Mia Bird founded Brighton’s BN1 Arts. Here we hear her story and what keeps her going.
Mia Bird is the ultimate creative entrepreneur, blending her passion for the arts with a sharp business sense. At just 16, she kickstarted her first business, selling vintage clothing and vinyl records to fund her drama school training. Her big break came in 1995 with her West End debut in ‘Sunset Boulevard’, and from there, she went on to play lead roles in numerous shows, plays and TV productions whilst also catching the attention of Universal Music which led her to become part of a multi-label songwriting network.
Parallel to her performing career, Mia delved into further business ventures and developed a strong interest in training and education. Over 25 years, Mia founded many creative academies across London and the UK, including more recently in Brighton including Bird Studios, BRICTT and the Institute for Contemporary Theatre.
This experience gave Mia a unique insight into the unlevel playing field there appeared to be in this elitist pathway. She soon set about rewriting the rule book.
Mia opened BN1 Arts in response to cuts in funded creative training in Brighton, seemingly doing the impossible and actualising a college for 100 happy young people in just four months.
One year later, BN1 Arts has gone on from strength to strength, and is looking forward to enrolling a further 100 talented young people to study fully-funded Diplomas for 16-18 year olds in music and performing arts.
Another passion of Mia’s is ensuring the availability of creative arts to a culturally diverse audience. She had a vision of opening an Arts Centre that would act as a hub for our whole community – no matter what the background.
This dream has materialised as BN1 Arts Centre CIC, which recently received Arts Council funding, enabling free and subsidised classes and workshops in everything from Afro House dance to Over 50s Contemporary.
There have certainly been challenges along the way – none more so than the lack of governmental financial support for colleges and schools leaving creative subjects like music and performing arts at risk.
This led Mia to create the campaign “Keep Creative Arts Education Free!” With such backers as Hove & Portslade MP Peter Kyle, and leading players from the entertainment industry, no one is more determined to ensure the creative arts truly are accessible to all and to spread the word that “Art really does matter.”
www.bn1arts.co.uk
