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Artist of the Month, April 2025 – Catherine Creaney
2nd April, 2025
What's on in the Arts
27th March, 2025
From theatre performances, to concerts, exhibitions and more, here's your guide to what's on in the Arts....
Imagine Festival of Ideas and Politics: The Imagine! festival takes place 24-30 March and presents a unique way of imagining the future of this great city — and the wider world. The festival presents high-quality showcases for the discussion of contemporary political and societal issues including new ideas on politics, culture and activism from some of the world’s leading contemporary thinkers. But it’s not all brain-melting policy discussions: there’s something for everyone in the form of exhibitions, humour, family events, music, theatre, tours, workshops and film and whatever else they can find to fire your imagination. https://imaginebelfast.com/
Feel Good Festival: The historic Portico of Ards in Portaferry is set to come alive with vibrant music, arts and cultural events as the much-anticipated Feel Good Festival, 1 – 31 March 2025, prepares to awaken your senses and welcome in Spring with five weekends of sumptuous sounds. The Feel Good Festival programme features: Nordic choral sensation Sjaella; New York’s finest chamber ensemble The Calidore String Quartet; Motown magic from the 60s and 70s with The Iconettes; Come on and Sing, Get Happy! workshop with Una McCann; DJ Reductio presents The Mashup Dance Event; organ recital with Peter Stevens from Westminster Cathedral; new and acclaimed local (NI) pop/rock band The Breeze; Sound Bath Journey with Tessa Ann; comedy with Paddy McDonnell: Dagger and 50 Years of Hits with Foster & Allen. For further information on booking festival tickets and accommodation offers visit www.porticoards.com
Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival: The Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival return this May with a wide range of comedy, films, documentaries, talks, literature and music events. Highlights include:
• John Shuttleworth: Raise the Oof!, The Black Box, Thursday 1 May, 8.00pm. Extra show Friday 2 May, 8.00pm
• Réalta, Rosemary St. Church, Thursday 1 May, 8.00pm
• In association with Ulster Presents, I’m With Pulp, Are You? Mark Webber in Conversation, Ulster University Block BC (Belfast), Friday 2 May, 7.00pm
• Presented by The Mac, CQAF and Moving on Music, Córas Trio- AV show, The Mac Upstairs, Saturday 3 May, 8.00pm
• ‘I Hear You’- Live Readings – Paul McVeigh, The Deer’s Head, Monday 5th May, 7.00pm
• In association with Bán Poitín and Echlinville Distillery, Screening of Poitín with Bán Poitín Tasting & Talk, Oh Yeah Centre, Thursday 8 May, 7.30pm
• Presented in association with The Linenhall Library, Fortuna and Chips, The Linenhall Library, Friday 9 May, 1.00pm (ends 2.30pm) & 6.00pm (Extra show Added)
• Presented by CQAF and The MAC, Lisdoon Nirvana, The Mac Upstairs, Saturday 10 May, 7.45pm
• Presented by Seamus Heaney Centre and CQAF, Theresa Lola – ‘Ceremony for the Nameless’, The Seamus Heaney Centre (Belfast), Saturday 10 May, 2.00pm
• Sreang Dhofheicthe: Tionscadal Taylor Swift/Invisible String: The Taylor Swift Project, Áras Mhic Reachtain, Dé Sathairn 10 Bealtaine | Saturday 10 May, 8:30pm
• Rachel Sermanni, The Deer’s Head, Sunday 11 May, 2.00pm
• King Creosote, The Black Box, Sunday 11 May, 8.00pm
View the full programme at www.cqaf.com
Lyric Theatre: presents a variety of exciting theatre this spring with highlights including:
• 14-30 Mar, The Velveteen Rabbit, a Lyric Theatre & Replay Theatre Co-production. A boy, his favourite toy, and how love makes us real. Replay’s new show is an original musical adapted from the children’s classic The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams. It’s a nostalgic, fun and tender tale of a boy, his favourite toy and how being loved can make us real. A story about growing up and figuring out where you fit in. With a brand-new script by celebrated writer Jan Carson and music from Duke Special, this show brings together the very best of Northern Irish talent in a theatrical feast for all the family.
• 19-30 March, In the Window. After the success of Truth, Love or Promise, Nuala McKeever is back with her smash hit – In The Window – a dark comedy that has delighted audiences from Ireland to Edinburgh and from India to the USA.
