Gift amazing Art to someone you love this Christmas

Get crafty

At Craft NI you can buy handmade work by some of NI’s most talented designer-makers. There’s so much to choose from! Every year the Gallery carefully selects handcrafted unique baubles from contemporary Northern Irish makers, in ceramic, glass or textiles. Visit www.craftnigallery.org 

Gift an amazing show

There are so many great shows on! Winter Circus, Out to Lunch Festival, The MAC, Portico of Ards, Lyric Theatre, Ulster Orchestra, Grand Opera House and Millennium Forum … all have fantastic festive shows to offer, so why not buy some tickets or a voucher?

Music from Northern Ireland

With so many talented Arts Council award-winning musicians with great albums out, check out Córas Trio’s self-titled debut album, Brendan Mulholland’s Bartin’s Bay, Cherym’s Take it or Leave it, Cara Dillon’s Coming Home and Dana Master’s Real Good Mood. Available from all good music shops and streaming services.

Books galore

Books always make a great gift! Check out Grapefruit Moon (Little Island), by Shirley-Anne McMillan, the new Children’s Writing Fellow for NI; Quickly, While They Still Have Horses (Doubleday), sixteen short stories by Arts Council NI Major individual Artist awardee, Jan Carson; and The Forest Yet To Come, by Sam Thompson (Little Island), a new adventure from the award-winning author. Available from all good book shops.

Buy a dream art work

The 143^rd Royal Ulster Academy Exhibition is now on at the Ulster Museum with all artworks available to buy. Visit www/royalulsteracademy.org

Own Art is an interest free loan scheme which makes buying a piece of art more affordable by spreading the cost over 10 months. Choose from jewellery, ceramics, paintings and more. For participating galleries in NI visit www.ownart.org.uk

Visit the Queen Street Studios Christmas event on 30 November and buy art direct from local artists in their studios. www.queenstreetstudios.net

Pop along to the Belfast Print Workshop to buy framed prints by BPW members working across a range of techniques. www.bpw.org.uk

Belfast Exposed has a selection of prints, which can be framed (£50) or unframed (£25): www.belfastexposed.org/shop

Belfast Exposed also has a new book, Belonging, featuring images from their archive, priced at £35: www.belfastexposed.org/shop

For those who want to buy an experience, they have a range of courses, including a Level 1 Digital Photography Course: £120 www.belfastexposed.org/learning

Buy a new musical instrument

The Take It Away scheme gives you the opportunity to buy a musical instrument, equipment or software, with an interest free loan repaid over 10 months. See www.takeitaway.org.uk for participating retailers in Northern Ireland.