Blog Archives - Page 27 of 34

Well, like many 18-year olds, this isn’t really how we planned to spend our big birthday. Nevertheless, we’re not going to let that stop us! Millennium Point is known today for three things: a multi-award-winning conference and events venue and a landmark public building home to Birmingham City University’s Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment and Thinktank Science Museum; with commercial profits going towards the Millennium Point Charitable Trust who invest £5m each year into projects which support science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) in the region.

Our landmark public building was the catalyst for the regeneration of the eastside of Birmingham city centre, and over the past 18 years we have welcomed over 1 million people (and sometimes animals) through our space-age sliding doors and as such have been, done and seen our fair share of weird and wonderful things. To celebrate 18 years here’s a year-by-year round-up of some of our personal highlights.

2002: Official Opening & Unveiling by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Of course, where better to start than where it all began? The year is 2002, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is going wand-to-sword with The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers at the box office; Apple released its second-generation iPod with an unprecedented 20GB of storage and Arsenal won the FA Cup Final with a 2–0 win over London rivals Chelsea. Meanwhile, Millennium Point was officially being unveiled by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on Tuesday 2nd July 2002. The Queen was visiting the West Midlands as part of her Golden Jubilee tour around Britain, and following the unveiling of Millennium Point, she expressed that she had no doubt Millennium Point would be used to ‘inspire the next generation who will shape the technology and industry of tomorrow’.

You can read her full speech here.

2003: Betty Boothroyd Visits

We had the pleasure of hosting a visit from former West Bromwich MP, Betty Boothroyd, in 2003. Affectionately known across the nation as ‘madame speaker’, Betty Boothroyd was one of the most successful upholders of standard in the House of Commons. She is the only female to have served as a Speaker in the Commons as is one of only two living, former Speakers.

Betty visited Millennium Point after retiring from that role and being invited by the University Of The First Age, who arranged a televised link between Betty and children and young adults in South Africa, who she discussed politics with. She then delivered a powerful speech encouraging young people in attendance at Millennium Point to think about politics and how it affects the world around them.

Betty received an Honorary Doctor of Civil Law award and was named the millennium’s first Life Peer before also being appointed the Order of Merit, which is one of Britain’s highest honours gifted by Her Majesty The Queen. Her reputation of being tough yet very charming led to a more accessible parliament to the public and we are honoured to have hosted such a truly loved icon here at Millennium Point.

2004: Christmas Lights Switch-On

The 2004 Christmas Lights Switch-On took place on Sunday, November 21st 2004. Families from across the city came to Millennium Point for the festivities, which included a funfair and BRMB ‘Party at the Point’ concert (and that was just the warm-up!) The then Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Mike Nangle, was given the responsibility of getting Christmas underway with the switch on of the evening as crowds gathered. After the big-switch-on, synchronised images of the lights around the city were beamed onto giant screens at Millennium Point, while revellers stuck around to celebrate.

2005: Planetarium opens at ThinkTank

Our resident spaceman visiting the Planetarium to celebrate 50 years of the Apollo Moon Landing

Birmingham’s first Planetarium – and the UK’s first digital planetarium – opened to the public on Saturday, December 17th 2005 as the new centrepiece of a £2 million upgrade for the award-winning Thinktank Science Museum at Millennium Point. With seating for up to 70 visitors per show, the new Planetarium boasted a projection dome measuring 10 metres in diameter and gave Brummies a chance to find out all about the Universe from their doorstep. At the time of opening the Chief Executive of Millennium Point and Thinktank Dr Nick Winterbotham said local people had been waiting for this kind of initiative since the world’s first Planetarium opened in 1923.

The attraction has continued to be at the cutting edge of technology throughout the years, and the new 4K planetarium system has brighter and sharper images than ever before, as well as crystal clear surround-sound. It remains the only one of its kind in the West Midlands. Special events held at the planetarium over the years have included evening astronomy talks, solar observing and even theatrical productions.

2006 – Recycle It brings an environmental message to ThinkTank

(Image Credit: ThinkTank Science Museum)

ThinkTank was built to amaze and inspire and has hosted countless exhibitions over the years that have done just that. In 2006, the ‘Recycle It’ gallery was installed to highlight the benefits of an environmentally friendly attitude to youngsters. Using unique, eco-friendly lighting set up, the first non-halogen lit gallery to be installed at Think Tank brought a positive message to visitors about what they can do to help save the planet while learning about the journey everyday items take once discarded if they are being taken care of properly.

2007 – From Millennium Point’s Atrium With Love
In May 2006, the Atrium of the building was used to host a theatrical extravaganza, From Ithaca With Love, a modern retelling of Homer’s The Odyssey, which was the launch event of the New Generation Arts Festival. For his swan song, former band manager, marketing guru and film producer Martin Woods had decided to put together a special performance for the inaugural New Generation Arts Festival. It would be From Ithaca With Love, a modern comedy take on the classic The Odyssey, and the Millennium Point atrium was chosen as the venue.

When asked about the event Woods commented: “When Greece won the European Cup the commentator said ‘we’ve come home, we’ve found Ithaca’, and I felt that Millennium Point was like finding our Ithaca.”

