THE YEAR THAT WAS 2021

2021! As strange and as sad at times as it was inspiring!

Spring 2021 began with the filming of our short film series ‘SIX’. Collaborating alongside a vast range of ridiculously talented, wonderfully creative, resourceful, funny, kind and caring artists and crew who after a year in the wilderness, came out of hibernation rejuvenated, hitting the ground sprinting and reigniting the industry with this project!

Thanks to the incredible support of the Arts Council, we were able to give much needed employment to over 80 people here, including 36 actors, 6 directors, 6 writers, more than 30 crew and creatives and of course our Covid compliance officer and on set nurses, who kept the whole show running and everybody safe! 😷

The very best of creative talent that we have to offer, showcasing the abundance of talent that exists across the sector here, creating stunning art!

The Summer saw us return to live audiences for the first time in almost 2 years with our new production of Maria Connolly’s hilariously poignant ‘CONVERSATIONS WITH ANGELS’. The play sold out The Devenish as part of Féile an Phobail, long before it opened and saw standing ovations and outstanding feedback every night. The show will now move forward in May 2022 to perform on the main stage of The MAC, Belfast.😇

In September we as always had the pride of funding alongside the family and presenting once again as part of The Aisling Bursaries, The Mark O’Shea bursary to yet another young person from West Belfast going onto further education.

In the Autumn, we had the huge honour of being invited by the prestigious Belfast Film Festival to present our short film series ‘SIX’. It was a monumental success for the company and the feedback was incredible.🎬

A long time objective and dream of ours came true in November thanks to our funders at Arts & Business and our partners at The Belfast Media Group with the acquisition of our own space on The Hannahstown Hill which provides us with the opportunity for development and to rehearse our productions as well as for Brassneck Youth to hold face to face classes and workshops.🎭

Finally in December in the absence of a Christmas show with all the cancellations, we were delighted to provide you all with a stream of our 2020 Christmas movie ‘A bELFast Christmas’!🎅

Our incredible Youth Company BRASSNECK YOUTH against all the odds continued to go from strength to strength in 2021 with unbroken online classes, multiple cross community, cross sector projects, Summer workshops and a Podcast before returning to face to face classes in our new space culminating with an absolutely joyous Christmas Show for all their families.🧑‍🎄

We have some incredible announcements for you in the new year, so whatever one of the four photos below you are tonight folks, remember just how resilient 2021 has made us all and let us take that into 2022 with the strength and courage to keep going…

because the impossible only seems impossible, until it is done!😍

Have a very Happy new year everyone from all at Brassneck!🥳