Paul Sinha & Gein's Family Giftshop 18/06/2015
I have just spent an excellent evening being entertained at the MAC.
Paul Sinha is a very funny and brilliant stand up, I will certainly be going to see him again.
Gein's Family Giftshop - didn't know what to expect - Their sketch show was dark/funny/surprising and shocking, which added up to amazingly entertaining.
Well done MAC yet another successful night.
Always something going on here. Free exhibits always worth a look at. Plus a lot of stalls selling quirky and interesting items.
I took my granddaughter to the firework display last Saturday at Edgbaston cricket ground and on the website it was recommended that the public park at MAC. What a fiasco that was!!!
Fortunately there were quite a few people returning at the same time but all in all not a good experience at all!
Great place with very friendly staff. Very informative of future events without having to reference a brochure.
Fantastic place, don't think it is advertised enough as I didn't know it existed. Only found it by chance. A wide range of things going on here and brilliant building to host it all in. Will certainly return and make use of this excellent venue.
OK in years gone by it got a bit scruffy and some parents let their kids run a bit wild while they sipped the odd ale or two in the bar (guilty!) but now it's got a clinical feel and lacks atmosphere, as a previous reviewer said.. Expensive too.
Came here for the outdoor cinema in the summer. It has great range of events all year round and really friendly service
Good staff. Very good activities organised for children
Bright cafe although food is average for a place you'd expect high quality healthy fare. Cheese in ploughman' was of the cheap plastic cheddar type. Wraps more wrap than filling. Breakfast looked decent and seemed popular.
I did a DSLR Photography Workshop with Kate Green. It was fantastic. I would 100% do it again and recommend it to anyone who has an interest in Photography or wants to start. They had brilliant technology, it was a very relaxed environment and I felt very engaged in the activities that we did. First we started off with light painting, then we worked on portraits, and finally we projected the portraits on to a Pixel Stick and did that. It was so much fun, I felt that I learnt a lot!
Food ad refreshments in the main cafe could be better. Superb small cinema which is great for going to watch a film without the hordes being there. Always some interesting exhibitions going on.
Lovely place to have a picnic or just a day out with the family
Very nice place to hangout and appreciate some of the real art form performances. Decent cafe and bar with latter open till late evening.
It's a nice place to rest and snack. Prices can be a little bit expensive.
Lost alot of money as a course was falsely advertised and they refuse refunds.
So be very careful when it comes to paying for courses put on there.
Moody and abrupt service paired with Bread that's only shown the toaster and if you can't do runny eggs are you even a chef?
A very good place to feed my kids use facilities and take refuge. Plus it has arts stuff as well ;)
A wonderful multidisciplinary arts centre. Beautiful space, open, welcoming and inclusive!
Brilliant exhibitions, films, live performances and arts activities or workshops!
Can t recommend this place and its people enough!!!
One of the best places in Birmingham for families, young people and creatives. A community indoor and outdoor venue with lots of activities based around art, fitness, sport and even wildlife. There is tennis, crazy golf and you can hire a row boat. Highly recommended.
Visted with family on 30th August 2015, many thanks for mac staff for collecting my car keys as lost property but bundle of thanks for the person who handed keys to the right place. You are a real star. (surely, one can imagine travelling with family and annoyance).
In my opinion the Midlands arts centre has lost it's atmosphere it once had. They don't do the soundsintherounds gigs they used to do in the Summer. I remember going to see The Levellers there in the outdoor arena. It has lost it's bohemian atmosphere. It was always a bit hippiesh now it seems to be very pretentious. I over heard one of the receptionists saying she felt that it was too expensive for new artists to exhibit the work and that there should be a free space for them to do this. Okay the facilities are excellent but it has to be about more than that. I sometimes find the staff a bit miserable. The staff in the bar have a can't be bothered attitude. I thought the food would have improved. It used to be awful but it is not much better. I enjoy the courses I do here, but it really seems to have lost it's appeal. It doesn't seem to show the same variety of films it used to do either. And when it does show something different they are usually at the extreme and too obsure. It really needs new management in it's front of house. I do hope they will do the Summer bbq's in the Summer again. It used to be packed out but times I have been there it has been half full.
