Branar

As the year draws to a close, we are reflecting on some of the remarkable projects brought to life by our incredible partners. We work in partnership and collaboration to support, develop, and facilitate. It’s been our privilege to play a role in enabling these inspiring initiatives. In 2024, we worked with partners to support skill-building, audience engagement, and recognition for the cultural sector, ensuring Galway’s vibrant cultural scene continued to thrive and connect with diverse audiences. Here’s a snapshot of some of the projects we supported in this area: ▪️ Galway Street Ambassadors In collaboration with Volunteer Galway, the Street Ambassadors welcomed visitors to Galway, sharing local insights and cultural knowledge to help them feel at home. This initiative also supported the arts and culture sector by promoting events while building ambassador skills in customer service and community engagement. ▪️ Audience Development Training Programme Partnering with The Audience Agency, this programme helped 16 organisations enhance their understanding of audience development and craft strategies to grow and connect with their audiences more effectively. ▪️ Galway Arts Centre Artist Development Workshops Organised by curator and writer Iarlaith Ní Fheorais, these workshops provided artists across Galway and the West with tools for access, social engagement, and creative grant writing. Designed to empower artists, they focused on equipping them with the skills needed to create impactful work and seize opportunities. ▪️ Culture and Creativity Award For the third consecutive year, the cultural sector was celebrated at the Galway Chamber Business Awards. This award highlights the vital contribution of Galway’s cultural sector to business and community life. This year's winner was Branar. A huge well done and thank you to our partners for all they do for the sector!

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As we come towards the end of a very busy year for Branar, we are going to be recapping everything we got up to over the past 12 months!

Last weekend, Branar were at Atta Festival in Istanbul with Rothar! We had such a fantastic time bringing this show to new audiences! We would like to thank the team at Atta Festival for looking after us while we were there. Supported by Culture Ireland Rothar was originally produced in association with Drama at University of Galway and Baboró International Arts Festival for Children as part of Mapping Project EU Comhairle Cathrach na Gaillimhe / Galway City Council Galway County Council

We are so delighted for Branar 🥳👏 This award recognizes Branar’s stellar work over 23 years in enriching Galway’s cultural landscape through the creation and promotion of art and culture, supporting the livelihoods of artists, and upholding Galway’s cultural global reputation! Read more here: https://lnkd.in/evinwure

Comhghairdeas ó chroí le Marc Mac Lochlainn agus foireann Branar chomh maith le Loretta Ní Ghabháin agus Foireann Lorg Media as na Gradaim a bronnadh orthu ag Gradaim Ghnó Chumann Tráchtála na Gaillimhe in Óstán Chuan na Gaillimhe, Bóthar na Trá, Gaillimh. Comhghairdeas lenár n-urraí ar Ghradam Sheosaimh Uí Ógartaigh  Platform94 a bhí ainmnithe mar ghnó na bliana ar an oíche chomh maith.   Bhí an-oíche againn go léir, a bhuíochas sin do Chumann Tráchtála na Gaillimhe agus Óstán Chuan na Gaillimhe. Comhghairdeas to Marc Mac Lochlainn and the Branar Team, winners of the 'Culture & Creativity Award', as well as Loretta Ní Ghabháin and the Lorg Media team, winners of the 'Best Small to Medium Enterprise Award', at the Galway Chamber Business Awards in the Galway Bay Hotel, Salthill, Galway on Friday night. Comhghairdeas also to the sponsors of Gradam Sheosaimh Uí Ógartaigh, Platform94, who were named ‘Business of the Year’ on the night. Míle buíochas to Galway Chamber and the Galway Bay Hotel for hosting a wonderful event. #GCBizAwards #GradamGleG #OurGalway

Branar are thrilled to be finalists in the Creativity Award Category of this year’s Galway Chamber Business Awards, sponsored by Galway Culture Company! This award is a celebration of contribution to Galway's vibrant cultural and creative landscape and we are delighted to have made the shortlist alongside Fibín Teo and Architecture At The Edge

This week we finished up with the Theatre for Children and Young People module in the University of Galway . Branar were thrilled to be part of the teaching team of this module for students from Drama and Theatre Studies and Childrens' Studies. Over 12 weeks, Branar team members and collaborators gave a series of practice based lectures that explored theatre for children and young people and helped students to develop their own ensemble based creative projects for children.

Ag dúnadh amárach! Beidh Branar ag soláthar Ceardlann Aisteoireachta do dhaoine ar spéis leo a bheith ag aisteoireacht do pháistí. Tá muid ag lorg spéise ó aisteoirí le Gaeilge agus ní gá go mbeidh go leor taithí agat ag obair do pháistí. Sprioch data le haghaidh clárú an 26 Samhain ag 5pm Le tuilleadh eolais a fháil, déan teagmháil le [email protected] , nó le clárú don chúrsa, lean an nasc seo: https://lnkd.in/eD2bAGAq Tá áthas orainn a bheith ag obair i gcomhar le Cuisle, Clár Óige Ealaín na Gaeltachta, chun an cheardlann seo a reáchtáil. Tá liúntas cothabhála le fáil ó Ealaín na Gaeltachta d'aon aisteoir Gaeltachta a fhreastalóidh ar an gcúrsa. Gach eolas ó [email protected]. Ealaín na Gaeltachta Comhairle Cathrach na Gaillimhe / Galway City Council Galway County Council

Today we celebrate World Children’s Day. It’s our greatest pleasure here at Branar to make theatre for children. They are citizens of now but all too often their needs are forgotten. We have worked with children to create a Branarfesto which outlines our promises to children. One of those promises is that “We will shout loudly for art for children to be better understood, to have its own space and to be better resourced”. Days like today help that shout to be heard. We ask all political parties to prioritise children’s right to the arts and that those who work for and with children be properly resourced to enhance the lives of children through Art. Thanks to The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon for supporting us in creating arts experiences for children, and for highlighting the voices of those children today on World Children's Day.