Coventry City of Culture Trust have announce that the UK’s first permanent immersive digital art gallery, The Reel Store, has opened today, becoming a permanent new visitor attraction in the heart of the city. Following on from the huge popularity of immersive art spaces around the world, this new state-of-the-art space features innovative experiential art commissions and is now a prominent feature of the City of Culture programme.

Ed Sheeran has enlisted Budjerah for an all-new remix of ‘2step’, which is out now on Asylum/Atlantic and has been joined by an official visualiser. Ed has teamed-up with an array of artists from across the globe for special remix versions of his latest single ‘2step’, tapping into his love of collaboration. 

On Record, a specially commissioned concept album championing the many vibrant sounds of Birmingham UK, will be released via 1000 copies of limited edition vinyl and across all streaming platforms on Friday 17 June 2022.

Executive produced by Birmingham Music Archive for the Birmingham 2022 Festival, the 11-track LP features new and original recordings from internationally acclaimed artists, Mercury Prize and BBC Young Musician of the Year winners, YouTube music sensations, celebrated composers and producers, and emerging and unsigned talent drawn from across the city.

Birmingham Hippodrome has launched a competition to find the region’s top magician.

Inspired by the upcoming production of Magic Goes Wrong which comes to the Hippodrome from Tue 24 May – Sun 29 May, budding magicians are being asked to share a video clip of them performing their best trick.

A city centre parade and a record breaking drone display are among events to mark the end of Coventry's year as UK City of Culture.

Other events include the opening of the UK's first permanent immersive digital art gallery to the public. City council leader George Duggins encouraged people to come along and help end the special year in style.

Acclaimed singer, songwriter, composer and producer, Gary Barlow has announced ‘A Different Stage’, his theatrical one man stage show telling his story, in his words will play at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from 17 – 20 November 2022.

Tickets are on sale exclusively to Friends of the Grand and members from 8am online on Thursday 12 May. Public sales open at 9:30am on Friday 13 May online at grandtheatre.co.uk.