The launch of the West Midlands Eastside Arts Academy - the first Academy entirely for pupils with aptitude in the performing arts - and the sponsors of two more Birmingham Academies, Sheldon Heath and The College High, in Erdington, are being announced today at the BBC open space, at the Mailbox in Birmingham City Centre.

The King Edward VI Foundation - the leading education trust which manages two private schools and five state grammar schools in Birmingham - will sponsor Sheldon Heath School and Edutrust will sponsor The College High, with the Eastside Arts Academy gaining lead sponsorship from the Ormiston Trust, co-sponsorship from Birmingham City University and additional partnership support from leading industry based organisations and the successful BRIT School for the performing arts in Croydon, South London.

The seven Birmingham Academies are at the heart of the city's £750m Building Schools for the Future Programme, which is totally transforming secondary education in the city.

Schools Minister Andrew Adonis said: "This is a path-breaking development for the national Academies programme. The Eastside Arts Academy is the first Academy entirely for pupils with aptitude in the performing arts. It will draw pupils beyond the age of 14 from across the West Midlands, on the model of the highly successful BRIT School in Croydon, South London, which has a national reputation. King Edward VI is one of the nation's leading school managers, spanning the private and state sectors, and it will now extend its excellent provision with a new Academy.

"Birmingham and Manchester now have the largest Academy programmes in the country, showing the determination of our major cities to drive educational transformation by means of Academies.

"In both cities, the new Academies, are sponsored by successful individuals, trusts and educational organisations within the city itself. The Government is in talks with other cities about multi-Academy schemes on a similar model."

Leader of the City Council Mike Whitby said: "This is an exciting day for the future of education in the City of Birmingham. We have a vision to transform education across the City, so that all our young people can benefit from excellent schools and the best opportunities in life, both academically and socially.

"The addition of an Arts Academy will help to further attract inward investment into the city, give a major boost to the creative sector in the city and significantly support the continued regeneration of Eastside.

"Academies are an integral part of this city's programme of renewal. We are still, by some margin, the highest achieving major city in Britain for our GCSE results. We believe our new Birmingham Academies model will help build on this success and create new centres of excellence for learning."

Birmingham's Young Poet Laureate Matt Windle, aged 17, will read a poem especially written for the announcement, talented musicians from The College High will deliver a rap song to celebrate and musical pupils from Sheldon Heath School will also perform.

Councillor Les Lawrence, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families, said: "We have a young, vibrant and diverse City and our schools and Academies need to reflect that. I am confident that working together with sponsors, partners, teachers, parents, young people and the Government, we can create and sustain Academies we are proud of."