Student Programme
The Barber is proud to sit within the University of Birmingham campus.
Our galleries are currently closed for a major building improvement project, reopening 2026.
During closure we're keeping the creativity flowing through a range of relaxed artistic workshops around campus. Explore our upcoming student events below.
The art library, music rehearsal spaces and foyer are currently still open as work spaces and facilities.
Upcoming Events:
Walk and Draw
- Monday 24 February, 1 – 2pm
- Monday 31 March, 1 – 2pm
- Monday 28 April, 1 – 2pm
Free, booking essential – book here
On campus, meeting outside the Barber
Come for a relaxed walk and draw and explore your campus. Discover new ways of seeing the sculptures, plants and unique architecture that make up the University of Birmingham. Take notice, look deeper, and have fun while learning new drawing techniques.
All University of Birmingham students and staff are welcome; you don’t need any previous drawing experience to take part. The Barber will provide a variety of sketching materials and paper. Please wear suitable clothing and footwear as the walking draw will be outside when the weather permits.
Access Information:
- Please be aware this is an outdoor event that involves moving around various locations.
- We will always do our best to make these events accessible. If you have any access needs please contact us by phone +44 (0)1214143005 or email [email protected] and we will try our best to adapt the session to ensure you can take part.
- You will receive an email ahead of the event with more details.
- Look at our Find Us page for directions and travel information.
Life Drawing with Queer Draw Brum
Wednesday 2 April, 2pm – 4pm
£3, booking essential – book here
The Main Library on campus
Join us and Queer Draw Brum for a relaxed and inclusive 2-hour life-drawing session on campus! Whether you're a seasoned artist or just starting out, all skill levels are welcome. Drawing materials, tea, and snacks will be provided.
This event is a collaboration between Queer Draw Brum and the Barber Institute of Fine Arts for University of Birmingham students. Don't miss out; book your space now!
Please note that this is an 18+ event due to nudity. Be sure to bring your University ID and proof of age, as you may be asked to confirm your age upon entry.
Access Information:
- There is step-free access and accessible toilets, as well as a changing places toilet on the ground floor. Guide dogs and assistance animals are welcome.
- Get more access information about the Main Library on AccessAble.
- Find the Main Library on the campus map.
- If you have any questions about the event or accessibility please contact us by phone +44 (0)1214143005 or email [email protected]
- You will receive an email ahead of the event with more details.
Student Collaborations
The Barber Retreat - The Sounds that Surround Us
A creative retreat for Medicine and Health students
- Wednesday 5 March, 2pm – 4.30pm
- Wednesday 12 March, 2pm – 4.30pm
- Wednesday 19 March, 2pm – 4.30pm
- Wednesday 26 March, 2pm – 4.30pm
The sessions are designed as a series and your booking applies to all four workshops.
Immerse yourself in sound at this Barber Retreat, a four-session creative workshop designed exclusively for College of Medicine and Health students at the University of Birmingham. This is a wonderful opportunity to take a break from your studies, spark your imagination, and deepen your connection with the world around you.
Join musician Dan Cippico of Wildforms as he guides you through the art of field recording and deep listening. Whether it's the gentle rustling of leaves or the vibrant buzz of city life, you'll learn how to capture the essence of your surroundings. You'll record beautiful and intriguing sounds on campus to create a collective digital LP—a playful, experimental, and mindful project that captures our sonic environment.
You don't need any previous musical or music technology experience—just come ready to explore and let your sonic creativity flow.
If this event is sold out, please email [email protected] to be added to the waiting list.
See our access page or contact us [email protected] for accessibility support.
College of Medicine and Health - Reclaiming Narratives
An ongoing creative project between the Barber and University of Birmingham Medicine and Health students and staff that explores and celebrates the hidden voices and histories behind the College of Medicine and Health (CMH).
Reclaiming: The Report (2023)
CMH students joined poet Adrian B. Earle and artist Kirsty Clarke for a series of creative workshops to make their own micro-form protest poems and visual artworks in response to the recent Disabled Students’ Commission Report.
Disabled students at the University want to speak out and be heard!
Reclaiming: The Portrait (2022)
Students joined award-winning artist and photographer Marley Starskey Butler for a three-part portraiture workshop to capture and celebrate the lives and stories around the school, reflecting on the portraits on display around the college.
Reclaiming: The Foxglove (2021)
Students and staff from CMH joined forces with the Barber to explore herbalism's forgotten voices and tales through a series of creative workshops.
Explore the Archive
Barber Print Club 2023
A hands-on monthly printmaking workshop with local artist Laura Onions.
Laura guided students through the skills needed to create their own beautiful, printed artwork inspired by the Barbers collection.
The Barber Write-in Residency with writer and poet Adrian B. Earle
Students joined Birmingham-based writer and poet Adrian B. Earle for a series of workshops to ‘reimagine’ the Barber through ekphrastic writing and blackout poetry. They weaved wonders from the gallery walls, using creative writing to reimagine the space, the art, and its narratives.
This event took place in 2022.
The Dangerous Novel: Printmaking with artist Laura Onions
To celebrate International Women’s Day, students joined artist Laura Onions for a printmaking workshop that revelled in the power of ‘the novel’, inspired by the Barber’s painting, The Reader, 1817, by Marguerite Gérard.
This event took place in March 2022.
Queering the Collection X CineQ with Dr Greg Salter
CineQ, a Birmingham-based queer film festival, held an evening of short films in response to the Barber’s Alexander the Great painting by the Master of the Griselda Legend, c.1494, examining notions of power, masculinity, and gender expression.
Lecturer in History of Art, Dr Gregory Salter, introduced the evening with a queer reading of the work.
This event took place in July 2021.
Protest Poetry Writing Workshop with poet, writer and activist Bethany Slinn
Students joined writer and spoken word artist Bethany Slinn for a protest poetry writing workshop inspired by Joan Miró’s stencil print, Help Spain (Aidez L’Espagne) created in 1937.
We examined the power of the written word and reflected on the right to peaceful protest.
This event took place in May 2021.
Here Comes the Sun with artist and performer Kaajel Patel
Inspired by André Derain’s drawing La Chute de Phaëton (The Fall of Phaeton) 1905, students joined artist Kaajel Patel for an uplifting experimental dance workshop, exploring the energy of the drawn line and the power of the sun.
This event took place in March 2021.