Brian Mac Farlane

Cultural Partner… Brian’s respect and admiration for Trinidad and Tobago culture have led him to design, create and build performance pieces that utilize the diverse talents of national cultural performers such as steel pan players, tassa groups, drummers and dancers.

The ‘go-to designer’ for Milestone events…. He was charged with the responsibility of designing the décor and developing the stage design for the speech presentations of the visiting General Colin Powell and Rudolph W Giuliani.

Brian’s strong working relationship with the corporate sector has led to him becoming the first choice among companies eager to state one of-a-kind events. He has undertaken landmark award ceremonies including the launches of the oil and gas platforms built in Trinidad and Tobago to date. A brief list of his corporate clients includes British Gas, bpTT, EOG, BHP Billiton, TSTT, Guardian Holdings, PCS Nitrogen, RBTT and CMMB.

He was organized and event managed the gala red carpet ceremony honoring Brian Lara on the occasion of having scored the highest score in test cricket history, 400 not out.

He assumed the role of designer for the prestigious Coronation Ball for Ms. Universe competition held in Trinidad and Tobago. Brian was also the choice to design the Ms. Universe fashion show at Queen’s Hall in 1999. Event managed the official opening ceremony of the National Library (NALIS).

In 2005 Brian was requested to do a theatrical performance from his band “The Washing by Fire by Water” for the Heads of Caricom Nations on the occasion of the official dinner hosted at the Prime Minister’s residence.

In 2008 Brian, on the government’s behalf, he designed the décor for the launch of both the Summit of Americas for 2009 and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2009.

In 2009 at the Prime Minister’s request Brian did a “carnivalesque” presentation for the arrival of the King and Queen of Spain. Further to this Brian was appointed as the Head Designer/ Artistic Director by the Honorable Prime Minister for the Summit of the Americas. His scope of work included décor for the Opening Ceremony, the Plenary Section, the Closing Ceremony and the Summit Village along with the cultural and theatrical presentation for the Opening Ceremony as well as the entertainment management of the Summit Village. The cast for the opening ceremony cultural presentation consisted of 750 musicians and performers inclusive of some of the Caribbean’s celebrity artists.

In May 2009 following the success of the Summit of the Americas, Brian Mac Farlane was appointed by the Honorable Prime Minister as the Head Designer/ Artistic Director for Common Wealth Head of Government Meeting to be hosted in November 2009.

Producer, costume and set designer… Brian’s talent is apparently boundless. He has created costuming and set design for the theatrical presentation: Miracle at Stoll Meyer’s. He was rewarded for his burst of creativity with four Cacique Awards. Also well received was “Oh What a Night Before Christmas” another of his theatrical presentations hosted at Queen’s Hall.

Designed and produced the set designs for both the Marionettes Chorale and the Love Movement on the Queen’s Hall stage, including fiddler on the Roof, Porgy and Bess, Jesus Christ Superstar, South Pacific, to name a few.

Global Recognition…Brian has been featured in World Night Club Magazine out of Los Angeles, California for his design of ‘Club Extreme’ in Barbados which was voted one of the top 10 night club designs in the world. He has also brought his creative genius to the entertainment scene in Trinidad and Tobago with the opening of the night club ‘Space La Nouba’ in San Fernando which was featured in Mondo Arc Magazine, the world renown international publication for technology in entertainment and was featured on the front cover.

 Designed and managed the launch of the international resort ‘Le Paradise; in St. Lucia which features a golf course designed by top international golfer, Greg Norman, at which Trinidadian performers in tassa and dance were the stars.

Designed the décor and event managed the opening ceremony for the 5th International Conference of Gas and Energy Producing Nations hosted at the Trinidad Hilton. The first time the Conference was staged outside the Gulf States.

When Imagination is needed… Brian has been creating vanguard designs for malls since 1984. His elaborate mall decorations for Christmas have graced major malls in Trinidad and more recently Tobago as well as in other countries, i.e. Barbados, Guadeloupe and Martinique. It has become a tradition for families to travel the country to see his local mall designs each year. Like so many of his masterpieces.

Brian conceptualized, designed and constructed the popular tourism Theme Park in 2006; he brought the family-friendly Park to life. He magically transformed the Centre of Excellence into a living exhibit of Trinidad and Tobago’s flora, fauna and forests. In addition our rich history and cultural heritage were exposed, educating and entertaining thousands of families who would not have experienced it otherwise.

