The Neighbourhood Futures Festival
Birmingham Settlement's annual Neighbourhood Futures Festival merges creativity, learning, arts & participation to support urban wellbeing & tackle climate challenges at local level. The grassroots festival brings together 40+ community partners and over 2,000 residents to consider urban futures, celebrate community and take every day action for better neighbourhoods.
2026 Neighbourhood Futures Festival sponsorship opportunities
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What is the Neighbourhood Futures Festival?
A four-day festival embracing nature, right in the heart of Birmingham!
Taking place at our Nature & Wellbeing Centre every June, the festival brings thought-provoking activity, conversation, action, art, culture and performance focused on community wellbeing and climate change, exploring how we can combat global issues within our own neighbourhoods.
What to Expect at the Neighbourhood Futures Festival?
Exploring Neighbourhood Climates
The 2025 Neighbourhood Futures Festival opened with a lively day of conversation, ideas, and action. Co-hosted with the University of Birmingham’s Centre for Urban Wellbeing, this year we asked how we can talk about climate in the context of inequality, division, and everyday pressures around food, energy, housing, and transport.
The day began with our opening panel on climate justice; explore what or who we most need to protect in our local environments, before diving into our Neighbourhood FutureLabs – bold outdoor sessions that tackle systemic change. Here we explored just cities, challenged broken systems and reimagined our relationship with nature, housing, food, land – and each other.
Youth Day: Our Realities & Futures
Co-created with young climate activists, students & youth groups, we explored how young people connect with the city, its spaces and its futures. We heard from our youth panel, had a relaxed community picnic took part in nature crafts, wellbeing sessions, and an after-school neighbourhood litter pick.
Participants discovered opportunities for activism and environmental leadership in the city, while younger children and families could get involved with crafts and Forest School activities all day. The young at heart were warmly invited to listen, share experiences, and learn alongside the next generation.
Community Play & Discovery Days
We came together to celebrate nature and community with two joyful, family-friendly days full of creativity, play & connection!
Bursting with outdoor theatre, live music, insightful workshops and wellbeing sessions, opportunities to take part in every day, hands-on climate action and get involved with Forest School, nature crafts and creative sessions for all ages.
Residents soaked up the festival vibes, browsed the community stalls, learned a new skill, learned tips on saving money through energy efficiency and sustainable living, and took part in fun games and sports on the festival field all day long!
Neighbourhood Futures Festival 2025 highlights
ExploreOur Festival Partners
It takes a village! The Neighbourhood Futures Festival is delivered in partnership with University of Birmingham Centre for Urban Wellbeing and over 40 other passionate, environmentally-conscious organisations, artists, educators, wellbeing providers locally and across the city.
We are seeking community partners and festival sponsors for 2026 – if you are a group, artist, performer or a business seeking an opportunity to make a real difference, we would love to hear from you! lizzie.forrester@bsettlement.org.uk
WHAT TO EXPECT AT NEIGHBOURHOOD FUTURES
Arts & Performances
Live music and participatory theatre, immersive site walkabouts, storytelling & creative workshops for all.
Workshops & Talks
Four-days of insight on every day climate action, re-imagining urban spaces, mental health & nature, climate justice.
Activities
Hands-on learning, practical action & workshops, wellbeing sessions, crafts, play, family fun & much more!
Birmingham Settlement Nature & Wellbeing Centre, Edgbaston Reservoir, 79 Selwyn Road, Ladywood, Birmingham, B16 0SL
Sorry! The 2025 festival has been and gone, but you can look forward to 2026!
Want to Volunteer?
Take action on climate change, help the environment, and support community wellbeing. Volunteering is a great opportunity to build confidence, learn or apply skills, make new friends and create positive impact. Opportunities range from hands-on help with set up, to supporting activities, stewarding, serving in the Café, supporting social media and marketing, and research and evaluation. To register your interest in volunteering email volunteer@bsettlement.org.uk or click here.