2008 – The Dark Knight Cometh

The Dark Knight was deemed an instant classic on release back in 2008, with its reputation and impact continuing to grow over the years. Now rated as the fourth-best movie of all time on IMDB, the movie is the first Hollywood film to have been partly shot using IMAX format cameras. This worked out perfectly for movie fans in Birmingham, who got to see The Dark Knight in all of its glory on our IMAX screen, one of only four in the UK at the time. Six scenes from The Dark Knight were shot in IMAX, including the now-iconic opening segment with The Joker robbing a bank. The Auditorium is now available to hire for private screenings. We have also launched our exciting Festive film and food package for anyone looking to put a quirky spin on their festive office party – find out more here.

Bonus Trivia: Here’s a bonus nugget for all you comic book and movie fans out there. Over a decade later, Batman would return to our giant screen in our new 354-seat auditorium for a one-off screening of 1966 classic Batman starring Adam West. The screening was organised by local multi-media collective Geeky Brummie in partnership with Not Another Comic Con to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the caped crusader.

2009 – Children in Need – Pudsey Does Bhangra

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(Video Credit: BBC Asian Network)

Children in Need is one of the biggest charity initiatives in the UK, both as a fundraising drive and TV event. We were incredibly proud to take part in 2009 with a Bollywood themed party broadcast to the nation. Joanne Malin, taking the Children In Need helm for the first time, presented live from Millennium Point alongside BBC Asian Network’s Adil Ray and Tommy Sandhu, and of course Pudsey Bear. Spectators were able to try their hand at dhol drumming, take part in a Bollywood dance workshop and have their photos taken in the Asian Network Bollywood photo booth, in return for a donation to Children in Need. You can find a clip of the event above.

2010 – Gunther Von Hagens – Body Worlds

The Body Worlds exhibits are one of the most successful travelling exhibitions in the world. On display since 1995, they have attracted more than 50 million visitors in over 140 cities across America, Africa, Asia, and Europe. We welcomed the unique works to Millennium Point in 2010, bringing a truly awe-inspiring and thought-provoking piece to Birmingham. The exhibitions were conceived to educate the public about the inner workings of the human body and to show the effects of healthy and unhealthy lifestyles. They aimed to inspire visitors to become aware of the fragility of their bodies and to recognize the anatomical individual beauty inside each of us.

This fascinating work is still on tour, for the latest news about this visit the official website.

2011 – IMAX Refurbishment

Slightly before it’s 10th anniversary the IMAX underwent a £400,000 refurbishment where it lost the titular branding and transformed into a state-of-the-art 4K cinema, the Giant Screen. Our IMAX screen had long been an attraction prior to its refurbishment. However, the transformation brought it up to date with evolving cinematic technology. It also meant the screen was no longer bound to the IMAX library (which was quite limited for releases at the time) and instead opened up this impressive space to a much larger audience, allowing a wider variety of content to be screened including more cinematic releases and major live events such as the Olympics.

While the Giant Screen would eventually close in 2015, both iterations of this groundbreaking cinematic experience are still remembered fondly by Brummies as part of Birmingham’s evolving cultural and technological progress at the turn of the century.

Their legacy lives on, however, in the Millennium Point you have come to know today. The foyer of the cinema on level 1 was transformed into the flexible open plan event space Platform. This space features an in-situ, fully licenced bar and slick audio-visual equipment including multiple HD repeater screens and PA system. The installation of a new white screen and 4K digital projector means that the former cinema, now known as the Auditorium, is still a key attraction for client events held at our multi-award winning venue. To this day, the quality of the auditorium remains outstanding and has become the home for major events in the region such as the Birmingham Film Festival and VSFighting.

2012 – Millennium Point welcomes AC-12

In this scene, the camera is looking down on level 4 of the building. You can see our escalators and a glimpse of our auditorium.

Steve Arnott, Ted Hastings (like the battle) and Kate Fleming all called Millennium Point home in the first series of BBC crime drama Line of Duty. Jed Mercurio’s gripping series, centred on the efforts of a police anti-corruption unit to tackle ‘bent coppers’, transformed our meeting complex into interrogation rooms as the case of DCI Tony Gates unfolded. Millennium Point was used for internal shots of the Police headquarters – most notably in episode three of the first series – where you can see our iconic Atrium, glass elevators and space-age looking escalators! The first series was famously filmed in Birmingham with several other landmarks and familiar sites including the Grade II listed pub in the Jewellery Quarter, The Queens Arms and Broadstreet also spotted in several scenes.

The show has gone on to be recognised as one of the BBC’s most successful projects and we are proud to have played our part in its opening series.

2013 – ‘Worlds Coolest Car Park’?

Millennium Point multi-storey Car Park at night time (image credit: Elliot Brown)

Now, the terms ‘car park’ and ‘cool’ don’t often go hand-in-hand, but we have always set out to be different… In 2013, the Jennens Road multi-storey, which glows blue at night, was one of ten facilities vying for the title of Coolest Car Park in the World. The cuboid structure which sits next to Millennium Point is one of many Birmingham buildings built in the ‘Brutalist’ style of architecture. The car park is owned by Birmingham City Council and designed by its in-house architects Urban Design. Next time you think Millennium Point; as well as remembering (obviously) that we’re a multi-award winning events & conference venue, landmark public building and charitable trusts; remember that we’re also the home of a super cool car park!

2014 – Millennium Point Launched the Young Innovator Prize (Millennium Point Scholarship)

Then 17-year old Malik Sheryar-Karamat from Ark St Alban’s claim the sponsorship prize.

