About Us

Maiden Voyage is an artist-led commissioning company offering discoveries in dance with, by, and for, artists, audiences, and participants

We commission and produce distinctive dance performances across three strands; Maiden Belfast full length and mixed bills for stages; Dance Exposed short new work for public spaces; and Off Spring new work for young audiences and their adults.

Currently under commission is a new work for very young audiences from choreographer Georgia Tegou (GR/UK) collaborating in 2024 with harpist Ursula Burns (NI).  This commission is made possible with support from the National Lottery through ACNI, Belfast City Council and enhanced though a co-commission award from Luail, the new all island dance company.

We offer a range of professional development programmes for artists at various career points including Prodance classes, Dancelab masterclasses, GradLab intensives and Creative Encounters for artistic research.

Our wide-ranging programme of participatory experiences for all ages includes Repertoire outreach programmes based on themes of current productions alongside a developing suite of wellbeing programmes including established programmes Move Fit for primary schools, Seasonal Somatics monthly sessions and weekly Belfast Movement Group sessions.

Established in Belfast by Artistic Director Nicola Curry in 2001, Maiden Voyage is governed by a voluntary Board of Directors and is a registered Charity with NI Charity Commission.

Board of Directors

Pat Robinson, Anne Orr, Kathryn McCann, Carina McGrail, Adam Bradley and Fiona Bell.

Staff Team

Nicola Curry, Artistic Director and Nuala McGreevy, Company Manager.

We work with a range of performers, makers, creatives and technicians for each project. 2024/25 artists include Sandy Cuthbert, Janie Doherty, Andrea Madore, Gerard Headley, Michael McEvoy, Clara Kerr, Rosie Mullin, Maeve McGreevy, Róisín Harten.

Maiden Voyage | Luail Partnership

Maiden Voyage’s foundational partnership with Luail opens further opportunities for co-commissions, developing touring networks, artist connections, training, development and engagement in dance across the island. The initial two co-commissions as a result of the Maiden Voyage | Luail partnership are with Georgia Tegou and Sarah Golding as part of our Off Spring work for young audiences and their adults. Northern Ireland based artists engaging with Luail include Ryan O’Neill as the inaugural Dance Artist in Residence and Dylan Quinn as a commissioned artist for the To This I Belong project with his Dance Connects events being delivered across NI in summer 2025.

Our Funders

Maiden Voyage is principally funded annually by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, supported by Belfast City Council and by individual Trusts and Foundations. We are supported by Arts & Business NI Blueprint programme 2023-2025.

  • "Maiden Voyage excels in creating vibrant new work that consistently engages and excites audiences"

    Caoileann Curry-Thompson, Drama & Dance Development Officer, Arts Council of Northern Ireland

  • "The only thing I ever expect from Maiden Voyage is quality. Each new show is so different from the last. I am always excited about what they will do next"

    Audience member

  • "Maiden Voyage providing me with work as both a dancer and maker as well as continuing professional development opportunities have been a huge part of me being able to sustain a career as an artist in Northern Ireland"

    Dance artist