Qur'an in the City
The Birmingham Qur’an manuscript is one of the earliest surviving fragments of the Qur’an.
Remarkably, it is one of only a handful of early manuscripts of the Qur’an in the world to have been radiocarbon dated. It is part of the Mingana Collection of 3000 Middle Eastern manuscripts, cared for by the Cadbury Research Library at the University of Birmingham.
Culture Forward established Qur’an in the City in 2023, a collaborative programme to increase engagement amongst Birmingham’s communities with the Birmingham Qur’an manuscript, and through that to celebrate Islamic artistic heritage.
The programme launched through Nomad: A Tent for Reflection during the Birmingham Festival 2023, an immersive experience that invited the public to share reflections on faith and how they relate to it.
Students from King Edward’s Schools at a printing and pigment workshop
What has followed has been a diverse and unique series of interactive activities, from sponsoring artists to create print responses to the Collection and workshops on inks and pigments at Winterbourne and Birmingham Botanical Gardens, to a Study Day for secondary school students, an interactive art installation, and a city-wide created transcription of the Qur'an.
Learn more about the project
As we continue to explore and celebrate the rich heritage embodied by the Birmingham Qur’an manuscript and Mingana Collection, Culture Forward remains committed to fostering deeper connections between these incredible artefacts and the diverse communities they inspire.
Artist creating prints for the Islam and Art event at Ikon Gallery
We would like to thank Soul City Arts, Birmingham Botanical Gardens, the Museum of Islamic Arts and Heritage (MIAH) Foundation, Ikon Gallery, the Cadbury Research Library, Winterbourne House and Gardens, and all our partners who have collaborated with us on Qur’an in the City.