The Menagerie is now remembered as unpretentious, shabby Belfast nightlife at its best. A medley of musical and artistic tastes ranging from DJ sets to acoustic sessions, rock & punk to jazz & blues – soul, folk and everything else.
At its height the successful venture in live music and art played host to many special events including Andrew Weatherall and other high profile music brands.
I worked here as a final year undergrad student, and before close in 2015, I was responsible for contributing to the graphic design for promotional materials and developing in-house art direction.
In 2017 the opportunity rose to revisit the role this time as Events and Communications Manager / General Manager and lead a small, tightly nit team who revived an empty building back to its former glory, uniting the creative melting pot of artists, musicians and promoters all collaborating together for one common aim – to create unforgettable moments together.
My role at the menagerie as Events manager and General manager of the premises included a vast array of skills including my design and marketing skills, but also business and customer service skills I had acquired working in hospitality.
I was responsible for managing the social media accounts; creating dynamic and consistent content that increased audience interaction as well as driving traffic to the company website.
I managed relationships with external partners such as appointed Event promoters, Communications Agencies, Public Sector Bodies and other private sector business organisations while ensuring the smooth running of events.
I also was responsible for the everyday managing of the bar, including keeping a current liquor license, current entertainments license, negotiating supplier contracts, taking inventory and re-ordering supplies – managing budgets and setting goals.