A new cultural dining experience launches in Birmingham this month, inviting audiences to
encounter the Jewellery Quarter in an entirely unexpected way.
Taste the Jewellery Quarter is a research-led, multi-sensory dining experience created by artist and
sensory designer Kaye Winwood, founder of GULP. Developed in response to the distinctive
character, histories and atmosphere of one of Birmingham’s most celebrated neighbourhoods, the
experience asks a simple but evocative question: what does the Jewellery Quarter taste like?
Drawing on months of research, public consultation and sensory walks, Winwood has collaborated
with specialists in smell and sound to gather the textures, aromas, stories and sonic landscapes
that define the area. The result is an immersive dining event that transforms the Jewellery Quarter
into an edible exploration of place.
Could the Quarter taste of custard, recalling the story of Alfie Bird, buried in nearby Key Hill
Cemetery? Might it smell of lavender drifting through St Paul’s Square in summer? Could its
soundtrack be found in the rhythmic tinkering of jewellers at their benches, punctuated by the cries
of seagulls overhead? What does its architecture feel like in the hand, and how might its precious
metals and gemstones translate into flavour, colour and form?
These questions sit at the heart of Taste the Jewellery Quarter, a new experience that reveals the
hidden sensory identity of the district through an imaginative fusion of food, design, storytelling and
contemporary art.
Visitors can choose between an immersive guided sensory walk through the Jewellery Quarter
followed by dinner on Saturday 25 October, or attend the dining experience alone on Friday 24
October.
Designed for residents, food enthusiasts, cultural tourists and curious visitors alike, Taste the
Jewellery Quarter offers a fresh perspective on Birmingham’s heritage, inviting audiences to
engage with the city through all five senses.
The project forms part of Sensing the JQ, an ongoing programme exploring the sensory identity of
Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter through public participation, creative research and collaborative
making. The work captures the living heritage of the area through contributions from jewellers,
residents, chefs, businesses and visitors, translating collective memories and experiences into
immersive encounters.
Taste the Jewellery Quarter is a Signature Experience for Visit Birmingham, Visit Britain and the
Destination Development Partnership (West Midlands Growth Company) and has been supported
by Leopold Marketing. The Signature Experiences showcase innovative cultural experiences that
strengthen Birmingham and the West Midlands’ growing reputation as a destination for creative
tourism.
As cities increasingly seek new ways to tell their stories, Taste the Jewellery Quarter offers an
original proposition: a chance not simply to visit a place, but to taste it.
Full details and tickets for all events can be found at: https://www.kayewinwood.com/events-gulp
Taste the Jewellery Quarter | Birmingham, B18 6DS
