Belfast’s rich history celebrated in Golden Thread Gallery’s visual arts project with older people, supported by The National Lottery
27th March, 2025
Belfast’s leading contemporary visual arts gallery, Golden Thread Gallery, is running a visual arts project to engage isolated older people in the arts, supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland’s National Lottery Arts and Older People Programme.
The project entitled, City of Stories, tells the tales of Belfast through visual arts and involves older people over 65. Golden Thread Gallery worked with Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) and Stroke Association NI to identify participants who would benefit from weekly arts sessions.
Over the course of several weeks, participants will engage in a range of visual arts techniques such as painting, colouring, felting and more, with the project culminating in a showcase event to be held at the gallery.
Activities are designed to stimulate the senses, promote conversation through storytelling, enhance mobility, dexterity and well-being, plus connect participants to each other and the world around them.
The Arts Council of Northern Ireland visited one of the workshops at Golden Thread Gallery, watch the video below to find out more.
The Arts Council NI’s National Lottery Arts and Older People Programme has proved successful in directly improving the health and wellbeing of older participants who may experience social isolation, exclusion, disability, and underlying physical and mental health conditions. It is funded by The National Lottery and Public Health Agency, which aims to tackle loneliness as-well as promote positive mental health and wellbeing among older people, through engagement with the arts.
Lorraine Calderwood, Development Officer: Programmes Officer, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, said, “Thanks to The National Lottery players and the Public Health Agency, we’re delighted to support Golden Thread Gallery’s City of Stories project. Research has proven that taking part in arts activities can raise self-esteem, confidence and motivation, as well as aid in relieving stress. The National Lottery Arts and Older People Programme is committed to providing meaningful opportunities for older people to take part in arts activities, enriching their lives for the better. The arts have a vital role to play in helping our older people find their voice, bring people together and promote positive physical and mental health - funding from The National Lottery and the Public Health Agency has been a game changer in helping us achieve that.”
The City of Stories project is managed by Golden Thread Gallery and delivered by a team of experienced artistic facilitators including Katharine Paisley and Cony Ortiz. Activities are designed to ensure that participants can fully engage and receive a rewarding sense of satisfaction and achievement.
Sarah McAvera, Co-Director, Golden Thread Gallery, added, “Making art accessible to as many people as possible is our aim and we are delighted to have the support of the National Lottery Arts & Older People Programme and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland to help us fulfil this mission. City of Stories is a project that recognises that we all have our own stories to tell and offers a place to come together, get creative, have fun and share with others."
The National Lottery Arts and Older People Programme was established by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland in 2010 and is now a cross-governmental partnership with funding also from the Public Health Agency. The programme has been designed to challenge perceptions of what it means to be an older person, empower participants, and give older people a voice. To date the programme has provided over £2m funding to community organisations and voluntary groups across Northern Ireland in the delivery of over 272 arts projects to hundreds of older people.
To find out more about Arts Council of Northern Ireland funding programmes visit www.artscouncil-ni.org/funding