• 8 April – 4 May, Our New Girl. From the writer of the hit series The Dry comes her latest heart-pounding thriller, Our New Girl. Beneath the polished facade of Hazel Robinson’s pristine home lies a world of fractures and hidden tensions. With her husband Richard on a humanitarian mission to Haiti, Hazel is left to juggle the pressures of a struggling business and her deeply troubled son. Just as Hazel begins to feel the weight of her life closing in, a young and confident nanny, Annie, unexpectedly arrives at the door. But as this poised stranger integrates herself into Hazel’s household, it becomes chillingly clear she isn’t just there to help—and her arrival may upend Hazel’s world in ways she never imagined.
• 30 April – 10 May, Nell Gwynn presented by Lyric Theatre Drama Studio. Suitable for 14+. Nell Gwynn charts the rise of an unlikely heroine, who became one of Britain’s most celebrated new ‘actresses’ and the mistress of the King. But at a time when women are second-class citizens, can her charm and spirit protect her from the dangers of the Court. Jessica Swale's exhilarating take on the heady world of Restoration theatre premiered at Shakespeare's Globe, London, in September 2015, before a successful run in the West End.
• 14-16 May, Reply Theatre Company presents, PRISM, suitable for 7+. Inter-dimensional travellers, Dawn and Dusk, have been stuck in an empty void dimension for far too long. When Dusk devises a radical solution to their problem it hurls them into our dimension and has catastrophic consequences for their onboard guide and best friend, PRISM. PRISM, written by Gary Crossan, is immersive sci-fi theatre for audiences of all abilities and backgrounds. Packed full of adventurous retro-synth vibes, exciting leaps into unexplored virtual dimensions, and extraordinary personal discoveries, the twists and turns of PRISM will delight child and adult alike.
• 31 May – 29 June, The Important of Being Earnest. Step into a world of wit, charm, and sheer hilarity as The Importance of Being Earnest takes centre stage at the Lyric Theatre. Widely regarded as one of the greatest comedies in the English language, Oscar Wilde’s sparkling masterpiece is a riotous satire of Victorian manners, packed with razor-sharp dialogue, tangled romances, and plenty of mistaken identities. Follow the mischievous Jack and Algernon as they navigate secret identities, meddling aunts, and scandalously misplaced handbags, all in the pursuit of love and social standing. But as their carefully crafted lies unravel, chaos reigns—leading to revelations as uproarious as they are unexpected. This vibrant new production brings Wilde’s iconic characters and unforgettable one-liners to life, offering a fresh take on a play that continues to captivate audiences over a century after its debut.
For further details on these and to view all events visit www.lyrictheatre.co.uk
DU Dance: visit www.dudanceni.com
Grand Opera House: presents an exciting series with highlights including,
• Give My Head Peace, 24-29 March
• Myra’s Story, 1-5 April
• Danny Tango, 4-5 April
• Thursdays with Elvis, 7-12 April
• Horrible Histories – Terrible Tudors, 24-26 April
• Horrible Histories, Awful Egyptians, 24-26 April
• The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, 29 April – 3 May
• Tina – The Tina Turner Musical, 6-24 May
• Six the Musical – 10-14 June
• NI Opera Morning Melodies, 11 June
• Kinky Boots the Musical, 17-21 June
• Only Fools and Horses The Musical, 23-28 June
For tickets and to view the full programme please visit www.goh.co.uk
Strand Arts Centre: The Strand Arts Centre is undergoing a multi-million pound refurbishment. Visit www.strandartscentre.com for details on their current programme.
