Canal Street Online Manchester

Hazel wins award

Hazel wins award

We are delighted to announce that Hazel O'Keefe, founder of Dulcet Sounds, was the winner of the Women in Culture and Art category at this year's International Women's Day Awards.

The award was presented at a ceremony on Friday 7 March and of the win O'Keefe commented,“I'm still in shock. It was such a privilege to even be nominated and to win means the world. It feels like a seal of approval, it's motivated me even more to work harder and smarter. When you

have been doing something for nearly 20 years it's wonderful and energising to have recognition like this; to have your work validated and to know that people appreciate what you do and believe in you.”

The Manchester City Council awards annually recognise women and organisations within Manchester that have impacted on women's lives. O'Keefe came to the judges' attention through her work incorporating Laughing Cows comedy clubs ­ which promotes all female line ups, her

directorship of the inaugural Women in Comedy Festival, her community and youth work and as the producer of women­centred club night Rapture.

O'Keefe has been promoting comedy events featuring female acts since 1998 when The Laughing Cows club began life in London after she took up the gauntlet thrown down by a well­established club promoter when he confessed that the reason he wouldn't book two female acts to play the same bill was that, 'I wouldn't take that risk'.

O'Keefe set out to prove that female comedians aren't some kind of bizarre specialist act or, the other common misconception, that all of them perform the same material but in actual fact are as varied and myriad performers as any comedian.

regardless of gender. In addition Laughing Cows set out to confound not just those mistaken promoters but some audience members who think that they don't find women funny.

O'Keefe set up her first club within the bar she was running in London. A few years later she returned to her native Manchester where she set up additional clubs. Fifteen years on and with the addition of Maureen Younger on the team, there are clubs all over the country, in Greater

Manchester, the North West area, Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Leicester and Reading as well as in Berlin.

The clubs not only promote existing female talent but also provide a nurturing environment in which burgeoning comics can develop their skills away from the male dominated stand up scene.The team have recently put on the first ever Women in Comedy festival with appearances from big

name comedy acts as well as numerous other solo shows and mixed bill nights, book signings and many workshop and debate opportunities.

Operating an inclusive policy, all Dulcet Sounds events invite transgender and gender queer performers who identify as female to perform and men are more than welcome as volunteers and in the audience.

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Published: 20-Mar-2014: (2328)

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