From a dream to 350 students in 10 years: Northern Ireland performing arts school looks to the future – ‘Our ambition for the next decade is even greater’

Fermanagh School of Music and Performing Arts grew from a love of music, teaching and a dream to give young people opportunities locally.

Before establishing the school, I had already been involved in music and teaching and could see there was a real need in Fermanagh for somewhere children and young people could access high-quality music and performing arts tuition without having to travel outside the county.

What started with music tuition has grown far beyond what I originally imagined. Today, we offer instrumental and vocal tuition, drama, speech and drama, musical theatre, group classes, examinations, major stage productions and a wide range of performance opportunities.

At the heart of everything we do, though, is the same reason I started the school - to give local young people opportunities to learn, perform, build confidence and discover what they are capable of.

No two days are ever the same. There is the teaching side of the school, but behind that is an enormous amount of work that people do not necessarily see – organising timetables, managing staff, communicating with parents, planning classes, arranging examinations, developing new programmes, marketing, managing finances and organising performances.

Then there are our productions, which bring another whole dimension. Auditions, rehearsals, costumes, sets, technical planning, musicians, creative teams, safeguarding, theatres and ticket sales all have to be carefully coordinated.

It is extremely busy, but seeing a child walk through the door lacking confidence and then watching that same child stand on a theatre stage in front of hundreds of people makes it worthwhile.

Running a business involving children, education and the arts brings plenty of challenges. Costs have increased significantly, particularly premises, utilities, staffing and production costs. Maintaining affordable opportunities for families while ensuring the business remains sustainable is always a balancing act.

Another challenge has been continuing to grow while maintaining the standard and personal approach that the school was built on. But the highs far outweigh the lows.

Some of the greatest moments are not necessarily the biggest productions or the largest audiences. Sometimes it is seeing a very nervous child perform for the first time, watching a student pass an examination they have worked incredibly hard for, or seeing friendships develop through music and theatre.

One of the things I am most proud of is seeing former students progress and then come back to work alongside us. Members of our creative teams have themselves come through performing arts as students, and that progression is something we actively want to encourage.

I think the biggest reason we have been successful is that we have never stood still. We listen to families, recognise where there are gaps and continually develop what we offer.

We have expanded the range of instruments and classes available, developed drama and musical theatre, created large-scale productions and performance opportunities, and built links with schools and other organisations.

We have also always believed very strongly in local talent. There is an incredible amount of talent in Fermanagh and young people should not automatically feel that the best opportunities are somewhere else. We want to create those opportunities here.

Having full-fibre broadband from Fibrus has also made a real difference to how the school operates and grows, particularly in a rural part of Northern Ireland where accessibility can too often be a barrier.

Reliable connectivity is now essential to day-to-day teaching, from multiple lessons running at the same time and tutors using YouTube videos as part of their classes, to keeping in close contact with parents and supporting students through online music theory exams.

For families and young people in Fermanagh, it means more opportunities can be delivered locally, without geography limiting access to high-quality music and performing arts education. Knowing we have an affordable and dependable connection has given us the confidence to broaden what we offer while supporting bigger ambitions for the future.

Reaching our 10th anniversary is probably one of our biggest accomplishments. During those 10 years, the school has grown considerably, both in the range of tuition we provide and the scale of opportunities available to our students.

Our young people have taken part in examinations, concerts, showcases and major musical productions including Into the Woods, We Will Rock You, Legally Blonde, Grease, Beauty and the Beast, Rock of Ages, Footloose, Sister Act Jr. and Back to the 80s.

In summer 2026 alone, we staged two major musicals at the Ardhowen Theatre – Sister Act Jr. and Back to the 80s – involving local young people and creative teams and, importantly, giving Fermanagh talent the opportunity to perform in full-scale theatrical productions.

We are also very proud of our association with The Lir National Academy of Dramatic Art in Dublin for Speech and Drama.

Today, Fermanagh School of Music and Performing Arts employs 23 members of staff and works with more than 350 students, which is something I could never have imagined when I first started the business.

Over the years, I have personally invested more than £80,000 back into the school. That investment has gone into premises, instruments, equipment, teaching resources, productions and technical equipment, but most importantly, into creating more opportunities for our students.

For me, though, the numbers only tell part of the story. We are creating employment for musicians, teachers and performing arts professionals while giving hundreds of children and young people access to music, drama and performance opportunities here in Fermanagh.

I am particularly proud that we are beginning to see that investment come full circle. Young people who have grown up through performing arts are now progressing into teaching, directing and other creative roles themselves.

From September 2026 to January 2027, we will be marking 10 years of Fermanagh School of Music and Performing Arts with a programme of anniversary celebrations. It will be an opportunity to celebrate how far we have come and recognise the students, families and staff who have been part of that journey.

But I do not see our 10th anniversary as a finishing point. For me, it is the launch of the next stage of FSoMaPA.

Our ambition for the next decade is even greater – to expand the opportunities available to young people in Fermanagh, develop the next generation of local tutors and creative professionals, build new partnerships and continue demonstrating that children and young people from a rural county can have access to exceptional opportunities in music and the performing arts.