It's here again, that time of the year where we ask our local community to come together and support the work we do at Northfield Arts Forum. Take a read below about what we do and why we think you should donate.

WHAT'S NAF?

NAF, Northfield Arts Forum, is one of 10 arts forums that surround the city. We use arts and culture to fulfil the fundamental needs of the constituency. We offer community meals, art workshops, events and so much more.

NAF meets participants wherever they're at supporting a diverse range of community members throughout the year through a range of activity. Our local staff, freelancers and volunteers work hard to collaborate and listen to our local community.

NAF events are places of community, somewhere to socialise, places for well-being and creativity that celebrate our local area and the people that live here. We're a lot more than "just a bit of colouring in" and we make sure to welcome and support people wherever we can. We like to say:

NAF runs a Community and Arts Hub in Northfield Shopping Centre in the old GAME unit - The NAF Shop. The space offers low cost rental to community groups and aims to offer space for the community to come together. Users of the space include Misfits Music Foundation and their "Brum Rocks" community rock music workshops, local craft groups, support groups, a Community Pantry from Northfield Community Partnership, Northfield Quiet Reading Group and Better Streets community group as well as so much more!

HOW IS NAF FUNDED?

We take pride is offering as much activity as possible free at the point of entry, ensuring everyone has access to arts and culture. NAF's work however isn't free, we make sure to hire specialists in art, community, SEND and Youth Work and work to ensure these people are paid what they're worth.

Behind the scenes NAF staff work to apply for grant funding throughout the year to fund the events that take place. Otherwise NAF's income comes from donations from community members and toward the use of our NAF Shop in Northfield Shopping Centre.

Want to know more about what we've got up to this year? Scroll down and read about our projects!

WHAT HAVE WE BEEN UP TO THIS YEAR?

Since last year's "Light Up the Shop!" Fundraiser, we've been super busy! Below are some of the highlights!

* NAF CAF - Our Community Cafe bringing together the community around a meal each Thursday with art and health education activities. Welcoming up to 50 guests each week.

* KNAF CAF - Our Kings Norton based Community Cafe at Hawkesley Community Centre offering hot food and art activities to around 20 community members during the early winter months of 2025.

* Northfield Community Garden - The Community Gardening Group have gone from strength to strength with up to 20 volunteers each week from all walks of life coming together to plant, grow, chat and make a difference in their community every Friday. The participants have begun to deliver their own workshops to other members of the public and fundraised through several plant sales in the summer. This year the garden have also welcomed those with Dementia, their families, friends and carers in purpose made workshops.

*Northfield Acapella Choir - Weekly choir workshops open to the community. NAC are a group of like minded community members who, though diverse in experience, come together through music and the joy of singing. This year they've been writing their own community anthem and visited community groups to share their skills and spread joy!

* Love, Northfield x Street Art Festival - Our NAF CAF, Choir and Community Gardening groups came together with a local artist to create street art that was displayed on digital displays across the high street inviting people to take part, be proud of where they lived and create art from and with the people of Northfield.

* Making Space Independent Business Murals - 4 different businesses across the high street worked with artists "Window Artists" to create designs that communicate their business. These designs were then painted by hand in each window to welcome their customers and to encourage people to choose small business. The murals are in the NAF Shop, Cosy Coffee, Midlands Supplements and Mad as a Button.

* Northfield Pride - Led by local LGBT+ community members, a week of activity was created to celebrate the first Northfield Pride. The experiences were open to everyone and offered people and opportunity to be proud of who they are, to meet new people and celebrate our community. The week included a nature walk where people were invited to discover queer ecology and create zines. A dog walk for people to meet through their pooches, a coffee morning offering local and Birmingham wide help and support and a final Celebration event including live music acts in an open mic, art activities and a comedy headliner.

* HAF at NAF - Our workshops with Bring it on Brum suitable for children aged 8-12 and their adults in the Spring and Summer School Holidays. The places are for those on Free School Meals and with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and each days offers two different art activities, games and food education in a supportive atmosphere.

* Dementia CAF - A set of workshops for those with Dementia, their friends, family and carers. The workshops are led by experienced artists who specialise in dementia and create art activities that give the participants suitable opportunities to achieve and use art.

* Cooking with NAF! - Our cooking workshops open to community members to learn basic cooking skills, how to maximise their income and create nutritious meals.

* Northfield Beach - Part of Northfield Community Partnership's event, we delivered an art tent welcoming hundreds of children and their families to make, do and play. We were pirates, ventured under the sea, told stories, did some gardening and paraded around with Leaf Creative!