Theatre and Dance NI is delighted to congratulate former INVEST participant Karis Kelly on receiving an Olwen Wymark Theatre Encouragement Award.
Karis was nominated by Carley Magee, INVEST Fellow 24/25 and newly selected INVEST artist for 25/26, who credits Karis’ sustained mentoring, encouragement and advocacy as pivotal to her development as a playwright. This recognition beautifully reflects the spirit of community and mentorship at the heart of our INVEST artist development programme.
Carley’s nomination speaks directly to the power of peer support within INVEST and the wider NI theatre sector:
“For the past two years Karis has mentored, supported and encouraged me in my pursuit of a career in playwriting… They have always been there to encourage and ground me.”
Karis’ impact extends beyond one-to-one mentoring. In response to barriers within the sector, they founded Front & Centre, a playwriting symposium for women and non-binary writers in Northern Ireland. This created a vital space for new voices, including the first public reading of Carley’s play Stuff & Things & Junk & Belonging. This sharing directly led to new paid opportunities for Carley.
Carley says:
“Karis is a huge inspiration for my practice and ethos as a writer… They inspire me to be a better person, never mind artist.”
This award is a celebration of Karis’ artistry and leadership and a testament to how INVEST nurtures long-term relationships, builds sustainable peer networks, and supports artists to lift each other up.
Congratulations to Karis on this well-deserved recognition, and to Carley on her powerful nomination. Their connection demonstrates exactly why INVEST exists: to create meaningful, ongoing support that strengthens our creative sector.