The Slice: March Newsletter
Welcome to the third edition of ‘The Slice’, a monthly newsletter from Bread Productions
With ‘The Slice’, we share what’s inspiring us, what we’re working on and a monthly cut of culture, art, media and more. If you’ve got something you’d like us to shout about, get in touch!
March edition
Mazzy and Shannon strutted into March in style at two International Women’s Day events. Mazzy was asked to host The Old Library and Zellig’s Interational Women’s Day event by long-time collaborator Alex Powell (also assisted by our very own Shannon). This involved hosting two panels, the first was ‘Women of Digbeth’ featuring, Cheryl Jones of Grand Central, Shine TV and Masterchef’s Emma Riley, and Punch Records Sannah Sajid. Mazzy also curated the ‘Women Who Are Bossing It Panel’ featuring podcaster Melzy J, Strand and Lock Salon co-owner, Lizzi Hewitt, creator of the Creative Industry Awards, Monique Fearon, and content creator extraordinaire, Nicole Justice.
The insights from these incredible women were top notch and the feedback from the packed room was electric! So many people have commented since that they found the talks both inspiring and genuinely useful!
We’re already cooking up the next one! Watch this space! Speaking of spaces, The Old Library is such a fantastic space for events! We’ve previously utilised it for Joe Lycett’s Wrap Party, for weddings, networking events, conferences, Vice Magazine live shows - you name it. Check it out.
A full circle moment for Shannon this month.
“I headed back to BIMM University after finishing my studies last year to join the International Women’s Day panel. Hosted by Collette Williams- someone who taught me a lot through my time at BIMM- and joined by Call Me Unique, Dani Mercier, Marta Del Pino and Natasha Killip, it truly was an amazing experience to learn more about these incredible women and their careers.
We chatted about all things around women in the creative industries- from the ‘fangirl’ to music industry professional pipeline, to how to get your voice heard in a meeting room. It was a privilege to go back to BIMM and talk to students, whose shoes I was in this time last year.”
Have you heard about our new radio show and soon to be podcast?
Mixtapes, Movies and Memes is a fortnightly culture show hosted by creative obsessives Mazzy and Shannon. With more than two decades between them, sometimes things just hit different. Whether your thing is CDs or Spotify, TikTok or TV, they unpack what’s landing and what isn’t. Each show will feature a deep dive into a soundtrack, a special guest interview from the world of music, film, or culture. Our first few guests have included Lee Nabbs (Mockingbird Cinema/Reel Brum/Forward Film Festival), Annabelle Bevan (Peaky Blinders/Digbeth Loc/Studios/Steven Knight) and Cake Boi (Let Them Eat Cake/Kunst Cabaret).
Tune in every other Tuesday at 5:30pm (UK Time) for sharp takes, discoveries and more!
This month, we started working with the iconic Jewellery Quarter bar 1000 Trades. Assisting them in content creation and social media strategy to further their position as the place to go for good music and good beer.
We created the tagline ‘Something More Than The Pub (but not the club)’ due to their fantastic weekend programming and relaxed vibe. We are working with their incredible team towards a clear visual identity for the brand. Follow them on instagram and find out more! Their Saturday nights are well and truly a great night out, and we recommend it to anyone looking for a bit of something more! You can also just head on down any day for a fantastic range of quality drinks, delicious food and top tier music! Of course, you must check out Manager Jaz’s ‘Beer of the Week’!
Mazzy had a great time reviewing ‘The Allure Speakeasy’ (The drag cabaret and burlesque show that is bold, brash, knowing, glamorous and just the right amount of unhinged), for Grapevine Birmingham. read all about it here.
Just last week, Shannon announced the lineup for the second edition of Grassroots Festival. Launched last year as a part of her final project at the university, the response to the debut event was incredible- 2 stages, 15 acts and over 100 attendees at The Night Owl, and this year she’s doing it all again.
The lineup features some of the best acts coming up in the West Midlands at the moment, featuring indie pop rockers La Dharma, whimsical classic rock from Beltane Moon, all-out indie boys Lucky Number You and many more.
Tickets start from just £15, and the date for your diary is Sunday 3rd May from 2 PM at The Night Owl!
We were delighted to be back working with one of our long-standing clients All Bar One over the past couple of months ✨
We have been working with them on the re-launch of their Birmingham New Street location, following a stunning refurbishment and extension.
We worked closely with the team at All Bar One to curate a new relaxed networking event, which celebrated the launch and provided an opportunity to foster new connections. The event was sponsored by Modelo Beer and Casamigos. We were also very pleased to invite local charity LoveBrum to take part.
LoveBrum find, fund and support many of the small volunteer led projects across the city and are looking for more businesses to join their mission to help Birmingham to thrive. To find out more please visit lovebrum.org.uk or reach out to Adam Heard at adam@lovebrum.org.uk
The newly enhanced space includes a full refurbishment of the existing bar and terrace, alongside expansion into the neighbouring unit on the East Concourse. The additional space introduces a second bar and a dedicated semi-private events area for up to 90 guests, creating greater capacity for after-work drinks, business breakfasts, brunches and celebrations.