My daughter love the place so much, she always go to the park after the dancing class. all the teachers and staff are friendly and helpful, always give you advice.
A big Thanks
Great friendly staff, excellent choice of food.Would highly recommend.
Excellent Art Centre in a supurb park with polite staff.Good selection at the bar & frequent good live music..
I do a filmmaking club here and it's great, really fun and great experience/skills to have.
Warwick arts centre is better. We came 4 minutes late for the cinema and they wouldn't allow us in. Quite annoyed since they allowed a guy who said he went to the toilet.
Great venue, in friendly Birmingham. Nice cup of tea. Lots going on.
Lovely cinema with some great underrated shows. Friendly helpful staff and good prices.
Grumpy cafe staff, not very helpful - too busy, cold food.
Parking nightmare. Pay and display requires exact cash (no change facility) or a phone call and payment by card. I didn t have change and the phone call was ludicrously long as I had to register my credit card, my phone number and my car More
Been here a few times for shows; really lovely place. Easy to get to from Birmingham city centre.
Exceptional service every time at The Mac and polite, helpful and friendly staff.
I have known and experienced MAC since 1987.Before the rebuild it was a place of colour,warmth and character,with a collection of intimate spaces stimulating relaxation and creativity.Now,the place is as clinical as a hospital ward;cold,characterless,and sterile.I appreciate good modern architecture.MAC has joined an ever expanding group of significant public buildings in Birmingham which have missed the mark.
Always busy, no matter which day of the week you come! Crowds of people in the cafe, all seats are always taken, no chance for us to sit down with our little ones. The cafe is ridiculously overpriced!
An absolutely excellent centre for films, and a drink afterwards if you want one. Very good exhibitions too from time to time. A great centre for meetings. Food is variable but if you choose well, it's good.
Brings back sweet memories decades ago this place. Katia the niece of a professor of university of Birmingham came over from Turin and we fell in love. Then this became our moot meet remember meeting up with some Italian artists here.
Mac has theatre restuarant, exhibition hall, bar ,cinema
I know I shouldn't compare it but I wish they had never rebuilt this place. It has no vibe or atmosphere, its cold (physically and ergonomically) and basically provides a function, without the community vibe and friendliness of the old MAC. More
appalling customer service in refreshments area. Independent vendors make up a little for the staff employed by the MAC.
Returned a year later. Independent vendors gone and the customer service is still worse than ever.
It's a shame such a great venue can't this part of their business right.
Great place to come for a coffee and eggs after running in the adjacent Cannon Hill Park, or to watch a film that might not get played at a more mainstream cinema - I recently saw the Palme d'or winning 'Shoplifters' here, a wonderful film that was only shown in one other place in the region
Great food, found details of courses and really enjoyed the concert, thank you
Used to love the MAC before they re-developed it. Horrible place now, not child friendly whatsoever like it used to be.
Always a joy even after visiting for 50 years. Modern forward looking. And yes imagination must be worn at all times.
Best place for family and friends even great for hire
On Good Friday, my children and I visited the MAC to get a drink in the cafe and avoid the rain. I was flabbergasted to be sitting there with them to realise the video on the main wall on entry to the MAC and on the way to toilets was of a woman having sex and trying to orgasm. When I spoke to a member of staff she tried to explain to me it relates to a current exhibition. This is all well and good - but it is not appropriate for this to be on a loop being shown at 3pm on a bank holiday in the afternoon when there were lots of children watching. I have made a complaint but of course no one from MAC has called as promised. I am therefore considering making a complaint with police as this is indecent material being shown in a public place. I am sure there are some people out there reading this who think this is acceptable as "art" but it really isn't -
Great general arts centre which has got better and better over the years. Very smart recent redesign which has made this a top notch must visit attraction. Plenty of chilled out cafe and bar areas, featuring an excellent cinema which features many genres some not screened elsewhere. A colourful blend of people and staff who work here always make it a pleasant experience. Plenty to do see and experience. They have recently started charging for parking, but needs must I suppose.
Lovely ponds and great general landscaping and nature
I have only been here to the cafe so cannot comment on the other activities. I thought it was trying hard to be very good but not quite there yet. The menu items could be a bit more exciting. I had a jacket potato which was warm to cool. Coffee was good. Handy for a quick lunch during the lunch interval at Edgbaston. Came here for lunch a few years ago and had a memory that the menu was much more interesting then with lots of vegetarian options.
