ABTT Technician of the Year Award

The Technician of the Year Award is one of the most important accolades the Association bestows, as it recognises the achievement of an individual at the height of their career who consistently delivers technical excellence.

This year this Award has been awarded to Sarah Hemsley-Cole of SC Productions LTD. Sarah began her career after a 1-year Post Grad course at the Welsh College of Music and Drama in 1992,  starting work as Technical Manager at Blackwood Miners Institute in Caerphilly. We have been told that “after a twinning with a town in the Czech Republic Sarah organised her first festival and after that there was no stopping her. She moved to Cardiff City Council and ran their festivals, before setting up her own company SC Productions which has become a massive success running everything from Ed Sheeran, Donnington & Cardiff Castle gigs and most recently providing accreditation and site assistants for the building of the make shift hospital at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff for Covid-19 patients.

Alongside all this activity Sarah is still in great demand as a Production Manager and regularly manages the Eisteddfod, Stereophonics and National Theatre Wales. She also passes her knowledge onto the next generation, teaching at The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, along with taking placements on her shows and taking a risk with young people giving them a chance!”

The ABTT felt that Sarah’s broad ranging achievements in our Industry highlighted everything that the ABTT Technician of the Year Award encompassed, and we are very proud to announce her as this year’s winner. To read Sarah nomination in full and all the amazing statements that were in support of this nomination please see here.

As the winner of the ABTT Technician of the Year Award Sarah is entitled to one year’s free membership of the ABTT. She will also be presented with the renowned ABTT Hook Clamp in person at a later date, plus a certificate recognising her amazing achievement!

ABTT Award for Emerging Excellence

The ABTT Award for Emerging Excellence has been added to our Awards to recognise the achievements of individuals at the start of their career who consistently deliver excellence in all that they do.

This year this Award has been awarded to Derby Theatre’s LX Technician, Jamie Vella.

At the age of 16 Jamie began touring as Lighting Designer with a medium scale tribute band, which toured into some of the largest theatre’s in the UK outside London, whilst also studying ‘Technical Events’ at the Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies.

The ABTT felt that Jamie’s already impressive achievements and wide ranging skills  highlighted everything that the ABTT look for in the winner of the ABTT Award for Emerging Excellence, and we are very proud to announce him as this year’s winner. To read Jamie’s nomination in full and all the amazing statements that were in support of this nomination please see here.

As the winner of the ABTT Emerging Talent Award Jamie will be entitled to 1 year’s free membership of the ABTT. He will also be provided with a voucher for an ABTT training course of his choosing, plus a certificate recognising the fantastic achievements his has had so far in his career!