Birmingham Festival 23, set to take place in Centenary Square which was home to the Raging Bull. will celebrate the first anniversary of the Commonwealth Games ©Getty Images

Birmingham is to stage a 10-day celebration in the city’s Centenary Square to mark the first anniversary of staging the Commonwealth Games.

Birmingham Festival 23 will be organised by the same team which organised the Cultural Festival in the city centre during the Commonwealth Games.

"Last year we really showcased Birmingham’s creativity and it ran through everything from the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, the medal design process with local students, to the more discrete handcrafted gifts and experiences created for athletes,” Festival 2022 executive producer Raidene Carter said.

"We no longer have to prove to the world that this place is full of talent, so this year is about really celebrating how creative this city is.

The event is set to take place between July 28 and August 6 in the same spot where the "Raging Bull" from the Opening Ceremony was placed for the duration of the Games, proving a huge hit with visitors who flocked to be photographed in front of it. 

The giant structure is now set to be installed at Birmingham's New Street Station in the summer.

King Charles III was among those who enjoyed the Birmingham 2022 Festival during his visit to the Commonwealth Games ©Getty Images
King Charles III was among those who enjoyed the Birmingham 2022 Festival during his visit to the Commonwealth Games ©Getty Images

"The people of Birmingham truly embraced the 2022 Commonwealth Games, creating a welcoming and vibrant atmosphere," Commonwealth Games Federation President Dame Louise Martin said.

"Staging this Festival to celebrate and recapture the joy of the Games is a fitting tribute to everyone’s achievements,"

An announcement on the detailed programme for Birmingham Festival 23 is expected in June, but the organisers are also invited local creative community groups and artists to participate in a scheme called "Made in Brum".

"We’re encouraging more artists, collectives and creatives to get involved," Carter said.

"Birmingham Festival 23 is just the start of what we imagine to be a longer term cultural legacy of the City."

Birmingham Festival 23 will celebrate a successful Commonwealth Games that showcased the English city ©Getty Images
Birmingham Festival 23 will celebrate a successful Commonwealth Games that showcased the English city ©Getty Images

Film Producer and screenwriter Steven Knight and Selly Oak born Ama Agbeze, who skippered England’s gold medal winning netball team at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, have both been appointed Birmingham Festival 23 Patrons.

"We promised 2022 would be just the start," Birmingham Council Leader Ian Ward said.

"The Festival will once again shine a spotlight on the youth and diversity that make Birmingham such an amazing city."