Sarah McBriar | Photo Credit: Sarah Ellis (TellYourMumITookPhotos)
Sarah McBriar is the Founder & Creative Director of AVA & UP Productions, specializing in large-scale festival and conference creation, production design, and programming across the audio-visual arts (AVA) sector. Her extensive experience spans over 12 years across live entertainment, events, and cultural sectors.
Sarah's achievements include partnering with high-profile brands like the BBC, Avant Arte, Boiler Room, and Broadwick Live. She's been nominated for the title of ‘Underground Hero’ in DJ Mag’s Best of British Awards for championing grassroots UK music communities.
Sarah's notable projects include pioneering and project managing a large-scale tourism development project for Manchester City FC between 2012-2015, securing international investment and achieving leading attraction status in the city. She has also collaborated with Glastonbury's Block 9, the Manchester International Festival, and the Warehouse Project in Greater Manchester.
Recognized for her innovative and bold approach, Sarah was the first creative producer to receive the CET (Commercial Enterprise Trust) award. She's a guest lecturer at the Central School of Speech and Drama, where she developed the University’s first online Creative Producing course. Additionally, Sarah is a member of the Belfast Music Steering Group that secured UNESCO City of Music Status for Belfast in 2021. She actively lobbied for government support for the music and events industry during the pandemic.
In 2020, Sarah became one of 16 newly appointed Creative Entrepreneur Experts at the Säid Business School, University of Oxford, where she mentors MBA students and small businesses.
How did you get your start in music?
My first experience in music was helping friends run parties, then I got an artist liaison volunteer role at the Warehouse Project in Manchester then a volunteer role at MIF, Manchester International Festival which really opened my eyes to collaboration, commission and boundary pushing art and music. After this experience, I started an MA in Creative Producing, and did a placement with Block9 at Glastonbury for 6 months, where I learnt a lot, and this opened my eyes to the scale & detail needed in running a music festival.
How did you grow AVA from its beginnings in Belfast to hosting events in multiple cities?
Developing relationships with other promoters in London, Glasgow, Dublin, Amsterdam and the many other cities we have taken it to. This was through attending events, speaking at summits and conferences, hosting promoters and other partners at our festival in Belfast. We also developed our International reputation, from the early years of AVA through our broadcasts, our programming and our campaigns. This led to international cities and promoters approaching us too.
Sarah McBriar | Photo Credit: Sarah Ellis (TellYourMumITookPhotos)
Describe a day in your life as a Founder & Creative Director at AVA/Up Productions?
Few days are the same. I usually get up around 6.30/7am, work out, have a coffee, go to the office, and then do emails, meetings, meet with partners, potentially clients, visit new venues, design work, do more emails and meetings, and then finish around 6-7pm. During the event period my time will be split between on-site and office work, discussing exciting projects and the programme with the media, and promoting everything that we are doing! When I go on holiday, I really try to switch off. Recently I have gotten into Surfing, as it is a form of meditation and beautiful focus whilst in the water, you have no option to think about anything else but the waves and the water! You surrender to the sea, and I love that.
From your diverse career journey, spanning roles in arts production, academia,project management etc, what core principles or values have consistently guided your decision-making process?
The quality of the work is essential. Paying close attention to the content, the presentation, the design, and building relationships with artists and industry professionals all leads to great work. I think the biggest lesson I have learnt along my career, spanning all facets, is that it takes time. We live in a very instant world, where expectations aren't really aligned with the reality of how long it takes to build relationships, a reputation and reach a point where you can deliver a project of scale. If you understand this principle, and work on building the right relationships and reputation, then you can almost guarantee you will reach the point you want to reach, if you continue down the right path, building each step with integrity and respect.
How does it feel to reflect on the journey of AVA as it celebrates its 10-year anniversary?
It feels great and strange in equal measures. I can’t really believe that it is 10 years. It doesn’t feel like it. Reflecting on the journey I feel proud to have played a role in shaping culture and promoting and developing talent, and enabling artists particularly in Northern Ireland to reach for the stars and obtain what some may have felt unattainable.
What do you see as the most significant milestones or achievements during this decade-long journey?
Surviving Covid, and delivering one of our best Festival’s to date out the other side.
Surviving three major site changes, and settling in at the Titanic Slipways.
Surviving licensing challenges.
Growing an incredible team, and watching them develop.
Reaching ten years of AVA.
What's something about your work that fills you with joy and excitement, and conversely, what's something you find less enjoyable or challenging?
Joy & Excitement > Creative Collaborations, commissioning or debuting new work, seeing new artists break through the barriers and rise up, and helping to support them.
Less Enjoyable > Writing funding reports, working on audits, social media in general (not my bag, so I do much less of that now)
One piece of advice you'd give your younger self
For every 10+ fails, there will come a win. Celebrate the wins, and accept the failures, it is part of it. Every ‘wrong turn’ usually leads you to somewhere you are meant to be, so go with it!
Tips for anyone who wants to get into your industry
Put yourself out there, get jobs and experience as much as possible. Building your reputation and relationships are the most important thing you can do, focus on that, and your craft & the direction you want to go in.
AVA Festival runs from Friday 31st May – Saturday 1st June at the Titanic Slipways in Belfast.