Check out Edwin Ladd’s photo album of our networking event here.
If you're interested in Bread organising an event for you, check out some of our example party packages available on a limited-time offer at https://www.bread-productions.com/party-packages
April edition
Here are our highlights on what you could be getting involved in this month in the world of creative industries.
Saturday 18th April, 8pmFollowing the success of the Rocky Horror Halloween party and Bowie Night- The Night Owl house band is back together to perform all the best ABBA hits! Nights like these are one of our favourites to put together- building a setlist of the best tracks, guest vocalists who love the act (yes… Shannon is singing at this one!), creating visuals to immerse the audience and who can forget the themed cocktails!
You can catch all the ABBA fun at The Night Owl on Saturday, 18th April! Tickets are on sale here.
Friday 17th April, 9pm - 1am
The Score- with Mazzy Snape and special guest Lee Nabbs.
Join us for an evening of music from film and TV soundtracks.
Kicking off with chilled, weird and wonderful and building up to danceable bangers, all set in the comfortable relaxed atmosphere of Pan-Pan.
From Angelo Badalamenti and Goblin to Cliff Martinez, John Williams to Ennio Morricone, Danny Elfman and Hans Zimmer, to The Bee Gees to Jimmy Cliff, Ice Cube to Prince…
So come early to chill out and stay late to dance your ass off!
See you at The Score, Friday 17th April, 9pm till 1am at Pan Pan, Digbeth, free entry!
Each month, we spotlight a rising expert in their field working within content or events. This month, Mazzy caught up with Demi Grundy, Senior Communications Specialist for the BBC
Can you tell us about your role?
I’m part of the team championing the English Regions, from the Midlands to the North East, making sure the BBC’s impact is felt far beyond London. Most of my time is spent delivering events, launches and regional moments that spotlight the incredible stories, content, talent and creativity rooted in communities across the country.
I love being part of the work that keeps authentic British storytelling alive. My role is about elevating local voices, supporting creatives and ensuring every licence fee payer feels represented and valued.
What’s it like working at the BBC?
Honestly? I’m proud every single day. It’s fast, exciting, unpredictable and full of purpose – and it still feels like a fever dream that someone like me, from a working-class background, gets to work in an organisation like this. No two days look the same, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Tell us about your journey into the industry.
My career didn’t start on red carpets (sadly!) – it started at 15 in a tiny café in Ironbridge, serving lattes and cream teas. I grew up watching my family struggle, and I was inspired by the life I didn’t want. I pushed myself hard and became the first in my family to go to university, determined to break the mould.
By sixth form I was juggling two jobs and school, and when I started studying Events and Leisure Management at Sheffield Hallam, everything finally clicked. My placement at Olympia London threw me straight into the world of huge exhibitions and conferences, and I completely fell in love with the buzz of live events.
Things only grew from there – managing high-budget weddings at the Royal Hospital Chelsea, working with 300 Chelsea Pensioners (national treasures!), then moving into community-driven comms at Wolves Foundation, working with former captain Connor Coady and launching a food-poverty campaign backed by Nuno Espírito Santo.
And then came the BBC – and it still feels surreal. Since joining, I’ve had more pinch me moments than I can count: meeting The Traitors cast, planning a premiere for Tommy Fury and Steven Knight, organising two Sports Personality of the Year red carpets, holding Jess Glynne’s bag while she posed for photos, walking Tom Grennan down the red carpet, meeting Thierry Henry… and seeing my name in the end credits of a BBC show.
I’m incredibly proud of how far I’ve come – and genuinely excited for whatever comes next.
How do you manage the fast pace?
A supportive team, good instincts and an open mind. The BBC moves fast – you have to pivot, prioritise and keep your sense of humour. Flexibility and calmness go a long way too.
Are there any projects you’re particularly proud of?
Every project brings its own sense of pride, especially anything that connects communities to the BBC. Working directly with Director-General Tim Davie will always be a career highlight.
But the standout has to be the 70th Sports Personality of the Year red carpet. I completely reimagined the entire thing – the format, the visuals, even the suppliers. It was a bold move, but I trusted my vision enough that senior stakeholders trusted me. And it paid off.
How has the industry changed since you started?
The content world is louder, faster and more crowded than ever. Audiences have infinite choice, global platforms dominate, and creating genuine cultural moments is harder than ever. Attention spans have shifted, budgets don’t always match expectations, and the landscape changes constantly. But that’s exactly why creativity and authentic storytelling matter more than ever.
This month, we asked our ‘The Proof’ guest, Demi Grundy, to give some advice to aspiring communications professionals.
Say yes – especially to the things that scare you. Build relationships, send the email, ask the question. Stay grounded, remember who you are, and never forget the people who helped you at the start.
