CINEMAGIC DIGITAL FILM ACADEMY
Those interested in careers in the creative and digital industries are set to benefit from the 2025 Digital Film Academy, delivered by Cinemagic in partnership with North West Regional College (NWRC) and South Eastern Regional College (SERC), supported by Department for the Economy Skill Up Programme.
Cinemagic is urging individuals (18-plus) from all over the north to apply to be considered for a place on the Academy which will run from next January to May, offering 30 trainees invaluable skills development opportunities in a range of creative disciplines including film production.
Pre-production masterclasses with industry professionals will take place online and the programme will culminate with participants having the opportunity to work on a Cinemagic short film in Derry and Bangor in partnership with NWRC and SERC respectively. Additionally, participants will be offered an accreditation towards two units in the L3 Diploma/Extended Diploma in Creative Digital Media Production- U4 Pre-Production and U21 Film Editing.
The initiative brings the creative industries together with the Further Education and career sectors, to showcase how partnerships focused on digital skills development can create pipeline to employment and support local economy growth.
Cinemagic chief executive Joan Burney Keatings said: “We are looking forward to working collaboratively with our partners with North West Regional College and South Eastern Regional College with support from Department for the Economy, to assist individuals to develop new skills, explore opportunities and give them the confidence to thrive in a career in the creative and digital sector.”
Economy minister Conor Murphy said: “Our local creative and digital sector is thriving and there is clear demand for people with skills in this field. I am delighted that my Department is supporting these courses through our Skill Up programme so that more people can avail of training and be in a strong position to gain employment. I encourage anyone who is interested and eligible to apply.”
Leo Murphy, principal and chief executive of NWRC, said academy will give participants a unique opportunity to learn skills in an industry that continues to grow in the region, adding: “The further education sector is committed to creating courses and qualifications that give people the opportunity to study locally.
“This creative media and digital skills academy has been designed following consultation with local industry and will give students the opportunity work on real film projects. I look forward to seeing the results and watching the participants flourish.”
To apply for the project, which is free of charge, individuals must submit an application form by January 6. No prior qualifications or experience in the creative industries is required.
The master classes will be delivered online (6pm-7.30pm) on Tuesdays January 21, January 28, February 4, February 11, February 25 and March 4.
There are four pre-production meetings to follow (times and dates tbc).
4 CORNERS FESTIVAL
The annual 4 Corners Festival is back for another packed line-up of events in 2025 under a new thought provoking theme HOME?
The festival (www.4cornersfestival.com), which will feature a range of art, music, discussion, sport and faith-inspired events, runs from January 31 to February 9 in venues across the city.
Now in its 13th year, the festival was conceived as a way to inspire people from across the city to transform it for the peace and wellbeing of all.
The 2025 festival is once again set to inspire connection, reflection and community through a dynamic lineup of events spanning a wide range of disciplines, such as art, music, discussion, sport and other activities.
Held throughout the city, this year’s programme revolves around the central theme of HOME?, an exploration of the complex and multifaceted idea of a place which holds both connection and disjointedness.
According to the organisers 2025′s theme of HOME? is deeply rooted in Scripture, offering a spiritual dimension to the conversation, with passages like Psalm 68:6 and Revelation 21:3 forming an inspiring foundation for many of the festival’s events.
Steve Stockman, 4 Corners Festival co-founder, said: “HOME? is a powerful metaphor, used by poets, preachers, politicians and others seeking to paint a picture of a sense of belonging to a place.
“The idea is also used in various encouraging and challenging ways within the Old and New Testament scriptures, but not all homes are happy.
“From the beginning of the 4 Corners Festival we have aimed at encouraging people to get out of the physical corners of this city we call home, and to feel more at home in different parts of their own city; to realise that their home is bigger than they thought.
Fellow festival co-founder Father Martin Magill hopes the theme of HOME? will bring awareness to the city’s residents, not just shedding light on the encouragement of tourists to the area.
He said: “The strapline for Belfast City Council’s current tourism strategy is ‘Make Yourself at Home’, with a laudable emphasis on inclusion.