The Playhouse in Derry-Londonderry: presents
• 27 March, Dr. Strangelove
• 28 March, The Murder of Michael Collins
• 1 May, Jazz Festival, No Citation
• 18 May, Murder for Two, a new musical comedy
Visit www.derryplayhouse.co.uk
Linen Hall Library: the Linen Hall Library is a truly unique institution. Founded in 1788, it is the oldest library in Belfast. The library is free for all to enter and enjoy. The Linen Hall Library offers a year-round programme of arts and cultural events featuring authors, academics, historians, performers, and much more. To view the full events programme at this wonderful library visit www.linenhall.com
Millennium Forum Derry-Londonderry: presents music, comedy, theatre and more with highlights including:
• 28 March – 12 December, Energy of Light Discos, 15+
• 28-29 March, Myra’s Story
• 9-12 April, Oklahoma
• 18 April, Ryan McMullan
• 19 April, Meatloaf by Candlelight
• 17 May, Wicked Sing-along
• 28 May, The Snapper by Roddy Doyle
• 30 May, UB40
• 30 May, Diona Doherty
• 2-4 June, Christy Moore
• 18-21 June, Annie
• 18-23 August, The Rocky Horror Show
The Millennium Form also has a number of regular accessible events including:
• Act Your Age, Age Friendly Drama Group – 2 sessions a month
• Moves & Melodies, age friendly song and dance workshop – monthly event
• Dementia Friendly Tea Dance – monthly event
• Energy of Light 15+ Disco – monthly disco
• Sensory Musical Theatre – weekly event
View all events at www.millenniumforum.co.uk
THE MAC: presents a fantastic programme of theatre, comedy music and talks with highlights including:
• 29 March, Rebel Roses, David Holmes plus special guests. Calling all you vibe-loving heads. You, who lived for the thrill of a sticky floor, a makeshift stage, and a toilet situation best left undescribed. You, who know that the best nights happen when the setup feels a little too good to be legal. This is that night. The MAC, but wilder, weirder, louder. Expect drag cabaret that’ll melt your mascara, live acts that’ll shake your soul, and the MAC done up like she hasn’t been in years. And at the heart of it all? David Holmes—Belfast’s own legendary DJ, producer, film composer, and the man behind God’s Waiting Room, the left-of-centre club night that’s become the stuff of myth. No comps, no guest list—this fundraiser is about supporting the artists and communities that make Belfast magic. Dress Code? Avant-garde? Punk? Cabaret? Floral fever dream? Yes.
• 5 April, Incubate Festival with Tinderbox Theatre Company
• 17 April, Unanimous, In association with the MAC, DU Dance (NI) presents UNANIMOUS - a powerful and energy packed event for families, young people and anyone with an interest in dance. Eleven of the best youth dance theatre groups from across the island of Ireland will perform in this celebratory, non-competitive event. This year we are delighted to include the National Youth Dance Company of Scotland and for the first time, Mannin Youth Dance Company from the Isle of Man. Come along and see the dancers of tomorrow, here today.
• 24 Apr-11 May, Murder for Two by Bruiser Theatre Company, a new musical comedy. Bruiser Theatre Company and the MAC present a hilarious high-energy musical whodunit - Murder For Two is a madcap murder mystery with a twist. Two actors play thirteen characters… and the piano. They put the LAUGHTER into MANSLAUGHTER. A loving homage to the canon of murder mystery plays, Murder For Two is a hysterical blend of music, mayhem and murder.
• 20 March to 4 September, Queer Set Dancing. Come along to a Queer Set Dancing class with Alexa Moore. Part of the MACtivate programme, in association with The Rainbow Project, the MAC’s fortnightly Queer Set Dancing class with Alexa Moore is specifically beginner-friendly. Join Alexa and the group for a fun class with no expectation of any prior dancing experience. The class is run by a queer woman and we aim to create a welcoming and friendly environment for LGBTQ+ people and allies to learn a new dance, have some fun, and meet new people. Come along when you can - you don't need to have joined from the first date to attend. All welcome.
• 5-7 June, Anthem for Dissatisfaction by Gina Donnelly. Irish Twins Sarah and Jamie are about to hit 30. But before they do, they're reliving their greatest hits; ‘Credit crunch’, ‘Austerity’ and ‘Free School Meals’… Benefits Britain never sounded so good! And in 2023 everything’s going wrong again, the bills keep going up and the opportunities keep going down. Sarah and Jamie aren’t two kids in one bedroom anymore, the future is uncertain and there’s only so long you can hang on to the past. A euphoric, working-class celebration of the power of live music, teenage angst, sibling rivalry and love in this electric and hilarious, coming-of-age anthem for anyone who ever wanted more. Winner of the Solas Nua Award at the Dublin Fringe Festival 2024.
For all this and more visit www.themaclive.com to view a full programme of events and exhibitions.
Crescent Arts Centre: presents a series of language, visual arts, craft, music, dance classes, and more plus workshops and events. Highlights include:
• 28 March, Imagine Festival: Words as Weapons, Words as Medicine
• 28 March, Imagine Festival: Glimmers: A Writing Workshop with Erin Fornoff
• 29 March, Imagine Festival: Lemn Sissay - Let the Light Pour In
• 5 April, Stripped Down: Polar Bolero & RUÁ
• 26 April, All The Best: A Tribute to John Prine
• 2 May, Super Connected. Is it time to break up with our phones. A return of the stage adaptation of the critically acclaimed album by Tim Arnold, The Crescent is delighted to bring to Belfast Super Connected: An art rock Black Mirror-esque show fusing film, live music, and theatre about the ticking time bomb of social media and big tech. As the film rolls, Arnold performs on stage and screen accompanied by pianist Sarah Kershaw. With the scale of Radiohead and panache of Bowie, Super Connected is a digital age take on the silent movie. With narration by Stephen Fry. Full of wit, wisdom and terror, the show explores a family’s struggle with technology addiction.
