The Utilita Arena in Birmingham is the third-largest indoor arena in the West Midland region of the United Kingdom, with an interior capacity of 15,800.
Located on King Edwards Road in central Birmingham, the Utilita Arena hosts several must-see events throughout the year!
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at Utilita Arena Birmingham, and cover its history, ticket bookings, upcoming events, how to get there, and much more.
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This Article Contains:
- What is Utilita Arena Birmingham?
- Utilita Arena Birmingham Contact Details
- Is Utilita Arena Birmingham Currently Open?
- A Brief History of Utilita Arena Birmingham
- What Kind of Activities Take Place at Utilita Arena Birmingham?
- Notable Upcoming and Past Events at Arena Birmingham
- How to Book Tickets for Events at Utilita Birmingham?
- How to Get to Utilita Arena Birmingham: By Bus and Train
- Are There Any Parking Spots near Utilita Arena?
- What Are the Covid Restrictions at Utilita Arena Birmingham?
- Accessibility at Utilita Arena Birmingham
- Other Tourist Attractions near Utilita Arena Birmingham
What is Utilita Arena Birmingham?
The Utilita Arena Birmingham is an indoor amphitheatre and sporting venue located in central Birmingham, West Midland region, UK. It’s owned by the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) Group.
Utilita Arena Birmingham is famous for various entertainment events including comedy nights, family events, live music, and some sporting events.
Utilita Arena Birmingham Contact Details
Address: King Edwards Road, Birmingham B1 2AA, United Kingdom.
Website: https://www.utilitaarenabham.co.uk/
Phone Numbers:
Pre sale tickets: +44 121 780 4141
Customer Service: +44 844 338 0333
Is Utilita Arena Birmingham Currently Open?
The Utilita Arena Birmingham is currently open for events and operates Monday – Friday from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
The Arena may be open on the weekend for special events. Keep an eye on the website for buying tickets.
A Brief History of Utilita Arena Birmingham
The Utilita Arena in Birmingham (not to be confused with Resorts World Arena) has been reimagined and renamed a few times since it first opened in 1991.
The Utilita Arena was initially an indoor sporting venue called the ‘National Indoor Arena’. But soon after opening, it also started hosting entertainment events for families too.
Later in 2012, the Birmingham City Council approved plans for an extensive renovation of the National Indoor Arena. The site was then named ‘Barclaycard Arena’ after Barclaycard won the naming rights for five years. Michael Bublé was the first to perform at the newly opened Barclaycard Arena on 2nd December 2014.
In May 2016, the Birmingham City Council announced the early expiration of this deal and renamed the venue ‘Arena Birmingham’. Finally, in January 2020, it came to be known as ‘Utilita Arena Birmingham’ after the NEC (run by CEO Paul Thandi CBE DL) acquired the venue.
What Kind of Activities Take Place at Utilita Arena Birmingham?
Utilita Arena Birmingham has an outstanding reputation for its various entertainment events, including world-class concerts, family shows, and much more.
Primarily a sporting venue, Utilita Arena also hosts entertainment events with comedy, live music, theatre, dancing, etc. It has partnered with several music festivals like Camp Bestival, Parklife, Crowded House, and V Festival along with stars like Rick Astley, Lady Gaga, Diana Ross, and Jack Whitehall.
It also collaborated with Newcastle Arena, which became Utilita Arena Newcastle back in 2017.
In fact, Utilita Arena is set to host the ‘Gymnastics’ category for the Commonwealth Games 2022 between 28th July to 8th August in Birmingham.
Notable Upcoming and Past Events at Arena Birmingham
The Utilita Arena Birmingham has a wide range of events planned for the second half of 2022. Right from a Diana Ross concert, Jake Whitehall gig, and Celine Dion show to the Trampoline & Tumbling National Age Group Finals, you’re in for great entertainment!
