August / September

  • Brian Debnam visited Doha in September to deliver the final phase of the business plan for the Doha Cultural Forum.
  • 22nd August - M86 project launch at the riverside stadium www.m86.org.uk
  • Fundraising brochure for NECDT Circus Central was launched. BDA are leading a campaign to raise £3million capital and revenue funding. For a copy of the brochure call us or visit www.circuscentral.co.uk
  • Brian Debnam will be hosting the Heritage Open Day tours of the Tyne Theatre and Opera House from the 8th - 11th September. Tours are free and are at 11am and 1pm Thursday to Saturday and 12noon and 2pm on Sunday. Please call 0191 241 3986 to book a place. www.heritageopendays.org.uk
  • The Pitman Painters had a sell out season at the Tyne Theatre and Opera House from 8th - 13th August. A reception was held to introduce guests of Live Theatre and the Tyne Theatre and Opera House Preservation trust to the magic of the understage machinery - the only extant Victorian wooden stage in the UK. See the conservation plan on the Tyne Theatre pages.

July

  • The Jabulani Theatre in Soweto, South Africa is under construction. Jabulani will be the first township to have a fully functioning professional theatre when it is complete. Completion is expected in November 2011. BDA Ltd undertook business planning and architectural brief development work in the development phase of the project.
  • The Newbiggin Maritime Centre opened on the 19th July. BDA Ltd undertook the project development and fundraising work on the project in 2008 - 10
  • Theatre is Real Life were awarded £42,900 funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund for the Middlesbrough 86 Project which Maria Zolotonosa will now be coordinating.
  • Maria Zolotonosa joined BDA Ltd in July as Research and Projects Coordinator.
  • Heather Minto moved on to the role of Youth Project Coordinator for The Unit in Sailsbury
  • Jenny Dewar has taken on the role of Producer for Company TSU in Middlesbrough and will be working on development and planning for the company until December 2011.

June

  • We are continuing our work with the North East Circus Development Trust, The Tyne Theatre and Opera House, The Swallows Foundation UK and Msheireb Properties and the Doha Cultural Forum.
  • Brian attended the ISPA Conference in Toronto from June 13th - 18th
  • Jenny Dewar attended the South African National Arts Festival in Grahamstown from 26th June - 11th July as a facilitator for on the Remix Laboratory Project.

April / May

  • In April Company TSU had its final performance marking the end of the first phase of the project at the Middlesbrough Empire. We are hoping to continue to develop Company TSU later in the year.
  • In May Brian Debnam and Jenny Dewar were in Doha for a final week of consultations

March

  • The Circus Central Project was launched on the 3rd March 2011 with a display of architectural designs from Northumbria Univeristy students, circus workshops and a presentation about the project, introduced by David Faulkner leader of Newcastle City Council
  • Heather Minto is working on the development of a project with 'Theatre is Real Life' with a host of community partners in Middlesbrough

Jan/Feb

  • Brian Debnam has been travelling to Doha on a regular basis working on the Cultural Forum Project.