THE founder of Bradford-based theatre company has been shortlisted for a National Lottery Award.
Katie Mahon, the artistic director and founder of Bloomin’ Buds Theatre Company, has been shortlisted in the Arts, Culture and Film category at the 2023 National Lottery Awards in recognition of her work in the Bradford district.
Bloomin’ Buds Theatre Company, which was set up in 2014, aims to tackle any stigma linked of being working class within the arts community. The organisation employs 12 people from working-class backgrounds and has a team of around 10 volunteers, offering intern and academic placements for disadvantaged young people.
Over the years, Bloomin’ Buds has received more than £36,000 of National Lottery funding, which supports weekly theatre sessions, community lunches, mental health projects and performance events.
The company’s latest production, Where is Love, tells the coming-of-age story of a Bradford woman and her brave fight against the cycles of domestic abuse. It premiered at Bradford Literature Festival in June and is due to be staged at the Edinburgh Fringe later this summer, along with two other productions from the company.
Katie’s Lottery Awards nomination follows Bloomin' Buds being named as Creative Business of the Year at the Telegraph & Argus-backed Bradford Means Business Awards, held earlier this month.
On the Lottery Awards nomination, Katie, 27, who was born and lives in Bradford, said: “I’m extremely pleased to be nominated for the work we do with the working class community in arts and culture.”
The National Lottery Awards are the annual celebration of the ordinary individuals and organisations who do extraordinary things with the help of National Lottery funding.
This year, 3,780 people and projects were nominated for the work they have carried out with support from The National Lottery.
Over the summer, a panel made up of representatives from The National Lottery and partners will decide the winners in each of the individual categories.
Winners will be revealed in the autumn and will receive a £5,000 cash prize for their organisation and a National Lottery Awards trophy.
The outstanding individuals’ section of this year’s National Lottery Awards will honour unsung heroes in the following categories: Arts, Culture & Film; Community & Charity; Heritage; Sport; Environment and Young Hero (Under-25s). In addition to the outstanding individuals’ category, an online public vote will be held this year to find The National Lottery UK Project of the Year.
Nominees will be whittled down to 17 finalists, with a UK-wide public vote in September deciding the winner.
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