“But what about those who already call Belfast their home – be they people whose families have lived here from before it became a city, to those who have settled here from all over the world for all kinds of reasons; those who rarely leave their corner of the city, to those who left it years ago but love to come ‘home’ for special events, including the 4 Corners Festival; those who live in a comfortable home in a vibrant community, to those who are some of the many unseen homeless in our city, not just those who sleep on our streets; those who know every nook and cranny of our city and its complex history, to those who feel uneasy with the direction that the city seems to be heading in the future?”
SCHOOLS’ BUSINESS CHALLENGE
More than 100 students from various schools throughout the north will showcase their entrepreneurial abilities at the upcoming NI Schools’ Business Challenge 2025, with registration for the event now open.
The initiative is a collaboration among Queen’s Business School, Henderson Group, BDO Northern Ireland, and is supported by CCEA, inviting AS/A-Level Business Studies students to take part. It will take place on February 19 at Queen’s Business School in Riddel Hall.
Referencing the content of the CCEA A-Level Business Studies qualification, students will be tasked with transforming a business idea or strategy into actionable plans on the day of the event. They will need to employ creativity, innovation, and teamwork while navigating real-world challenges and scenarios.
The initiative will see students challenged to work as a team to develop – in real time – a business strategy based on a case study provided by Henderson Group.
The judging panel, which is made up of representatives from BDO NI, Queen’s Business School and Henderson Group, will evaluate each submission and school presentation with the winner being revealed on the day.
Glenlola Collegiate were crowned 2024 winners and came away with VIP suite tickets for a Belfast Giants Ice Hockey game and a £500 prize pot for their school. The event gave the students a unique platform to engage with industry professionals as well as the opportunity to see around the new Student Hub at Queen’s Business School.
For more information on the initiative – or to register a teams(s) for the challenge, contact Professor Ciaran Connolly at Queen’s Business School via c.j.connolly@qub.ac.uk or 02890 974796.
ENGINEERS WEEK
Engineers Ireland’s Engineers Week will place from Saturday March 1 to Friday March 7 next year.
Building on the success of this year’s event, it will be a week-long celebration of engineering, engaging over 1,500 students across the region.
The event will offer a wide range of hands-on activities, exciting challenges, and real-world engineering insights to Key Stage 1, 2, and 3 pupils aged 7 to 14.
Each day will feature a new event, designed to showcase the critical role of engineering in shaping a better future, while fostering curiosity, teamwork, and problem-solving among students.
In 2024 Engineers Week Northern Region engaged over 500 students. The 2025 year’s activities will focus on key engineering disciplines, with a key event held in a different location each day ensuring broad regional participation and engagement.
Through strong industry partnerships and enthusiastic participation, the event will highlight the critical importance of engineering education in preparing the workforce of tomorrow.
Engineers Week is one of four primary and post primary student engineering initiatives with over 90,000 children taking part in activities and events nationwide.
WOMEN IN BUSINESS AWARDS
Northern Ireland’s outstanding businesswomen will be recognised at the 2025 Women in Business Awards when the prestigious ceremony returns in March.
Taking place at Belfast’s Crowne Plaza Hotel on Thursday March 13 2025, the awards are an annual celebration of NI’s best-in-class businesswomen and their significant achievements across the broad range of business. Entries are now open.
For a full list of award categories, entry forms, and to book a ticket for March’s event, visit womeninbusinessni.com/events/
SHAPING A PROSPEROUS FUTURE
Belfast-based digital marketing agency SQC Digital has announced details of “Belfast 2025: Shaping a Prosperous Future,” a premier business event designed to foster collaboration, innovation, and economic growth in Belfast and Northern Ireland.
Taking place on January 23 from 9am to 12.30pm at Ormeau Baths, the event will look at job creation and attracting investments. Speakers will include economy minister Conor Murphy, NI Chamber chief executive Suzanne Wylie; MP Claire Hanna, and Beannchor Group founder Bill Wolsey.
Attendees will also enjoy valuable networking opportunities over coffee breaks and lunch, fostering meaningful connections among Belfast’s thriving business community and policymakers.
TASTE OF TOURISM 2025
The Taste of Tourism Summit, organised by the Northern Ireland Hotels Federation (NIHF), returns to the Culloden Estate and Spa on March 10-11 2025.
