Team
Commissioner
Birmingham City Council
​
Created by
Outdoor Digital Productions, a collaboration between
OPUS - Programme Producers
JA Productions - Production
ADI - Technical
Artists
Eternal Taal, Sonia Sultana, Bostin Brass, Casey Bailey, Navin Kundra, Tamanna Abdul Karim, In Her Shoes, India Island, Bollywood Dreams, Gospel Oak, Adjei Sun, Smile Choir, Raza Hussain, Sebbie Mudhai, O’Driscoll Collective, Bollywood Dance School, Fatt Projects, Sampad
​
Hosts
Radzi and SANITY
A colourful welcome
After a 294-day journey around the Commonwealth, the Queen’s Baton Relay was welcomed to Birmingham with music, dance, poetry and performance at Victoria Square Festival Site, before making its final journey to Alexander Stadium for the Opening Ceremony.
OPUS were commissioned by Birmingham City Council to stage a free, multi-artform celebration showcasing the breadth of the cultural offer in Birmingham and providing an opportunity for the city to come together and kickstart the Commonwealth Games programme in style.
Hosted by local stars Radzi and Sanity, the event filled Victoria Square and its Fountain Stage with drum and brass sounds as well as spoken word and music by talented poets including Birmingham Poet Laureate Casey Bailey. Choir and dance performances by Bollywood and street dancers wowed the crowds ahead of the Baton’s arrival carried by a very special guest - none other than Sir Lenny Henry!
The evening wrapped with more dance, music, and a fabulous disco extravaganza from Fatt Projects… with some confetti sprinkled in of course!
