ARTS PARTNERSHIP

Ballymena Arts Partnership is a consultative body to Council. Created as a forum open to all residents of the Borough, its purpose is to further the advancement of the Arts and support local Arts activities within the wider community.

Ballymena Arts Partnership is made up of not more than 10 volunteers and 3 to 4 Councillors who act as a forum for local arts and advise Ballymena Borough Council, and who are elected at an AGM from one of the three categories listed:

  1. Practising Arts Professional
  2. Member of local Arts Group/Organisation
  3. Have a proven reputation in the Arts

Ballymena Arts Partnership core purpose is as follows:

To act as an advisory and consultative panel to assist Ballymena Borough Council with Arts Programming.

To act as a forum for local Arts and to advise Ballymena Borough Council of the collective opinions of local arts interest when required.

MEMBERS

Tim BurdenTim Burden
Tim Burden
Tim Burden

Tim Burden is part of the Northern Media Group which operate 6 radio stations across the province and he also work with Film Score Monthly. His role for both companies is as a radio presenter, producer, voice over artist and film correspondent. (www.northernmediagroup.com / www.filmscoremonthly.com)Tim also works with Cinemagic, RTE and the Ulster Orchestra on various arts and film projects.

Paddy Mc GaugheyPaddy Mc Gaughey
Paddy Mc Gaughey
Paddy Mc Gaughey

Paddy is involved with The Braid Comedy Club which runs a monthly comedy club in The Braid and often comperes for such events.

Mary Waldron
Mary Waldron

Mary is particularly interested in playwriting having completed the Writers on the Edge project, organised by Ransom Productions to encourge more female playwrights in Northern Ireland. Her first play 'Sacraments for the Living' had a rehearsed readings at the Old Mac,  Belfast in 2009.

Willie Drennan
Willie Drennan

Willie Drennan is a traditional musician, storyteller, poet and writer, who draws much of his material from the Ulster Scots cultural traditions of his native County Antrim.He also travelled extensively in Europe and North America, between 1976 and 1997, but once again, resides near Ballymena in County Antrim.Since returning to Northern Ireland, he has produced over seven CD recordings, under the Fowkgates label, and until recently was the artistic coordinator of the Ulster Scots Folk Orchestra, which he helped form in October 2000.

Eilis Boland
Eilis Boland

Mayo native Eilís has made her home in the borough for over 20 years.  She has been passionate about the Arts, music in particular, for as long as she can remember. She regularly enjoys live music gigs throughout the country and has volunteering experience at several festivals.She is particularly interested in the traditional, folk, old-time, bluegrass and country/americana genres.

George Lorimer
George Lorimer

Civil Servant George was born and raised in Ballymena . His passion for live music began after seeing Scottish band Deacon Blue at Belfast' s Kings Hall over 20 years ago. Now a regular attender at gigs all over Northern Ireland ,  George also worked at this year' s Glastonbury Music  Festival and hopes to bring his experience of the live music scene to the Braid Real Music Club.

Gary Sullivan
Gary Sullivan

Gary is currently involved in Film At The Braid and designs all of the promotional art for the advertising of our monthly films.

Paul Chapman
Paul Chapman

Paul is one of the trio who have helped Film At The Braid go from strength to strength. He has a keen interest in cinema.

Lisa KirkwoodLisa Kirkwood
Lisa Kirkwood
Lisa Kirkwood

Lisa is 35 years old, mother of 3 kids. She has lived in Ballymena all her life other than a brief stay in London and Portrush for University.Lisa auditioned for Find Me The Funny on BBC1 NI when was recovering from illness. There she met Paddy Mc Gaughey and they began talking about starting a comedy club in Ballymena.  Paddy had the comedy experience and Lisa had the contacts, having previously worked for Ballymena Borough Council, so they approached the Braid Arts Centre and the rest is history.

COUNCILLORS

Councillor John Carson - DUP
Councillor John Carson - DUP

Alderman Robin Cherry - Ulster Unionists
Alderman Robin Cherry - Ulster Unionists

Councillor Declan O' Loan - SDLP
Councillor Declan O' Loan - SDLP

Councillor Des Robinson - DUP
Councillor Des Robinson - DUP

PARTNERSHIP EVENTS