During an extraordinary two days of outdoor arts, visitors to Birmingham’s Cathedral Square will have the opportunity to play with a Skyline Symphony, capture thoughts in Soul Boats, make poetry from light and dark and see city neighbourhoods captured during an artist’s ‘Nomad’ journey through Birmingham.

Artists from different faith and cultural backgrounds and creative disciplines will create Something Good on Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd October in Cathedral Square, Colmore Row, celebrating 300 years of Birmingham Cathedral.

Composer Dan Jones will fill the Square with new horizons of sound in the Skyline Symphony creating illusions of different times and places. Visual and mural artist Mohammed Ali will live paint Nomadic-inspired sculptures inspired by his journey across the city and poet and writer Mandy Ross explores faith traditions and writings about light and dark.

There will be highlight performance moments at dawn (6.30am), solar noon (12.45pm) and dusk (6.30pm), and additional moments through both days. At these times Dan Jones’ Skyline Symphony will also receive its world premiere as the award winning sound designer blurs the boundaries of music and sound, creating a musical tapestry which takes visitors on a journey through the 300 year history of Birmingham Cathedral.

The audience and participants from around the city will be invited to take part and play along with the symphony with music tracks on their mobile phones. During these times Mohammed Ali will live paint on a number of nomadic structures, drawing influence from Mandy Ross’ collaborative writing with communities from around Birmingham, and from the poetry and the work produced during neighbourhood workshops.

A programme of talks and discussions will also feature through the two days in Cathedral Square, giving visitors the opportunity to explore the themes of light, dark, and the city’s and participants’ stories in more detail.

The Very Reverend Catherine Ogle, Dean of Birmingham, said: “Something Good celebrates 300 years of a church which became a cathedral, in a town which became a city. The festival programme draws upon our city’s vast history of innovation and creative thinking, bringing together people of all faiths and backgrounds, just like the city of Birmingham. We hope that Something Good will attract and involve people of all backgrounds, allowing them to join us in celebration of this momentous occasion.”

Orit Azaz, artistic director for the cathedral’s arts programme, said: “The creation of Something Good has been a process of discovery for all involved. As the artists developed their work in neighbourhood workshops, we have seen the real power of communities, which has enabled the creative work to flourish. These neighbourhoods will be seen through both the poetry and paintings in October’s festival.”

Something Good forms part of Birmingham Cathedral’s year-long Come & See programme, celebrating 300 years of the church which became a cathedral.

The 2-day festival has been funded by Arts Council England and The Jerusalem Trust with Mohammed Ali’s Nomad’ additionally funded by Birmingham City Council through Soul City Arts, and Jake Lever’s Soul Boats by Westhill Endowment. Additional support from The Grimmit Trust, Anchor Foundation, and George Fentham Charity.