Abby Corfan- Looking back on 25 years of BYPY

Photo credit: Birmingham Post

This year, we are celebrating 25 years of the iconic BYPY Awards. The awards highlight the exceptional talent and skills of young professionals across Greater Birmingham, while also giving the overall winners the chance to open doors in their careers that they might not otherwise have been able to open.

As part of these celebrations, we spoke to the overall winners of the awards, dating right back to the very first winner in 2001 to last year's winner.

Meet Abby Corfan, our BYPY winner from 2016. 

Born in Luton, Abby studied and started her career in Birmingham, gaining a wide range of experience in arts marketing working for big names such as the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra.

Read below to find out how winning BYPY felt for Abby..

What category did you win?

I won the Marketing and Communications category and overall winner in 2016. 

Tell us a bit about yourself…

I grew up in Luton, and after studying History at the University of Warwick I went on to build a career in arts marketing in Birmingham, initially working for an audience development agency.

I then worked in marketing roles for DanceXchange and the International Dance Festival Birmingham, before joining the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra for five years.

I left Birmingham in 2020, to work for the Donmar Warehouse in London (arriving just in time for the start of the pandemic!)

Where were you working at the time of winning your award?

I was director of Marketing & Digital for the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, and I'm now working for the Donmar Warehouse as director of Audiences.

What does your career look like now?

I oversee marketing, press, ticketing and front of house for the Donmar Warehouse - an independent non-profit theatre in Covent Garden. I love the variety of working for a leading producing theatre, and that my career has developed over the years beyond just marketing into more strategic communications and responsibility for the whole audience experience. 

What did winning BYPY do for your career? Have you had any other big achievements or award wins since?

I believe I was the first BYPY winner from an arts or cultural organisation, and I was very pleased that winning led to some great opportunities for me to advocate for Birmingham's cultural offer with young professionals from other sectors. 

Why should people apply for GBYPY?

It gives you recognition of your achievements with a wider community of young professionals and the opportunity to make new connections. 

How did winning BYPY feel?

I was hugely surprised and grateful to win BYPY - although I'm no longer based in the city I have enormous fondness for Birmingham and feel proud to have had that opportunity to represent its thriving cultural sector.