What a year! 2024 has seen us welcome 159, 504 audience members to experience live theatre, we’ve won three theatre awards, launched a new brand, established three new participation programmes, debuted a new theatre festival, produced a short film, created three Belgrade productions, and collaborated with some of the best creatives and artists in the industry. And that’s not even the half of it! As we gear up for everything 2025 has to bring, we’re shining a spotlight on our 2024 best bits.
First up, let’s talk about our new brand.
She’s bright, she’s bold, and she’s unconstrained! With our beautiful dove leading the way as it has done throughout the Belgrade’s history, our new brand took centre stage in February as we shared the new look for our new co-creation vision, and firmly cemented our mission to share stories, create connections and celebrate communities.
Find out more about our new brand here.
Next up we’re shouting about our participation opportunities that have launched this year. There’s certainly no shortage of ways to get involved here at the Belgrade!
Belgrade Ensemble
In January we launched our very first Belgrade Ensemble group. The Ensemble is a free 11-month training programme for early career performance artists looking to develop their craft alongside our creative leadership team. Our first cohort saw sixteen talented 19 – 30 year olds train alongside our Creative Director and Associate Director to grow their technical skills in acting, singing/rap, and movement whilst having the chance to devise and perform work on our stages.
In July, Belgrade Ensemble members hopped on a plane to Madrid where they attended and performed at the For/With/By Festival which proved to be a once in a lifetime experience for all involved.
We are now delighted to have welcomed our 2024 cohort who are working hard and learning new skills.
Belgrade Ensemble Spring 2024
Digital Media Academy
This year saw the rejuvenation of our Digital Media Academy which first began in 2021. Our Media Academy is another free programme for anyone aged 18+ who enjoys creating content and has an interest in film or video production. Over a number of weeks, participants gain a better understanding of digital media creation, and learn how to create, shoot, and edit video whilst being based in a producing venue with access to unique opportunities.
The group that meets weekly is led by our Digital Producer Simone Herbert.
Find out more about what our Media Academy participants have been up to this year here.
Artist Network
As Coventry’s largest professional producing theatre, we believe it’s essential that we support our local artists to access opportunities, not just here at the Belgrade, but across the West Midlands and beyond. That’s why this February we launched the Artist Network. Now with 206 members, the Artist Network is a free space for creatives and artists from the West Midlands aged 18+ who are currently working in the arts or pursuing a career in the sector.
Members continue to receive exclusive benefits including monthly check ins with the Belgrade’s Creative Director and Associate, meet ups to connect with other local artists, ticket offers across the Belgrade’s programme of work, free access to last-minute rehearsal space, a monthly e-newsletter, and the option to provide in-depth, invaluable input into specific Belgrade Theatre plans and projects.
Find out more and sign up to the Artist Network here.
Springboard
This October we welcomed three new Springboard companies to join team Belgrade as we support them over the next three years to grow and develop.
These three companies are Blindspot Theatre, Dauntless Evolution, and That’s A Rap.
We’re so excited to be a part of their journeys and look forward to what’s next.
Find our more about each company here.
Blindspot Theatre, Dauntless Evolution, and That’s A Rap - Nicola Young Photography
The Belgrade is a producing theatre which means that we create and develop new theatre productions right here in Coventry with local creatives and artists. In 2024 we produced three Belgrade productions, Swim, Aunty, Swim, Revealed, and Dick Whittington.
Swim Aunty Swim
Swim, Aunty, Swim! was a profound, poetic story of friendship, loss, sisterhood, motherhood, ageing, starting again, and the sublime power of water. Written by Siana Bangura and directed by Madeleine Kludje. The stunning swimming pool set was designed and built by our team at Belgrade Theatre Scenery in our workshop, costumes were designed and created by our very own wardrobe department, and all production was led by our talented team.
Swim, Aunty, Swim! played in B2 to big audiences, receiving rave reviews, standing ovations and plenty of stars.
Revealed
A relatable family drama that celebrated the courage in connecting with those we find hardest to love. Revealed followed three generations of black men Grandfather Sidney, Father Malcolm, and son Luther during one explosive evening.
