Creative Arts Manager

After graduating with a BA in Drama and an MA in Making Performance, Kerry has dedicated herself to working with young people in the arts. Kerry works as a director and drama teacher for various youth organisations across Northern Ireland. This has given Kerry the opportunity to witness, first-hand, what performing arts can do for a young person’s confidence, social skills and creativity.

Performing Arts Executive

Conor was professionally trained at the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London - graduating with a BA(hons) in Musical Theatre and has performed in several professional productions including Legally Blonde and Dogfight. Conor absolutely loves teaching at Rainbow Factory and is really enjoying his role in Rainbow Factory.

Youth Arts Outreach Manager

Helen has been a staff member since 2011, nurturing partnerships and Hub development. She graduated with BA Hons. Fine & Applied Arts Degree in 2007 and honed group facilitation skills through youth arts, community programmes and volunteer management. Helen completed a Postgraduate Degree in Youth and Community Work at The University of Ulster. Her holistic approach to practice is motivated by a belief in the positive impact creativity has on wellbeing. Areas of focus include mental health, youth governance and event management.

Youth Arts Coordinator

Courtney joined the Arts Team in February 2024.  With a background in Youth Theatre, she has directed youth arts performances and enjoys creating Theatre for Young Audiences. Courtney holds a BA (Hons) in Drama and an MA in Contemporary Performance Practices, and won the An Grianan Award for Creative Practice. Courtney loves being a part of The Rainbow Factory and cannot wait for the exciting projects ahead.

Technical Theatre Co-ordinator

Deirbhile is a freelance Stage Manager and Production Manager based in Belfast, and has worked with Smashing Times, Opera Holland Park, Replay Theatre Company, Belfast Ma Productions, Bright Umbrella, Aisling Ghéar, Green Room Productions NI, and the Northern Ireland Executive for their 21 Artists for the 21st Century. She was supported through the NI Opera Artist Development Programme 2024-25 to develop her skills as a Stage Manager. She also has a Bachelors in Drama and Masters in Research for Arts and Humanities. 

Deirbhile joins Youth Action NI as the Technical Theatre Co-Ordinator and leading our Techie School, teaching our young people all the secrets of backstage theatre skills.

Cheryl graduated from Liverpool John Moores with a Degree in Drama and Dance. She has worked in Rainbow Factory for 18 years. Cheryl is a passionate advocate that theatre can change the lives of young people in a positive way. Currently Cheryl sits on the Board of Directors for Theatre NI. 

Janie Doherty is a movement based artist from Derry~Londonderry and currently based in Belfast. After graduating with a first class honours in Dance in 2009 – Janie has been working as a dance facilitator, performer and creator in Northern Ireland. Janie’s work focuses on vulnerability as strength and she experiments with story-telling, film, sound and live performance. Janie has recently developed a new body of work as part of the Freelands Foundation 2018–2020 and is currently collaborating on several projects with Oona Doherty, Locky Morris and Alessandra Celesia.

www.janiedoherty.co.uk

Melissa loves working in the Rainbow Factory as it combines her love of working with young people and her passion for all things theatre. She has taught in Scotland England and Ireland since graduating from Edinburgh, many centuries ago. Outside of facilitating, Melissa runs DAMD theatre company and her latest venture is Burlap & Twine which will focus on her love of adapting and modernising classic texts and site specific theatre. She's also crazy about her two rescue dogs, Roxy and Rafferty.

Thomas has been a Rainbow tutor since Jan 2019. As a former member he values not only the performance, but the life skills Rainbow gave to him in his younger years. With vast experience in issue based theatre he aims to bring creative lessons and performances to his classes and the wider Rainbow family. 

Charmaine works as a freelance Dance Artist in Health and Wellbeing. Her passion is movement, creativity; and exploring how they can be used as a tool in promoting a positive sense of wellbeing and zest for life. Charmaine was a shy young girl growing up in Omagh and the Arts encouraged her to believe in herself. Her route has not been easy or conventional. She graduated with joint Hons Degree in Sociology and Drama in 2004 and obtained her dance training in 2016.  Her love of the moving body has led to merging dance in the worlds of Cancer, Dementia, Disability, Mental Health and Parkinson’s.   Charmaine believes dance invites all peoples to move together, creating an inclusive, joyous & liberating space to ‘just be’. Her work as a Rainbow Factory tutor within STAR outreach performing arts programme, connecting with young people living with learning, physical and mental disabilities has been insightful and rewarding.

Alex is a freelance musical director and vocal coach based in Belfast. He studied at Bath Spa University and obtained a Certificate of Higher Education in Musical Theatre in 2018. Alex started his passion for performing at Belvoir Players Theatre Academy, where he has been a member for 13 years, taking part in their musicals and yearly pantomime, he also tutors voluntarily for them during his spare time. Alex is also the musical director and for YouthAction NI, he has musical directed ‘The Chain’ and ‘The Sound Of Music’ in 2019. Alex is also a private singing teacher, teaching the London College of Music syllabus for musical theatre, he teaches a large number of pupils throughout Belfast and has a 100% pass rate in pupil examinations. He is also the co-owner and musical director for East Broadway Theatre Company which was founded in 2016 for children and young people, aged 5-18 years old to engage in performing arts.  

Simona has worked with Rainbow Factory for many years, she has been a driving force in creating and sustaining our brilliant performing arts classes for young people from Romanian backgrounds in Ballymena. Simona believes in the power of the arts for providing young people with the tools they need for life. 

Shannen graduated from Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama with a BA in Acting. She also has a strong passion for costume & loves working with textiles as stimulus. She has thoroughly enjoyed the outreach work she has been involved in with last term & is looking forward to continnuing this while taking on more in Belfast itself.