[Project Overview]

No Pop Allowed was a nightlife event organised and spearheaded by the QUB Afro-Caribbean Society to break the monotony of the sonic landscape of Belfast’s nightlife. 

The event challenged the dominance of mainstream pop music by celebrating genres like Afrobeats, Arabic Pop, Soca, Amapiano, Reggaeton, Afro-House, and Hip-hop, amongst others, focusing primarily on genres enjoyed predominantly by minority ethnic groups but largely absent from the city's nightlife.

Beyond entertainment, the event was designed to create an inclusive space where students from all cultural backgrounds could discover new music, connect, and experience a more representative nightlife culture.


[My role]

As Creative Director of the ACS, I was responsible for shaping the marketing strategy and visual identity of the event across both digital and physical platforms. I led all event photography and visual documentation and designed the event's branding, promotional graphics, posters, and social media content.

 I collaborated with the ACS Social Media Officer and Event Officer to establish a cohesive creative direction and managed and mentored a team of first-year student volunteers who contributed to promotional video content. 

Ultimately, I was responsible for overseeing the visual consistency of the event before, during, and after each edition. 

[The Challenge]

Launching an entirely new event meant building awareness from scratch within Queen's student community. One of our biggest challenges was overcoming the misconception that No Pop Allowed was exclusively for African and Caribbean students, when the intention was to create a welcoming, cross-cultural event open to everyone.
























Equally important was ensuring attendees felt safe and respected. As the event centred communities that are often underrepresented in Belfast's nightlife, we prioritised creating an environment where minority ethnic students felt comfortable attending. We also recognised that not every attendee wanted to appear in promotional content, making privacy and consent a key consideration throughout the event.



[The Approach]

To broaden our reach, I leveraged relationships with student leaders across a range of cultural and identity-based societies, including Asian, Latin American, Middle Eastern, and LGBTQIA+ organisations. This grassroots approach helped introduce the event to audiences beyond our existing membership and reinforced its position as an inclusive celebration of global music and culture. Our promotional materials also continued to communicate that No Pop Allowed was a safe and welcoming space for all students, regardless of background.

On the operational side, we worked closely with venue security to maintain a safe environment throughout the night. We also adopted a consent-first approach to photography and videography, regularly checking with attendees before capturing or sharing content and ensuring individuals who preferred not to appear on social media were respected.




[The Outcome]
The event exceeded our expectations and became one of the Afro-Caribbean Society's flagship initiatives. Through this event the society was able to;

~Grow the event's dedicated Instagram account to over 1,000 followers.

~Generate more than 60,000 views across promotional social media content.

~Sell out all three editions of No Pop Allowed.

~Generate substantial revenue, allowing the society to fund educational, cultural, and community-focused Afro-Caribbean Society events.

~Establish a recognisable visual identity that contributed to the event becoming one of the society's most successful and anticipated initiatives.

The success of No Pop Allowed demonstrated that thoughtful branding, strategic community engagement, and inclusive event design could transform a new concept into a sustainable and impactful student-led initiative.