BNL Case Study:
ABC Community Awards
Event Production | AV | LED Wall | Project Management | Event Filming
The Brief
The ABC Borough Community Awards celebrate the individuals, volunteers and community organisations making a difference across the borough.
BNL Productions was appointed by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council to coordinate and manage the 2026 Awards Ceremony and Gala Dinner at the Seagoe Hotel in Portadown, welcoming approximately 200 guests.
The aim was to create something bigger than a traditional awards ceremony — a glamorous and memorable evening where the people who give so much to their communities could enjoy their own night in the spotlight.
BNL was involved from the early planning stages through to the live production, bringing together the creative, technical and logistical elements needed to deliver the event.
The Challenge
An awards ceremony might look seamless from the audience, but behind the scenes there are a lot of moving parts.
For the ABC Community Awards, BNL coordinated venue requirements, suppliers, business sponsorship, entertainment, presentation content, production schedules, technical planning, filming and the running order.
On the night, all of these elements needed to work together at exactly the right moment. When an award winner was announced, the music, lighting, presentation visuals and cameras all needed to respond seamlessly.
The challenge wasn't simply making sure the microphone worked or the screen looked good. It was creating an experience where every element of the production worked together to build excitement and keep the focus on the people being recognised
The BNL Solution
BNL managed and delivered a wide range of elements across the project, working closely with the Council, Seagoe Hotel, sponsors, entertainment providers and other suppliers to bring the awards ceremony together.
Project Management & Event Coordination
Our involvement began well before the event itself.
BNL coordinated the planning process, gathering information from the Council and award organisers, liaising with the venue and suppliers, coordinating entertainment requirements and keeping the different elements of the production moving towards the same goal.
We also created the slide presentation content for the awards based on content provided by the council, including the slides used throughout the ceremony. Information had to be gathered, checked and organised so that the right content was ready at the right time.
For the highlights film, BNL also organised interviews with key contributors, including the filming setup and autocue requirements. This helped us capture polished, consistent interviews alongside the live event footage.
Behind the scenes, our production team coordinated equipment, technical crew, rehearsals, show cues and the live running of the ceremony.
The result was a single team overseeing the detail across the project, rather than leaving the Council to coordinate multiple technical and creative suppliers themselves.
AV, LED & Lighting
The room was transformed into a dedicated awards-night environment, centred around an 8m x 2.5m LED video wall.
This was supported by a full professional lighting package, including moving-head lights, stage washes and atmospheric uplighting.
We also provided the professional audio system, wireless microphones, branded podium, band backline and technical support for the entertainment.
The production was designed so that the lighting, music, presentations and visuals worked together throughout the ceremony, helping build excitement around each award announcement.
Sponsorship & Local Business Engagement
BNL also took responsibility for developing sponsorship opportunities for the awards.
We approached local businesses, developed sponsorship opportunities and managed communications with potential sponsors, helping secure support for individual award categories.
Sponsorship was secured from:
Pilgrims Europe — Youth Champion Award
Avondale Foods Ltd — Volunteer of the Year Award
Manfreight Ltd — Equality and Good Relations Award
Armagh Credit Union — Under 18 Volunteer Award
Seagoe Hotel — Age Friendly Award
Terasis Enterprise — Health and Wellbeing Award
Belfast Telegraph — Lifetime Achiever Award
Linwoods — Innovations Award
This brought local businesses into the celebration and gave sponsors an opportunity to support and recognise people making a difference across the borough.
Live Camera & Event Filming
BNL's Live and Film teams worked together to capture the event using a four-camera setup, comprising two locked-off cameras and two manned cameras.
The cameras captured award presentations, winners' reactions, audience atmosphere and key moments throughout the evening, with live camera feeds incorporated into the visual production.
Following the event, the footage was edited into a highlights film featuring selected moments, sound bites, titles, motion graphics, audio mixing and colour correction. The completed film provided the Council with a polished visual record of the evening and content that could be used to extend the reach of the awards beyond the event itself.
The Result
The 2026 ABC Borough Community Awards brought together community achievement, business support and professional event production for an evening attended by approximately 200 guests.
Business sponsors were secured to support the event and individual award categories, while detailed pre-production planning and clear communication helped keep the project coordinated from the early planning stages through to the live event.
The Council's feedback was highly positive, particularly around the organisation, communication and seamless delivery of the ceremony.
For us, the project was a strong example of what can happen when event production, technical expertise, creative content and project management are brought together under one team.
Most importantly, every element of the production helped create a special evening for the people and organisations being recognised for their contribution to the community.
A complete event production, from the first planning meeting to the final highlights film.
Planning Something Similar?
Whether you need support with one part of your event or a team to bring the whole production together, BNL Productions can help.