Today, we’re delighted to see that there is a significant emphasis made by the government and local authorities on skills pertaining to roles in science, technology, engineering and maths (known collectively as ‘STEM’) both in education and in business (although there is still a long way to go in bridging the STEM skills gap and addressing wider issues such as inequality and diversity). Back in the early 2010s, however, this was not the case.

In 2014, Millennium Point’s Charitable Trust arm partnered with our tenants, Birmingham City University, to launch the Young Innovator Prize. This initiative was designed to encourage young people to consider careers in STEM by offering one lucky winner a fully funded undergraduate degree at Birmingham City University’s Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment. A call was put out to school leavers across the West Midlands region and six young hopefuls were selected to compete in a live final of the competition the following March. The launch event took place in our Atrium space in December 2014, where our then CEO Philip Singleton announced the competition alongside (then) Dean of BCU’s Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment and engineer and popular BBC Presenter Kate Bellingham, known for presenting the BBC 1 Tomorrow’s World. The first final was hosted by popular comedian, writer and broadcaster Robin Ince and saw then 17-year old Malik Sheryar-Karamat from Ark St Alban’s claim the sponsorship prize. Malik graduated with 1st Class Honours in Mechanical Engineering in 2018.

In 2017, the Young Innovator Prize was overhauled to what it’s known today as the Millennium Point Scholarship. This overhaul was part of a wider refresh that the Millennium Point Charitable Trust was undergoing in order to increase the visibility and impact of the charity’s contributions back into the West Midlands region. The scholarship is still running today, with the most recent winner, 28-year old Shennice Talburt, being crowned back in March this year.

Scholarship 2020 Finalists (From Left to Right) Kallum Wright, Chloe Copeland, Shennice Talburt, Lauren Davies, Amber Kelsey.

The competition will open again later this year for students looking to study at Birmingham City University’s Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment, for more information please see here.

2015 – The Last Performance at Millennium Point’s Giant Screen Cinema.

The foyer of the Giant Screen Cinema in 2014. This is now our event space Platform.

We mentioned earlier the transition from IMAX to the Giant Screen, well, following 14 fantastic years, the cinema at Millennium Point was closed, and what better way to say goodbye than with one last epic movie night? The movie chosen for the final performance was from the world-famous fantasy film series and the second-highest-grossing film of 2014 – The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. With the incredible sound quality and a 70ft x 41ft cinema screen, over 100 people were able to sit and enjoyed the show.

Both iterations of the cinema as an IMAX and the Giant Screen is something that was close to the hearts of Brummies and something that many will still reference today. Unfortunately, the closure was a sign of the times with increased competition and a rapid decline in attendance, it was no longer sustainable for the charitable trust to uphold. Their legacy lives on, however, in the Millennium Point, you have come to know today. Recently, we returned to our cinema roots with a series of socially distanced film screenings of some classic films including Pulp Fiction, The Shawshank Redemption, Sex & the City: The Movie and the newly released Trolls: World Tour. This series was well received by the public and is something we will look to revisit on a more regular basis so watch this space!

The foyer of the cinema on level 1 was transformed into the flexible open plan event space Platform. This space features an in-situ, fully licenced bar and slick audio-visual equipment including multiple HD repeater screens and PA system. The installation of a new white screen and 4K digital projector means that the former cinema, now known as the Auditorium, is still a key attraction for client events held at our multi-award winning venue. To this day, the quality of the auditorium remains outstanding and has become the home for major events in the region such as the aforementioned the Birmingham Film Festival and VSFighting.

Our Auditorium is the home of several major events including Birmingham Film Festival and can be hired now

2016 – Gallery 37 Season

(Video Credit: Puch Records)

On September 10th 2016, we hosted a free music and art showcase event called Gallery 37 in our main atrium space here at Millennium Point. The programme explored space as a theme, making our Atrium the perfect venue thanks to the futuristic interior. Participants of Gallery 37 were able to showcase their work to a room filled with live musicians, poets, spoken word performers, dancers and many other great creative talents.

Local street food provider, Taste and Liquor, was on-site serving up an array of delicious fresh food, and attendees enjoyed live performances throughout the day from Apples and Snakes, Beatfreeks, Sticky Toffee, Paul Steadman, Terri Walker and RoxXxan. The showcase featured a range of masterclasses and workshops with creative career advice and industry events to get involved in. Overall the event was a great initiative with lots of opportunities for people to learn new skills and network, while also just having a great time. We look forward to honouring our ongoing commitment to support and encourage education amongst youth across the West Midlands, with many more fantastic events like this!

2017- Ball Mania in the Atrium

In May of 2017, for just a few days, Millennium Point hosted a crazy, one-off event at the Atrium event space called ‘Ball Mania’. Lights and music helped complete the atmosphere and guests were able to escape the reality of an exhausting 9 to 5, to see just how deep they could bury themselves in the 200,000 plastic balls flooding our Atrium space. The ball pit created was the largest in the country, and to add to the experience, we dotted huge, adult-sized inflatables around the space as props for games like catch, tig and hide and seek.

Although a one-off event for us here at Millennium Point, Ball Mania was part of a UK wide tour and followed on from a similar, successful event in Manchester.

2018 – Platform launches after refurbishment
In 2018, we launched Platform, a brand new flexible event space which is adjoined to our 354-seat Auditorium. The official launch night was held on a mild September evening and saw the cream of Birmingham’s business world invited to see it ahead of reopening. With entertainment throughout the night from Elegant Entertainment, free-flowing drinks, mouth-watering food from the brand new menu and even an interactive mirror photo booth and photo wall, guests experienced the height of hospitality throughout.

