off sessions.

Some of the workshop themes are genuinely interesting rather than generic, like the one that gets kids thinking about the relationship between people and their clothes through stories and making. It's the sort of prompt that turns a sewing session into something with a bit more to chew on, which is exactly the age group this suits, old enough to have opinions about their own style and patient enough to sit with a project.

Getting there without a car is straightforward: it's about a 10-minute walk from Digbeth Coach Station and 15 minutes from New Street or Moor Street, with major bus routes nearby. If you are driving, on-site parking is limited so you'll likely end up in one of the public car parks around the markets or Hurst Street, and it's worth knowing the site sits within the Clean Air Zone, so check your vehicle's exemption before you set off.

The building has an accessible toilet and wheelchair access, which is useful if that's a factor in where you choose to take a young person for a regular course.

Facilities

Need to know

Best for

8 and up, once kids can commit to a proper art course

Parking

Limited on-site spaces. Nearest public car parks around the markets and Hurst Street

Getting there by bus or train

10-minute walk from Digbeth Coach Station, 15-minute walk from New Street and Moor Street Stations, close to major bus routes

• The foundation course and workshops are aimed at 8 and up, not younger children
• On-site parking is limited, so plan for a public car park nearby
• Check your vehicle's Clean Air Zone exemption before driving in
• There's an accessible toilet and wheelchair access on site

Plan your visit

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