Also in 2006, 2007 and again 2008 Brian transformed the National Stadium into a space of international standard to host the now signature event ‘Taste T n T’ for the Tourism Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago and the Ministry of Tourism which received many kudos not only locally but also from international guest.

And he gives back….  Brian gives significant support to charities either by the donation of décor for fundraising events or by kind contributions. Charities touched by Brian’s largesse include: Cancer Society of Trinidad and Tobago, Pour L’innocence (Children afflicted with HIV) and Living Water Hospice, where he, redesigned, refurbished and outfitted the facility.
Carnival Designer/ Artistic Director/ Band Leader…. Brian Mac Farlane’s heart has always been into Carnival. Starting out as an unpaid proletariat with one of the bigger names in mas, Raoul Garib. He learned quickly and his vision became a reality.

Brian’s first King of Carnival was portrayed by Junior Regrello which won South King of Carnival for portrayal “Prisma Man of Colour”. He continued to design and make Kings and Queens of Carnival from that time until 1994. His costumes have the distinction of always placing in the top four of their respective competitions.

It was in 1994 that Brian won his first King of Carnival and the title of Best Designer with the portrayal, The Conquest by Anthony Paul. This costume went on that same year to be crowned Carnival King of the World, at the first ever, International King and Queen of Carnival Competition in Trinidad and Tobago which hosted entrants from some thirty-eight countries.

Brian has also designed for international bands including one for Carnival in Australia. His creation won Band of the Year title. He repeated the feat when designed the Band of the Year for carnival in Vancouver, Canada.

In 2000 Brian designed for Roslyn Gabriel’s Junior Queen of carnival entitled “Exodus the Power and the Glory”. This spectacular creation gave the appearance of an entirely different design when the individual moved in different directions and broke all records for Carnival, winning the seventeen competitions in which it was entered. Later that year at the request of the Trinidad and Tobago Government, this costume was used in a performance for Prince Charles of the United Kingdom, on the occasion of his official visit to Trinidad and Tobago.

Over the years Brian has designed kings, queens and worked with all forms of mas. It’s natural then that he should design and lead his own presentation. In 2005 he did just that with “The Washing by Fire by Water”, which copped band of the year medium category title and created great hope for the future of original mas in Trinidad and Tobago.

In 2006 his creation “Threads of Joy” won several accolades: Band of the Year Downtown, on the Greens, at the Renegades competition and 2nd place at the Savannah. Brian continued his carnival tradition of hand crafting costumes for the theatre of the streets in his 2007 portrayal “India: The Story of Boyie” which was the first ever portrayal of an entirely East Indian large band. This creation surpassed his efforts of 2005 and 2006 and received the top awards at all of the Carnival venues at which it was viewed. His 2007 presentation again copped Band of The Year Downtown, and on The Greens of Piccadilly. In addition “India-The Story of Boyie” received the prestigious award of Band of the Year at The Savannah and was the highlight of the Champs in Concert.

Brian’s 2008 carnival band “Earth: Cries of Despair, Wings of Hope” was an innovation for carnival in which, for the very first time, adults and children were brought together on the street and at the various, venues to portray and present theatre together. Brian did the design of all the costumes of both the adult and children. In addition he designed the King of Carnival for 2008 which was portrayed by Jha Whan Thomas as “Pandemic Rage” from the same band. His 2008 creations equaled or surpassed his previous presentations and garnered the top awards at all the carnival venues including the coveted “Band of the Year” title both downtown and uptown to add to the “King of Carnival 2008” crown.

In 2008 United Nations office in Trinidad and Tobago, in acknowledgement of Brian’s concern for environmental issues which plague our planet, a concern shared by the United Nations and which is the focus of its climate change and environment outreach, signed a Memorandum of understanding with Brian regarding his presentation of “Earth: Cries of Despair, Wings of Hope” and the message which this production conveyed about our planet.
2009 brought further confirmation of Brian’s creative excellence. His presentation of Africa-“Her People, Her Glory, Her Tears” achieved unprecedented acclaim garnering not only his fifth consecutive band of the year title downtown but also a third consecutive Band of the Year title at the Queen Park Savannah as well as repeat King of Carnival plus this year’s Queen of Carnival.