Formerly the foyer for the Giant Screen Cinema, this level 1 space was transformed over the summer months into fit-for-purpose open-plan space. In addition to a new look and feel in-line with the Millennium Point Events branding, new features included a built-in bar, presentation facilities and dedicated AV equipment. Since launch, Platform has remained one of our most popular spaces and has seen a wealth of events from exhibitions, conferences and AGMs to formal dining, Christmas parties and even an eSports tournament!

Check out space on our venue page or you can book a contact-free guided tour by calling our friendly events team on 0121 202 2200 or via our online contact form.

2019 – MiniBrum rolls into town

MiniBrum has been a roaring success since its opening in Thinktank Science Museum at Millennium Point in May 2019. Funded partially by the Millennium Point Charitable Trust, MiniBrum was created by Thinktank in collaboration with schools, families and community groups. It allows children under 8 to explore and question their understanding of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) world around them. The Thinktank based role play city, centred around the famous Old Joe clock tower, is truly a one-off experience and has been enjoyed by people of all ages in the months following its launch. From shopping at the Bullring to going on a barge down Gas Street Basin, Mini-Brum is as entertaining as it is educational.

Its 750 square metres is split into five different zones, with a phone in each so you can call and book a table at the cafe, an appointment at the doctors or the station to check if your train is on time. MiniBrum will be back open along with the museum over the next few months, for more information please visit their website.

2020 and beyond
So now we’re in 2020 and, like many businesses, we’ve had to adapt to changing and uncertain times. However, that hasn’t stopped us achieving our goal of supporting local communities and STEM in the West Midlands.

Achievements with the Millennium Point Charitable Trust

In the 2019/20 financial year, The Millennium Point Charitable Trust has contributed over £5.5m to supporting the growth of STEM in the region.
The Millennium Point Scholarship had a second record year for applications increasing 65% over 2019. Following the live final at the start of March, all five finalists have since received additional support and coaching through their next steps. Three past winners have now graduated from university, most with first-class honours with three more currently in higher education.
We’ve given over £561,000 in grants and funding to over 60 STEM projects and organisations in the region.
We continue to support Thinktank Science Museum with a donation of £250,000
Equipment at Bishop Vesey Grammar School, funded by the Millennium Point Charitable Trust, was used to produce vital PPE for local organisations struggling during the PPE shortage.

Achievements in our landmark public building

Our live acoustic gigs performed in our venue and live-streamed through Facebook live have been viewed over 23,000 times.
Over 300 people to have attended our socially distanced film screenings
Our venue has been accredited “Safe, Clean and Legal” by Quality in Tourism for our outstanding work implementing measures which protect against the spread of Covid-19

Now, more than ever, the region needs to come together to overcome the challenges that the current pandemic is causing us. We will continue our work supporting the region and facilitating opportunities for growth both in STEM and the wider community through our landmark public building, award-winning venue and a charitable trust. For more information on what we do or how you can collaborate on our objectives, please get in touch.

We’re delighted to announce the latest recipients of the Millennium Point Charitable Trust grants initiative.

Building on the continued success of the programme, The Millennium Point Charitable Trust received 170 eligible applications from not-for-profit organisations, schools and colleges from across the West Midlands region – a 55% increase from the last round of funding in 2019. This year we have granted more than £560,000 to STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) projects and initiatives across the region. Projects funded include ‘STEM stars’ from Aston Villa Foundation, a programme which engages young people in coding using football; and ‘Sensory STEM’ from Longwill School for the Deaf, Northfield, which will make science more visual and accessible to their pupils through science-based equipment and an enhanced curriculum.

What’s the Millennium Point Trust’s Grants initiative?
The Millennium Point Charitable Trust’s Grants initiative provides funding annually to not-for-profits, schools and colleges across the West Midlands. Applicants can apply for up to £20,000 to fund their STEM-related project providing they meet the criteria and can demonstrate a measurable impact in STEM education. Since its launch in 2018, Millennium Point Charitable Trust has donated over £969,000 to successful recipients funding a diverse range of projects across education, STEM-focused charities, sporting charities and museums.

Where does the money come from?
The Millennium Point Charitable Trust owns the 46,450 sqm landmark Millennium Point building on Curzon street in the eastside of Birmingham City Centre (opposite the future Curzon Railway). Profits from our commercial activity as a landmark public building and multi-award-winning conference and events venue feedback into the charitable trust, enabling it to donate and invest in STEM-related organisations, projects and initiatives. The grants scheme is our flagship initiative alongside the Millennium Point Trust Scholarship which funds at least one young person’s undergraduate degree each year at Birmingham City University.

To learn more about our events and conference venue or how booking with us can widen your company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR), please get in touch.

When is the next round of funding available?
Information on the next round of applications will be made available soon, you can register your interest by emailing [email protected] or by keeping a watch on our dedicated grants & funding page. As the Millennium Point Charitable Trust, we are constantly reflecting and improving our projects to ensure they stay relevant, accessible to those who benefit from them and impactful to STEM in the region, for further information on the wider charitable operations, opportunities available or to get involved, please get in touch.

Millennium Point is a landmark public building and multi-award-winning events venue in the Eastside of Birmingham City centre. Profits from our commercial activity are invested by the Millennium Point Charitable Trust into projects, events and initiatives which support the growth of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and education in the West Midlands. Find more interesting content from Millennium Point over at our news section, or follow us for daily updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn with @MillenniumPoint.