This gripping production was produced at the Belgrade, written by Daniel J Carver, and directed by Belgrade’s Associate Director Jay Zorenti-Nakhid.
Revealed was wrapped up in community engagement activity including a Black Men on the Coach event, a community photo exhibition, free Caribbean food after each performance, and panel discussions.
Dick Whittington
Our most recent home-grown production was our annual pantomime, this year we took on the much-loved tale of Dick Whittington.
Written and directed by Iain Lauchlan, the Belgrade has become a firm favourite for Coventry audiences who make our panto a must-see each year.
Dick Whittington saw record-breaking numbers of ticket sales and audience members solidifying that the Belgrade is where Coventry celebrates Christmas.
Award Winners
We were honoured to be presented with three awards this year, helping to put us on the map as a successful and established producing house.
Best New Play – UK Theatre Awards
Swim, Aunty, Swim! won Best New Play at the UK Theatre Awards after wowing audiences and critics with its beautiful set, costumes, and unique story.
Best Playwright – Black British Theatre Awards
Siana Bangura won Best Playwright at the Black British Theatre Awards for her outstanding storytelling in Swim, Aunty, Swim!
Siana Bangura
Best Sisters – UK Pantomime Awards
Our two dastardly dames Iain Lauchlan and Andy Hockley won Best Sister at the UK Pantomime Awards for their performances in Cinderella as the Ugly Sisters.
Iain Lauchlan & Andy Hockley
See It First
One of our biggest achievements of 2024 was creating and hosting the first-ever See It First programme.
See It First is a programme of new plays, workshops involving some of the UK’s leading directors and writers, and conversations between artists and audiences. The first of its kind in Coventry and what we hope will become an annual festival.
One of the aims of the programmes is to showcase theatre pieces that are set to debut at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival at the Belgrade before they are seen anywhere else. Hence, See It First!
Our 2024 lineup included Paines Plough, Mercury Theatre, Belgrade Theatre, Landmark Theatres, and Royal & Derngate Northampton co-production of My Mother’s Funeral: The Show. Since showing first at the Belgrade, the heart-warming and funny production has exceeded all expectations and has now transferred to London and New York.
Other shows included Tones: A Hip Hop Opera by award-winning artist Gerel Falconer, and Main Character Energy starring award-winning writer and performer Temi Wilkey.
The main event during See It First was the day-long Co-Creation Symposium. The symposium saw guest contributors from across a range of sectors including the arts, social care, and manufacturing join together to share best practice and establish fundamental principles that help to unlock co-creation and its potential to shape a new narrative in an ever-changing industry.
The two-week programme was a huge success and we’re so proud to be able to offer such exclusive events for the West Midlands.
Seaview on Amazon Prime
In 2021, our urban sci-fi, TV drama series SeaView premiered with a series of screenings at the Belgrade. Three years on, we were ecstatic to share the news that SeaView was now available to stream on Amazon Prime.
Turn + Draw
Romeo and Juliet is set to be one of the Belgrade’s most ambitious productions to date, with a three-week run in our main auditorium B1, and produced using our Co-Creation model.
To kick things off how we mean to go on, we filmed a short complimentary film to set the tone and quality of Romeo and Juliet, and it is everything and more.
Turn + Draw showcases a scene from the production plus an original song from the piece giving viewers the opportunity to get a feel for the production before it is brought to life on our stage.
This film was shot in Coventry Cathedral over three days this May, and involved a full team of production crew, actors, make-up and costume designers, musicians, Creative Director Corey Campbell, and was supported by our Digital Media Academy.
Finally, we have to mention the phenomenal touring shows that have graced our stages and brought the magic and wonder of live theatre to Coventry this year.
Our favourites include Shrek, Fantastically Great Women, The Glass Menagerie, Boy Out The City, Boy at the Back of the Class, The History Boys, Ghost the Musical, The Woman in Black, Play On!, Please Do Not Touch, My Son’s a Queer, and Frankie Goes to Bollywood.
We told you it had been a big year! Thank you to every single staff member, participant, audience member, and theatre lover for enabling us to do what we do and to enrich the lives of everyone involved through the arts.
2025, let’s be havin’ ya!