Birmingham Festival of Arts

The Birmingham Festival of Arts (at one point the Birmingham International Festival, now called the Birmingham International Center Spotlight) is an annual cultural festival honoring a different foreign country each spring. It was founded in 1951 by the Women's Symphony Association and the Birmingham Art Association. Numerous area arts and cultural organizations participate with performances, cooking demonstrations, craft fairs, trade fairs, parades, children's activities, art exhibits, lectures, and exchanges of goodwill marking different years' events.

The Birmingham Festival of Arts Association has evolved into the Birmingham International Center with year-round cultural education and exchange opportunities.

List of festivals

• 1951:
• 1952:
• 1953:
• 1954:
• 1955:
• 1956:
• 1957:
• 1958:
• 1959:
• 1960:
• 1961:
• 1962:
• 1963:
• 1964:
• 1965:
• 1966:
• 1967: Salute to Japan. Attended by Japanese ambassador to the United States and the dedication of the Japanese Gardens at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens
• 1968:
• 1969:
• 1970:
• 1971:
• 1972:
• 1973:
• 1974:
• 1975:
• 1976:
• 1977:
• 1978:
• 1979:
• 1980:
• 1981:
• 1982:
• 1983:
• 1984:
• 1985:
• 1986:
• 1987:
• 1988: Salute to France. Recognized by the French government as an official bicentennial event.
• 1989:
• 1990:
• 1991: Salute to the United Kingdom. An "Expo '91" inside the BJCC from May 2-5 was the centerpiece of the festival, which ran from April 1 to May 22.
• 1992:
• 1993:
• 1994:
• 1995:
• 1996:
• 1997:
• 1998:
• 1999:
• 2000:
• 2001:
• 2002:
• 2003:
• 2004:
• 2005:
• 2006:
• 2007: Spotlight on the Czech Republic