Millennium Point is a multi-award-winning events and conference venue with a range of meeting and conference spaces ideal for hosting your next Lecture.

Larger Lectures & Talks
The Auditorium at Millennium Point is a spacious 354-tiered seated (115 with social distancing) theatre. Our giant screen measures 24m x 12m in size, with a 6.2m x 2.3m stage underneath, perfect for presenting lectures and showcasing presentation slides and video content to engage an audience. This remarkable space is connected via a striking twin curved staircase to our open-plan Platform space on level 1. Formerly one of Birmingham’s first IMAX cinemas, this space has previously been used as a premium lecture theatre for Birmingham City University and other educators for its impressive size. The Auditorium is currently available to hire from £2,500+VAT.

Platform is a 200sqm open plan space on level 1 of Millennium Point. It features integrated wireless presentation facilities, 4 x digital displays and PA system. Additionally, it has a fully licenced bar, restrooms and flexible sound dampening walls. Platform can hold up to 70 theatre style with social distancing making it an attractive setting for a larger sized lecture. Platform is available from £850+VAT

Both Platform and Auditorium can be combined for £3,000+VAT

Smaller Lectures & Seminars
For smaller lectures, we recommend the Connect meeting and events suite on level 2 of Millennium Point. This suite has four inter-connected rooms with collapsible walls, which can accommodate up to 35 theatre style in the main event space or 15 in the smaller combined space with social distancing. Connect is the preferred choice for smaller Lectures or seminars. Connect features integrated wireless presentation facilities in all rooms including multiple digital display screens and 2 x projector screens. This space also includes an integrated PA system, adjustable RGB lighting and temperature controls, hot drinks machines and restrooms. Connect is available from £275+VAT.

Lastly, our Level 4 suite offers a simple alternative for smaller lectures with the main space, Engine capable of holding up to 20 theatre style with social distancing. Like our other spaces, Engine features projection facilities and optional PA equipment. Engine is available from £520+VAT.

Additional benefits at no extra cost
To ensure the very best for your event, all costs include a dedicated event manager who will work with you from initial enquiry through to on the day delivery and an AV technician to manage technical aspects of your lecture on the day.

Convenient location regardless of how you travel
Our award-winning venue is located on Curzon Street in the Eastside of Birmingham City centre. Millennium Point is a 15-minute walk from Birmingham New Street Station and major inter-city transport links. Millennium Point has an onsite 900 space multi-story car park owned by Birmingham City Council, which is easily accessible from the M6, M5 and M42.

Make a big impression with Live Video Streaming
Take your event online with our live video streaming packages, perfect for larger events without the stress of social distancing. Hosted on a dedicated page on our website for up to 100 delegates, our professional videography team will work with you to make it look slick and seamless with HD video and audio. Hybridising your event with one of our live streaming packages means more convenience for your delegates and a wider reach for your event without the concerns of capacity, social distancing or cancellation due to COVID-19.

For more information please see Live Video Streaming at Millennium Point

Social Distancing & Safety Measures.
Our highly accredited team have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that our venue is safe, clean and compliant with the latest government guidelines on coronavirus. Our measures include increased hygiene and cleanliness, social distancing and enhanced technology to minimise the risks to your event with compromising its scope and your vision. Our work has awarded us with “Safe, Clean and Legal” accreditation from Quality in Tourism alongside our certification from Venues of Excellence, HBAA and MIA.

We understand the risk of hosting an event during these uncertain times, which is why our new temporary flexible booking policy allows you to move or cancel your event at no additional cost should it be affected by the impact of COVID-19. To read a full breakdown of measures we have taken please read our Client Protection Plan

Book your free guided tour now
Enquire now for your free no-strings guided tour. A member of our friendly events team will provide a contact-free guided tour of the space, or you can choose a guided virtual tour over the video communication platform of your choice.

Get in touch by calling 0121 202 2200, emailing [email protected] or by using our quick enquiry form.

The Caped Crusader returns for one night only to Millennium Point’s giant screen auditorium in the eastside of Birmingham city centre. On Thursday 24th September 2020 from 7:30 pm we will be hosting a one-off screening of Christopher Nolan’s genre-defining superhero movie, ‘The Dark Knight’ as part of our ‘Millennium Point Presents…’ series of socially distanced film screenings in our large Auditorium. This will be the first time in over a decade since The Dark Knight has been at Millennium Point, originally screening in the former IMAX back in 2008. Tickets cost £15 per person and include two drinks within the price of bottled beer, a glass of house wine or soft drink. Doors open at 6:30 pm for film lovers to relax in our level 1 space with the fully licenced bar before the start of the film at 7:30 pm. Additional drinks and snacks can be purchased from our cashless and contactless bar throughout the screening.

Win two tickets to The Dark Knight by heading over to our Facebook page and taking part in our competition.

The Dark Knight is the second instalment of the Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy and a sequel to 2005’s Batman Begins. The film centres around the menace known as the Joker wreaks havoc and chaos on the people of Gotham, Batman must accept one of the greatest psychological and physical tests of his ability to fight injustice and save Gotham from the Clown Prince of Crime and from itself. It features an all-star cast including Christian Bale and supported by Michael Caine, Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Morgan Freeman. The film received eight award nominations at the 81st Academy Awards and won two for Best Sound Editing and Ledger was posthumously awarded Best Supporting Actor. The film is considered one of the best superhero films of all time and marks Ledger’s final film, with his iconic performance as the Joker redefining the superhero movie villain.

