It’s been difficult to avoid Birmingham Repertory Theatre in the media recently, as a result of the enforced cancellation of its production of Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti’s play, Behzti, shortly before Christmas. But the sensational stories of stone-throwing Sikhs and the subsequent agonising over freedom of speech and religious extremism have obscured the more positive lesson that Behzti offers about the current vitality of the performing arts in Birmingham.

Behzti was just the latest product of the Rep’s highly successful policy of commissioning and producing work by exciting new writers in this country. Unique outside London, the Rep has one of its two auditoria wholly devoted to new plays, and feeds and supports this with a year-round programme of training, development and nurturing of new writers from as young as 13 upwards.

Behzti was Bhatti’s second play written for the theatre and, following the huge success of her first production, Behsharam, was already sold out for its entire run before violence forced its closure.

Giving a voice to young writers wrestling with the tensions between contemporary Britain and their own ethnic histories has become an increasingly important part of the Rep’s programme on both its stages – and one that is being enthusiastically received by the city’s population.

Audiences at the Rep have doubled in number since the introduction of the new and contemporary writing policy three years ago, and the diversity of those audiences is now beginning to reflect that of the city in general. In turn, the theatre’s reputation outside the city has grown substantially to the extent that 90 per cent of the shows that open in Birmingham now go on to tour nationally or internationally, spreading the word of the cultural vitality of the city.

This success in attracting more people to see work that feels relevant to them and their daily lives is not limited to the Rep. The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra long ago secured its place as one of the world’s greatest orchestras, and it too has been responding positively to the demographic changes taking place in its home city.

The CBSO’s groundbreaking Harmony Project has seen its programme of work in the city extended to embrace South-Asian, Chinese, Black and African-Caribbean music, both in its Symphony Hall concert series and in increased education and touring work. This brave step into diversifying its programme, in a sector that is not traditionally known for its adventurousness, has played a significant part in the CBSO’s increasing its concert attendances by 25 per cent over the last three years.

None of this success would have been achieved without the whole-hearted support and dedication of Birmingham City Council. Its steadfast belief in the importance of the arts, both in improving the quality of life for its citizens and as a highly potent tool in marketing the city and attracting inward investment, has been key to the success of the sector.

In partnership with Arts Council England they have, through investment in their key cultural organisations, created the environment in which high quality popular art can flourish in the city. This has been achieved with cross-party support and in financial circumstances that have often been challenging for local authorities. Their vision and commitment should be applauded – and long may it continue.

Given the increasing vociferousness of many religious groups and the unstoppable desire of young artists to challenge the world in which we live, there is no guarantee that there won’t be another Behzti grabbing the headlines in the future.

But if there is, shouldn’t we be celebrating the fact that our theatre has the power to provoke and inform such strong views and reactions? Shouldn’t the arts be an important tool in any society’s discussions about the way it functions and adapts to changing circumstances? Here in Birmingham, we certainly won’t be shying away from any such future debates.