Here are some of the upcoming events:
| Type of Event | Events and Dates |
| Family | Queen + Adam Lambert (11 – 12 June 2022)Mrs. Brown’s Boys Live Show (24 – 25 June 2022) |
| Comedy | Kevin Bridges – The Overdue Catch-Up (26 October 2022, 9 November 2022)Jason Manford – Like Me (11 November 2022) |
| Sports | Trampoline & Tumbling National Age Group Finals (25th June 2022)Trampoline & Tumbling British Championships (1 – 2 October 2022)The British Basketball Cup Finals (29 January 2023) |
| Music | Crowded House (14 June 2022)Andrea Bocelli (24 September 2022)Il Divo (8 December 2022) |
| Music (Pop Culture) | The Alicia + Keys World Tour (9 June 2022)Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever, The World Tour (15 June 2022)Diana Ross (20 June 2022)Diljit Dosanjh (20 August 2022)Snoop Dogg (27 August 2022)Kendrick Lamar Live Nation Tour (5 November 2022)Florence + The Machine (24 November 2022) |
| Theatre | Adam Kay – This Is Going To Hurt… More (10 September 2022)Cirque Du Soleil Corteo (19 – 23 October 2022) |
| Kids | Paw Patrol Live (23rd August 2022) |
| Entertainment (Other) | Professor Brian Cox Live – Horizons: A 21st Century Space Odyssey (11 September 2022)Pete Tong Presents Ibiza Classics (1 December 2022) |
Now, here were some of the past events at Utilita Arena:
- Michael Bublé Music Concert
- Chris Rock – Ego Death World Tour 2022 (Comedy)
- Dua Lipa – Future Nostalgia Music Tour
- Jack Whitehall – How To Survive Family Holidays (Comedy)
- Camp Bestival Live Nation Tour
- Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan Live Nation Showcase
- Rick Astley – Greatest Comedy Hits
- Eurovision Song Contest
- Celine Dion – Courage World Tour
How to Book Tickets for Events at Utilita Birmingham?
Pre-sale tickets for all events happening at the Utilita Arena Birmingham are announced on their website a few months in advance. You can book them through the Ticket Factory mobile device app.
You can also opt to book on the day at the Arena Birmingham box offices beside Entrance E. The box office generally opens at 4:00 PM on most show days for buying tickets. Note that the box office is open during limited hours and tickets are subject to availability.
For any queries regarding box office hours or ticket sales, contact +44 844 338 8000.
How to Get to Utilita Arena Birmingham: By Bus And Train
The Arena Birmingham is near the National Indoor Arena and Charlotte St (Stop Pr2) bus stations. It’s a 3-minute walk to the National Indoor Arena bus station and a 7-minute walk to the Charlotte St bus station.
Here are the bus routes that pass by the Utilita Arena Birmingham: 13, 23, 24, 9, X10, X8.
The venue is also easily accessible by the Birmingham snow hill and Birmingham new street station:
- Birmingham Snow Hill Station (35-minute walk)
- Birmingham New Street (54-minute walk)
Are There Any Parking Spots near Utilita Arena?
The Utilita Arena Birmingham has plenty of designated car parking spots across the venues – the West, and South, North car park venues.
The South and West parks are serviced by lifts on each floor. The North car park doesn’t have any lifts but has accessible parking bays on floor 9, entrance G.
Visitors need to book their parking in advance at the Arena Birmingham box offices near entrance E. Day visitors can access the Birmingham city centre car parking facilities.
What are the Covid Restrictions at Utilita Arena Birmingham?
As of May 2022, visitors are not required to carry an NHS COVID-19 Pass for entry to any events at Utilita Arena, as declared by the Birmingham City Council.
The Arena complies with all government COVID restrictions, including frequent sanitization of venues and ventilated areas for access to fresh air. You can also use contactless payment through the Ticket Factory app to minimise human interaction.
Accessibility at Utilita Arena Birmingham
The Utilita Arena Birmingham is highly accessible for everyone. The entire venue can be accessed by people with wheelchairs and walking aids and is service-dog friendly.
The Arena has fully accessible, unisex toilets and changing rooms along with basic medical facilities and mental health first-aid.
You can also contact their dedicated telephone device ticket line or customer service anytime during the event for further assistance.
Other Tourist Attractions near Utilita Arena Birmingham
- National SEA LIFE Centre (2-minute walk)
- The Coffin Works Museum (10-minute walk)
- Birmingham Museum And Art Gallery (9-minute walk)
- Victoria Square Market (15-minute walk)
- Bullring & Grand Central, Victoria Square (20-minute walk)
- Birmingham Hippodrome (20-minute walk)
- Birmingham City Centre (20-minute walk)
- O2 Arena Academy (20-minute walk)
- Resorts World Arena (25-minute drive)
You can also check out the Utilita Arena website for more information on its other locations, including Newcastle Arena and Sheffield Arena.