(Video Credit: HD Retro Trailers)

Tickets and what’s included
The film will be screened in Millennium Point’s spacious Auditorium with a giant 24m x 12m screen, the former home of the IMAX cinema which closed in 2013. Tickets cost an equivalent of £15 per person and include two drinks of bottle beer, a glass of house wine or soft drinks, with additional snacks and beverages available to purchase at our fully licenced bar throughout the screening. Tickets are available in bundles of 2-4 with assigned seating as part of Millennium Point’s highly praised measures for social distancing in line with the latest government guidelines on COVID-19.

Read more about our social distancing measures: Millennium Point is Reopening for Events

Keeping you safe in uncertain times
The award-winning events team at Millennium Point has been working hard to implement new hygiene and safety measures, to ensure all government guidelines are met. We are certified “Safe, Clean and Legal” by Quality in Tourism. The Auditorium, which at full capacity can host 354 people, has been reduced to 181 seats to allow for physical distancing between cinemagoers, and all seats will be allocated in advance to pre-paid ticket holders. A deep clean will be carried out between performances and all screenings will be contactless and cash-free. Our staff have been fully trained and will be wearing protective PPE. Specific details for measures we have taken can be found on the booking page.

Above: Images from Millennium Point’s well-received screening of Sex & the City: The Movie in early August.

“Something normal”
This will be the 5th social distanced screening our award-winning Birmingham-based team have organised since lockdown restrictions began to ease in July. Following our socially distanced family screening of Trolls: World Tour in July, one satisfied cinemagoer commented:

“I just wanted to say how great mine and family’s experience was watching trolls today. I was very anxious but was immediately put at ease from all things you had implemented to make it COVID safe. It was lovely to do something normal again with my child without a worry. So, thank you very much!”

Tickets are on sale until Thursday 24th September at 11am. Get your ticket now and enjoy a little slice of normal with one of cinemas greatest superhero films.

Is Millennium Point a Cinema again?
No, Millennium Point’s Auditorium is neither an IMAX or a regular cinema and has not been since the closure of the Giant Screen Cinema in 2015. Instead, space has been renovated as an impressive 354-seat auditorium available for private hire, which includes films screenings. These socially distanced screenings are one-off events organised by Millennium Point as part of our ongoing commitment to providing fun and affordable activities for the general public. For more information on hiring our giant screen auditorium see here.

Millennium Point is a landmark public building and multi-award-winning events venue in the Eastside of Birmingham City centre. Profits from our commercial activity are invested by the Millennium Point Charitable Trust into projects, events and initiatives which support the growth of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and education in the West Midlands. Find more interesting content from Millennium Point over at our news section, or follow us for daily updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn with @MillenniumPoint.

Millennium Point’s Giant Screen Auditorium will play host to two acclaimed indie films this month brought to Birmingham for the first time in a safe and socially distanced double feature by Birmingham Indian Film Festival. On Sunday 20th September from 5 pm, Birmingham Indian Film Festival will be screening an indie double-bill of Natkhat (The Brat) and Roam Rome Mein (Every Inch Of My Being), two acclaimed independent Indian films, in Millennium Point’s Giant Screen Auditorium (formerly one of the region’s first IMAX). Tickets are on sale now at £10 per person through ticket booking platform Eventbrite.

About the organisers
Birmingham Indian Film Festival is the Birmingham strand of the Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival, and together form the UK and Europe’s largest South Asian film festival with an entertaining and thought-provoking line-up of independent films that offer a rare window into a billion South Asian lives in the sub-continent right now.

About the films
Natkhat (The Brat) is Shaan Vyas’ debut short film and stars Vidya Balan as a doting mother trying to stop her seven-year-old son, Sonu, from taking on the same machismo ideals and beliefs of the male role models in his life. Balan is known for pioneering a change in the portrayal of women in Hindi cinema. The film premiered on YouTube as part of the We Are One: A Global Film Festival and the majority of the cast members had no prior acting experience.

Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express labelled Natkhat a “valuable addition to the films which call out patriarchy, and how utterly damaging it can be.” Jyoti Sharma Bawa of Hindustan Times credited Vyas for effectively portraying a world in which “women are shorn of agency and men get their power from displaying naked machismo”; she praised Vidya for bringing “simplicity and nuance” to her role and Patel for matching her vulnerability. The film’s runtime is 33 minutes and is spoken in Hindi with English Subtitles.

Roam Rome Mein (Every Inch of my Being) is the directorial debut from Brick Lane and Parched actress, Tannishtha Chatterjee. This psychological drama follows Raj (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), who goes to Rome, in search of his sister Reena (Tannishtha Chatterjee), who has left her home in search of freedom to escape their strongly traditional conservative father. In the process, he deconstructs the deep-rooted patriarchy of the society he had lived in, and suddenly finds himself questioning all the values that he’s held sacred, and also taken for granted. The film which has a strong Italian and Indian ensemble cast, had its world premiere at Busan International Film Festival, European premiere at International Rome Film Festival and Indian premiere at Mumbai Film Festival MAMI and is now arriving in Birmingham for a special one-off screening. The film’s run time is 107 minutes and is spoken in Hindi, English & Italian with English subtitles.

(Left) Vidya Balan as a doting mother trying to stop her seven-year-old son in “Natkhat”. (Right) Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Rajin search for his sister in Rome in “Roam Rome Mein”.

