The Braid Real Music Club was formed in September 2010 in conjunction with Ballymena Arts Partnership. The aim of Braid Real Music Club is to promote 'real' music by engaging musical acts and developing a regular appropriate venue for audiences. The genres of music can vary but to date we have engaged folk, blues, blues-rock, bluegrass, country, singer-songwriters and performance poets.
We like to focus on local talent (within a 50 mile radius) but we also look out for other touring acts. We are particularly keen to promote local acts who create and perform much of their own material. To this end we invite emerging local talent to forward us their promotional material. Braid Real Music Club is an ideal venue for showcasing new acts and launching new recordings etc.
Our first Braid Real Music Club concert was in January 2011 when we engaged Canadian-based bluegrass band 'Special Consensus'. Following on from that successful event we have been holding regular monthly events in the Braid Arts Centre theatre. The concerts are normally held cabaret-style in the theatre but on occasions we have also used the smaller Studio Theatre. Founding members were Eilis Boland, Willie Drennan and Rosalind Lowry. Recently George Lorimer and Colin Agnew joined the committee and have been very active in engaging the acts and promoting the shows.
Ballymena Arts Partnership (our umbrella group) were winners of the Ireland Epic Award for People's Choice and the Ireland runner up for the Epic Awards. The aim of Braid Real Music Club is to promote 'real' music by engaging musical acts and developing a regular appropriate venue for audiences. The genres of music can vary but to date we have engaged folk, blues, blues-rock, bluegrass, country, singer-songwriters and performance poets.
Outtake from a film commissioned by Ballymena Arts Partnership during the Arts Festival in 2013, featuring; Ben Glover, Anthony Toner and Brendan Murphy
If you are interested in getting involved please express your interest in writing, rosalind.lowry@ballymena.gov.uk to;
Rosalind Lowry-Arts & Events Development Officer
The Braid Arts Centre
1-29 Bridge Street
Ballymena
BT43 5EJ
While membership of Ballymena Arts Partnership is elected, all of the events that are run by The Braid Real Music Club are open to everyone who has an interest in music, especially folk, blues, blues-rock, bluegrass, country, singer-songwriters and performance poets
It is free to join Ballymena Arts Partnership-however you must apply in writing and be elected by current members.
There would be no on-going expenses associated with becoming a member.
Our music nights run every month, usually on a Friday or Saturday night. See the events listing at www.thebraid.com for further up to date information on the lastest acts.
The Braid Arts Centre
1-29 Bridge Street
Ballymena
BT43 5EJ
Ballymena Arts Partnership is made up of not more than 12 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:
Practising Arts Professional
Member of local Arts Group/Organisation
Have a proven reputation in the Arts
Event organisation, management and co-ordination.
As membership is limited to 12 volunteers active participation is required.
Visit our web page to find out who are members are; https://www.thebraid.com/arts-partnership.aspx