Birmingham Festival of Arts
The Birmingham Festival of Arts (originally to be called the Festival of Contemporary Music. Changed in 1998 to Birmingham International Festival, and again in 2006 to 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 Committee of the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra 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: Salute to France
- 1974:
- 1975: Salute to Brazil
- 1976:
- 1977:
- 1978:
- 1979: Salute to Canada
- 1980:
- 1981: Salute to Mexico
- 1982: Salute to Japan
- 1983: Salute to India
- 1984:
- 1985: Salute to Israel
- 1986:
- 1987:
- 1988:
- 1989: Salute to France. Recognized by the French government as an official bicentennial event.
- 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: Salute to Spain. Coincided with the 1992 Summer Games in Barcelona and the 500th anniversary of Columbus' arrival in Hispaniola
- 1993: Salute to Switzerland
- 1994: Salute to Italy
- 1995: Salute to Holland
- 1996: Salute to Korea
- 1997: Salute to Germany
- 1998: Salute to Brazil
- 1999: Salute to Morocco
- 2000: Salute to American Indians
- 2001: Salute to Hungary
- 2002: Salute to South Africa
- 2003: Salute to Canada
- 2004: Salute to the international community in Alabama
- 2005: Salute to Mexico
- 2006: Salute to Japan
- 2007: Spotlight on the Czech Republic