About the event
The event is organised by Birmingham Indian Film Festival in partnership with Millennium Point’s award-winning venue. The event will take place from 5 pm on Sunday 20th September in the auditorium at Millennium Point, Curzon Street in the eastside of Birmingham City centre. Tickets cost £10 per person which include entry to both films. Doors open 30 minutes before the first film “Natkhat” at 5 pm. Following the screening, there will be a comfort break for guests to stretch their legs and get refreshments before the second screening “Roam Rome Mein” at 5:30 pm with the event closing by 7:30 pm. Snacks and refreshments will be available to purchase throughout from the fully licenced bar connected to the Auditorium on level 1.

Social distancing and safety
The award-winning events team at Millennium Point have implemented new hygiene and safety measures, to ensure all government guidelines are met and staff and guests are protected. The Auditorium, which at full capacity can host 354 people, has been reduced to 181 seats to allow for physical distancing between guests, and tickets are purchased in bundles with assigned seating in advance to ensure groups remain separate from each other. A deep clean is carried out between events and registration and purchases are contactless and cash-free with staff wearing facemasks and appropriate PPE. Specific details for measures we have taken can be found on the booking page.

Related article: Client Protection Plan

Safety measures include assigned seating and social distancing at Millennium Point

Hire the Auditorium
Millennium Point’s 354-seat auditorium is available for private hire from as little as £500+VAT. Formerly one of the first IMAX’s in the region, this unique space features a 6.2m x 2.3m stage underneath a giant 24m x 12m sized screen, ideal for screenings, lectures, AGMs, esports tournaments, performances and much, much more! Get in touch with our team now for your no strings quote and take advantage of this unique event space in Birmingham City centre. Call 0121 202 2200 or enquire here.

The Auditorium at Millennium Point is available for private hire from as little as £500+VAT

Millennium Point’s multi-award-winning venue has two outdoor spaces ideal for hosting a safe and socially distant outdoor networking event from as little as £260+VAT. Here are the reasons why you should choose Millennium Point for your outdoor networking event.

It has benefits in 2020 which indoor networking doesn’t.
The networking landscape is changing with more businesses choosing fresh open-air spaces as the setting for their networking events, and that’s not surprising considering the benefits. The obvious reason in 2020 for choosing an outdoor setting compared to indoor for your networking event is an easier implementation of social distancing measures. More open space means delegates feel less claustrophobic and can practice social distancing; fewer surfaces and natural airflow means less risk of contamination or lingering germs creating a safe environment which makes delegates more at ease.

Outside of social distancing measures, natural daylight and fresh air are proven to increase happiness and concertation levels which means more engagement among delegates when networking and an overall increase in satisfaction for your networking event.

Outdoor spaces at Millennium Point
Ingress is a semi-private outdoor space. It’s adjacent to our level 1 space, Platform, which has power sockets, a fully licenced bar and restroom facilities. It’s also adjacent to the Millennium Point privately owned car park which can be used for its intended purpose or breakout space. Ingress is available from £260+VAT.

Ingress is our semi-private space on the north entrance of our venue

Promenade is our open public space which backs onto Eastside city park providing ample room ideal for more casual networking and parties. Our promenade benefits from naturally high footfall which means more opportunity to generate a captive audience. This space has access to power and is close to our ground floor Atrium and level 1 space, Platform. The promenade is available from £450+VAT

Promenade is a public outdoor space on the southside of our venue

What packages are available?
We have a range of packages which can be customised to suit the look and feel of your outdoor networking event. We have introduced contact-free catering with food individually packaged and drinks in bottles or single-use plastic. All our packaging is biodegradable, which means safeguarding the environment as well as your delegates.

While we can’t guarantee the weather, we can guarantee a high-level service, professional and flexible event management and high-tech audio-visual support. We will work with you to provide protection from bad weather. We have seating, coverings and lighting to suit the style and theme of your networking and barriers to monitor footfall and crowd-flow. We have an on-site bar but can also deliver pop-up bars and refreshment stations.

5 reasons to choose Millennium Point for your Outdoor Networking event:

Central location in Birmingham’s Eastside, that’s easy to get to regardless of how you travel. Our landmark public building is 15 minutes from Birmingham New Street, Midland Metro and Bus services. Millennium Point is easily accessible from the M5, M6 and A38. We also have an onsite car park owned by Birmingham City Council.
Award-Winning Service delivered by a high-level professional events team with over 40 years hospitality experience combined. Our team is accredited by HBAA, MIA’s Aim and we are a member of venues of excellence.
We’re COVID secure. We recently received ‘Safe, Clean and Legal’ accreditation from Quality in tourism for our safety and social distancing measures which safeguard from Coronavirus without compromising your event. You can read our highly praised Client Protection Plan written in-line with the latest UK Government guidelines and Event industry advice by clicking this link:
We’re affordable and flexible, building your event package around you, your aims and your budget. Similarly, we have introduced a temporary flexible booking policy to safeguard your booking from the impact of coronavirus locally and nationally. Read more by clicking this link:
You widen your CSR and support the local region just by booking with us. Commercial profits from our events business and landmark public building go towards our award-winning charitable trust who invest more than £5m back into the region through projects which support the growth of science, technology, engineering, maths (STEM) and education.
Our landmark building is easy to spot and easy to get to in Birmingham City Centre

Get in touch by calling 0121 202 2200, emailing [email protected] or by using our quick enquiry form.

