Supporting young creatives, working for Birmingham Swifts LGBTQ+ running club, creating a grime Legacy with the CBSO – and being the biggest Little Mix fan there is! Life’s never dull for the head of marketing and communications at Punch Records, Brad Morrison

BEEN THERE, DONE THAT

When I was young, my mum said that theatre was a safe space, and I realised the stresses of life melted away. That was the beginning of my love of creative arts. I joined Punch Records in 2020 just before Covid hit, and even though the world shut down digital natives stepped up and there was a radical change online. Before Punch, I was head of storytelling at Beatfreeks and have worked on projects with the likes of the CBSO and RSC. I was also media secretary for the LGBTQ+ running club, Birmingham Swifts. I spent a year on the committee, revamped the brand and brought on board a commercial partner, Vita Coco. I then joined the board of trustees at the Rep. I wanted to give back to Birmingham and the Rep has enabled that.

IT’S WHAT I DO

The Punch programme of events has young creatives at its heart as well as marginalised and neurodiverse communities. My job is to connect people, support young talent, build relationships and collaborate. Some young people think they know everything thanks to TikTok, but it doesn’t allow them to work things out and due to the lack of youth centres there aren’t opportunities to learn, so our programmes fill that void. Our Community Routes programme offers 50 spaces for young creatives to develop their skills, beginning with a residency followed by a showcase at Shambala Festival. A highlight at Punch has been working with the CBSO on Legacy which created a massive grime orchestra and featured 15 local grime and rap artists.

WHAT I’D LIKE TO SEE

I’d love to connect the dots and help creatives champion their work. Artists think they know who their audiences are, but at Punch we push people’s thought patterns and explore how we can develop their careers.

BIGGEST SUCCESS

Leading the campaign for Legacy. To have sold out in two cities is special. I’d count making my mum proud a big success too. She launched a cafe and clothing store called Suzie’s Renaissance last year and I’ve been helping her market her brand.

BIGGEST LESSON LEARNED

To believe I am important. As an introvert it can take time to warm up and you can get swallowed up in rooms. I forced myself not to shrink, to have star power. The people of Birmingham often shrink themselves, but we need to realise no one has everything figured out.

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT BRUM

We seem to be a city of underdogs. We’re so humble which some might see as a fault but there’s power in that. There’s less ego, meaning we can better connect.

DOWNTIME

I am the biggest Little Mix fan which got me into fan culture. I also go to a lot of gigs and theatre shows. I’m into running and the gym – I go to Depot Birmingham. There are loads of families, a big LGBT community, women’s nights and it’s just a place where people can feel comfortable and connect.