My children are 3 and 7 years old, went to mac on the 07/08 to watch a movie. Only to be let down and sent away by the staff on the front dresk stating they were late. No refund or discount was offered for future movies. My children were very disappointed, we went to Solihull to pay again for a movie. I will never come here again to watch a movie.
Wow haven't been here for years. Big changes for the better.
The cinema is excellent, though it seems the films reach the MAC a long time after the national reviews. I go to afternoon showings and I have yet to find a table free in the restaurant.Yes, it's nice that young mothers have somewhere to take their kids but it would be nice if there was room for other people too. As far as 'bohemian' atmosphere goes the Electric wins hands down.
Not a huge auditorium, just right for Thea Gilmore I thought. Seats are comfortable, wide, (big enough for my arse and some space to spare!), good leg room. Small hall gives fantastic views of the artiste. The pitch of the seating doesn't put the back rows too high up. Thoroughly enjoyable gig, with a superb artiste.
Seems to have lost a little of its charm since the refurb
Using a theatre for service. Excellent environment, great staff.
Used to love bringing the kids here, now they have put in place a two pound parking charge. This is too expensive and puts us off meeting friends here now. I also know it has utilities off frequent runners who have to run in less safe areas.
The facilities in the MAC are excellent and the food is very good.
Unprofessional teacher for kids dancing lesson. Just terrible terrible person. Will never book lesson there again.
Appalling Customer Service. I am unwell and unable to attend an event this evening, mac have refused to transfer my tickets to an event later this month, even though there are tickets available. Mac would rather my tickets go wasted and unused and pocket the money, than simply offer decent customer service and transfer them. Disgusted at the greed and lack of care for their customers. I will never book an event here again.
The staff were very welcoming. The tables were nicely laid out. The menu had a good choice of meals. When the meals arrived, I was surprised at how large the meals were. The quality of the food was excellent. I would definitely recommend this restaurant.
We love visiting The Mac. I visited yesterday with my 8 year old twin Daughters. Lovely atmosphere and lots of interesting things to look at inside before going out to the Park for a game of crazy golf. I've been visiting The Mac since I was a student at The University of Birmingham. It's always been a great place and I've loved taking my 3 Daughters there over the years too.
MAC is a special place. The beating heart of creativity in Birmingham.
Super atmospheric Cack off final at the Fierce festival
MAC Birmingham: A Hub of Artistic Expression
MAC Birmingham is one of the most popular arts centres in the UK, located in Cannon Hill Park, Edgbaston. The centre offers a diverse programme of theatre, dance, cinema, music, spoken word, comedy, exhibitions and special events. It also provides courses for people who want to learn new skills or develop their existing ones.
The centre was established in 1962 as a community arts project and has since grown into a hub of artistic expression. It is now an independent charity that receives funding from various sources including Arts Council England and Birmingham City Council.
The MAC building itself is an impressive structure with modern architecture that blends seamlessly with its natural surroundings. The building houses several performance spaces including a theatre with seating for up to 350 people and a cinema that screens both mainstream and independent films.
One of the unique features of MAC Birmingham is its commitment to showcasing local talent alongside international artists. This approach has helped to create a vibrant cultural scene in the city and has given many emerging artists their first break.
In addition to its performance spaces, MAC also boasts several exhibition galleries where visitors can view contemporary art from around the world. The galleries are curated by experienced professionals who ensure that each exhibition offers something new and exciting for visitors.
For those looking to develop their own artistic skills or try something new, MAC offers an extensive range of courses for all ages and abilities. These include classes in painting, drawing, sculpture, photography as well as more niche subjects such as puppetry or circus skills.
MAC's commitment to accessibility means that it strives to make all its events open to everyone regardless of background or ability. This includes offering audio-described performances for visually impaired audiences as well as relaxed performances designed specifically for those on the autism spectrum or with sensory processing disorders.
Overall MAC Birmingham is much more than just an arts centre; it's a place where creativity thrives and where people can come together to experience something truly special. Whether you're interested in watching world-class performances or developing your own artistic talents there's something here for everyone!
macbirmingham.co.uk