The Shawshank Redemption will be screened in Millennium Point’s giant screen auditorium (formerly an IMAX)

Tickets are on sale for a socially distanced screening of an all-time cinematic classic film in Millennium Point’s giant screen auditorium in the eastside of Birmingham city centre. Our multi-award-winning conference and events venue announced early this month a socially distanced screening of The Shawshank Redemption (1994) which will take place this Thursday 27th August at 7:30 pm.

The Shawshank Redemption is an American Prison drama based on the 1982 Stephen King novella ‘Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption’. The film follows Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman as two prison inmates who bond over several years, finding solace and eventual redemption through acts of common decency. Despite being a flop at the box office in its initial run, the film has since received multiple award nominations and accolades including seven Academy Award nominations and a theatrical re-release. Original author, Stephen King, regards it as his favourite adaptation of his work.

(Video Credit: HD Retro Trailers)

Tickets and what’s included
The film will be screened in the former IMAX at Millennium Point, now a spacious Auditorium with a giant 24m x 12m screen. Tickets cost an equivalent of £15 per person and include two drinks of bottle beer, a glass of house wine or soft drinks, with additional snacks and beverages available to purchase at our fully licenced bar throughout the screening. Tickets are available in bundles of 2-4 with assigned seating as part of Millennium Point’s highly praised measures for social distancing.

Keeping you safe in uncertain times
The award-winning events team at Millennium Point has been working hard to implement new hygiene and safety measures, to ensure all government guidelines are met. The Auditorium, which at full capacity can host 354 people, has been reduced to 181 seats to allow for physical distancing between cinemagoers, and all seats will be allocated in advance to pre-paid ticket holders. A deep clean will be carried out between performances and all screenings will be contactless and cash-free and staff and cinemagoers alike will be wearing facemasks. Specific details for measures we have taken can be found on the booking page.

“Something normal”
This will be the 4th social distanced screening our award-winning Birmingham-based team have organised since lockdown restrictions began to ease in July. Following our socially distanced family screening of Trolls: World Tour in July, one satisfied cinemagoer commented:

Tickets are on sale until Thursday 27th August at 11am. Get your ticket now and enjoy a little slice of normal with one of cinemas greatest achievements.

Book your tickets here.

Our giant screen auditorium is also available for hire, for more information please see here.

Millennium Point is a multi-award-winning event and conference venue in the Eastside of Birmingham City centre. Home to 17 spacious and flexible event spaces, we’re home to a large variety of exciting and vibrant events – none more so than in our giant screen auditorium. Here’s everything you need to know about hiring one of Birmingham’s biggest screens at Millennium Point.

What is it?
The Auditorium at Millennium Point is a spacious theatre-style event space. It holds 354-tiered-seating and a 6.2m x 2.3m stage underneath a giant 24m x 12m sized screen. Formerly one of the first IMAXs in the region, this remarkable space in our landmark public building can be accessed from Level 4 and Level 1, via a striking twin curved staircase in our open-plan Platform space. Platform features a fully licenced bar and toilet facilities with optional features such as a cloakroom, stage, projector screen and additional AV depending on your event. This space can be combined with the Auditorium at a reasonable cost to elevate your event.

The Auditorium with giant screen at Millennium Point is available to hire from as little as £500+VAT.

What can it be used for?
Millennium Point’s Giant Screen Auditorium has been used for a multitude of exciting events and, like our other spaces, can accommodate almost anything you can think of. The Auditorium is the home of the popular annual Birmingham Film Festival and VSFighting, one of Europe’s largest fighting game esports tournaments. It’s regularly used for film screenings, award ceremonies, conferences, exhibitions, panels and Q&As and, more recently, a live performance space.

What comes with it?
Unlike more conventional venues with screens, such as cinemas or theatres, you will get exclusive use of the auditorium without having to worry about fitting into a schedule or facing higher costs to cover loss of earnings. This screen is yours when you want it, for less money. Each event comes with your own dedicated event manager who will be on hand to assist you from initial enquiry through to the big day. Your event will be supported by our dedicated AV team to ensure the smooth running of your event at no extra cost.

Where is it?
The Giant Screen Auditorium is located inside the landmark public building Millennium Point, Curzon Street in the Eastside of Birmingham City centre. The multi-award-winning venue is a 15-minute walk from Birmingham New Street Station and major inter-city transport links. Millennium Point has an onsite 900 space multi-story car park owned by Birmingham City cancel which is easily accessible from the M6, M5 and M42.

Social Distancing & Safety Measures.
Our highly accredited team have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that our building and Auditorium is safe, clean and compliant with the latest government guidelines on coronavirus without compromising the scope and quality of your event.

We have reduced capacity in our Auditorium from 354 seats to 115 seats for corporate events and 181 seats for leisure events. Seats that are off limits are clearly marked.
One-way systems around the space to ensure reduced contact.
The Auditorium is deep cleaned, including seats, before and after every event in addition to our regular, rigorous cleaning regime.
Our staff will be wearing appropriate PPE and our fully trained in COVID-19 protection.
Our fully licenced bar is cashless with protective screens.
All refreshments and catering are self-contained with minimal contact from our staff.

Our measures have been fully tested and received overwhelmingly positive feedback from organisers and attendees alike. One attendee to a recent film screening commented:

“I just wanted to say how great mine and family’s experience was watching trolls today. I was very anxious but was immediately put at ease from all the things you had implemented to make it COVID safe. It was lovely to do something normal again with my child without a worry. So, thank you very much!”