This two-day event offers a dynamic platform for the tourism and hospitality industry, celebrating Northern Ireland’s rich food heritage while addressing key challenges and future opportunities.
This year’s event will feature acclaimed chef Tom Brown, known for his inventive, seasonal and sustainable cooking style.
The Taste of Tourism Summit will explore themes shaping the food and hospitality sector including:
- Sustainability: Showcasing the value of local ingredients, looking at people as an asset and eco-conscious practices.
- Food and drink trends: Addressing evolving consumer preferences and innovations in food service.
- Food culture: Exploring the international influences, local produce and food heritage.
- The Rise of low/no alcohol drinks: Responding to increasing demand for non-alcoholic and low-ABV options.
- Attracting talent and taking a sustainable approach: Strategies for recruiting and retaining skilled staff while prioritising sustainability.
The event opens with a chef dinner on March 10, where guests will enjoy a menu showcasing Northern Ireland’s finest local ingredients, curated by Tom Brown who will lead the team at the Culloden on the night. The summit on March 11 will include thought-provoking panels, a Northern Ireland-inspired lunch and an artisan food market featuring award-winning local producers. For further information and to register, visit tasteoftourism.com.
CO3 LEADERSHIP AWARDS
CO3, Northern Ireland’s membership organisation for third sector leaders, has launched the 2025 CO3 Leadership Awards, which will serve as a centrepiece of the organisation’s 40th anniversary celebrations, highlighting leadership and innovation in the voluntary and community sector across the north
Founded in 1985, CO3 has been a vital support network for senior leaders across charities, community groups, and social enterprises, advocating for and developing the skills and resilience of the sector. The Leadership Awards will recognise outstanding contributions by individuals and organisations that exemplify the spirit of dedication, compassion, and excellence that has defined CO3 for the past 40 years.
Nominations are now open for the awards (principal partner is Evelyn Partners), which span 14 categories covering third sector organisations of all types and sizes. Full details at co3.uk.uk/nominate
ICE JANUARY CONFERENCE
ICC Belfast is set to host set to host ICEXTRA, an ICE conference for in-house corporate event planners on Friday January 29 2025.
ICE brings together a community of over a thousand corporate event professionals from some of the biggest national and international companies, charities and brands. Its activities are aimed at fostering collaboration, sharing best practice and driving innovation to elevate the whole events industry across the world.
ICEXTRA in Belfast is part of a series of mini-conferences across Europe, ahead of the annual ICEAWARDS and Conference which will be held in Germany, London and New York City in July 2025.
Bookings for ICEXTRA at ICC Belfast are live now and tickets are free for corporate event planners.
GARDEN SHOW IRELAND
Garden Show Ireland is set to bloom again as it returns for its 21st year on Friday to Sunday June 13-15 2025 at Antrim Castle Gardens, with tickets now on sale. Now a much-anticipated tradition, the show promises a vibrant line-up of flowers, food and fun for the whole family.
David Domoney, presenter on ITV’s Love Your Garden and This Morning,, been named as this year’s ambassador.
In preparation for the big event, the annual spring plant fair will take place on Saturday April 12 at Civic Square, Mossley Mill, offering thousands of plants for spring planting from local nurseries. With free entry and parking, it’s the ideal stop for gardening enthusiasts planning their spring gardens ahead of the main event.
Trade applications are now open for both Spring Plant Fair and Garden Show Ireland, with a special offer available for exhibitors who sign up for both events.
To buy tickets, apply to be a trader or for more details, visit gardenshowireland.com. Tickets are priced at £14, £11.50 for concession under 16s are free (with £1.50 booking fee).
BLUE LIGHT AWARDS
Emergency services personnel are set be recognised for their exceptional dedication and bravery at the inaugural Northern Ireland Blue Light Awards.
The awards, which are free to enter, will recognise and celebrate individuals and teams who have demonstrated extraordinary commitment in serving and protecting the people of Northern Ireland.
Hosted by Pamela Ballantine, the prestigious gala awards ceremony will take place on Thursday February 27 2025 at the Culloden Estate and Spa.
For further information about the Northern Ireland Blue Light Awards visit www.bluelightsawards.com