• 23 August, Belfast Guitar Festival 2025 Songs in the key of Fleetwood Mac
Visit www.crescentarts.org for details.
Seamus Heaney HomePlace: View the full programme at www.seamusheaneyhome.com
Walled City Music and Moving On Music (Belfast) present Quatuor Béla, one of France’s leading string quartets on a rare tour of Northern Ireland, supported by Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Queens University Belfast. The tour will begin in Christ Church Derry on Thursday 3rd April with Walled City Music, continuing to St Macartin’s Enniskillen with Music in Fermanagh, Market Place Theatre Armagh on Saturday 5th and finishing in Harty Room QUB Belfast on Sunday 6th April.
Guided by the personality and work of Béla Bartok, the quartet play and deliver programmes with sincere conviction. Recognized for their "diabolical technique" (Télérama), Quatuor Béla have become one of the leading European quartets working with contemporary composers such as Garth Knox, Kaija Saariaho and Francesca Verunelli.
Founded in 2006 by four musicians from the National Higher Conservatory of Music of Lyon and Paris, the Béla Quartet were brought together by a shared passion for the repertoire of the 20th century. The quartet is committed to championing new compositions and exploring the relationship between composers and performers.
This tour of NI will feature significant works of the classical repertoire with Beethoven’s Serioso Quartet, Fauré’s only string quartet, alongside works by Queens University associated composers Piers Hellawell, and world premieres by Simon Mawhinney and Pedro Rebelo. For concert details and tickets for the Derry performance, please visit www.walledcitymusic.com
Dumbworld: presents, How We Stand, How We Breathe, a Series of New Music Interruptions/Performances for Orchestra and Mixed Societies. 26,27,28 March, Ulster Orchestra, Townsend Street.
The world is shifting, and with it, a new kind of world order is emerging. Amidst the tumult of change and the overwhelming sense of “wrongness”, people continue to gather, forming collectives in unexpected spaces—industrial estates, old churches, community halls, and more. These micro societies, united by a shared love of creation and expression, are symbols of resistance, hope, and joy.
Devised by composer Brian Irvine and writer-director John McIlduff, How We Stand, How We Breathe is a series of musical works that are the result of an extensive period of collaboration and co-creation with many diverse groups and collectives across Northern Ireland. These include poets, hip hop artists, adult carers, teenagers and schools from all corners of Northern Ireland, Sean-nós singers, LGBTQ choirs, migrant communities and improvisers; including Hotbox Studios, Anaka Collective, Cedar Lodge Special School and Quire Choir.
In this ambitious multi-movement work the collective experiences of the participants merge into a sonic exploration of individual worth, culture, democracy, race, gender, and belonging. The works will be recorded, filmed, and made available on various streaming platforms. Over the course of three days, six sessions will be recorded at Ulster Orchestra’s new home on Townsend Street and although the primary output will be video /music recordings available to stream at a later date (echoing the concept of NPR’s popular Tiny Desk Concerts).
Produced by Dumbworld in association with the Ulster Orchestra, this event promises to be a one-of-a-kind celebration of creativity, collaboration, and cultural expression. Visit www.dumbworld.com
David Lyttle Live at the MAC: Celebrated jazz musician David Lyttle hosts a weekly series at the MAC every Saturday from 2:30pm featuring acclaimed international performers, next generation NI talent and the unique Jazzlife Jam for under 18s. Born in Co. Armagh, David has brought his projects to almost 50 countries and received nominations in the MOBO Awards and Urban Music Awards for Best Jazz Act. He has collaborated with cutting edge jazz icons of today from Joe Lovano to Kurt Rosenwinkel, as well as unique studio projects in hip-hop with Talib Kweli and spoken word with Liam Neeson. Closer to home he founded the Jazzlife Alliance charity in 2018 and in 2021 established its flagship jazz improvisation programme Jazz Juniors, which now operates nationally in three NI hubs.
David will perform in the MAC’s upstairs cafe space from 2:30pm every Saturday until June with special guests from six countries scheduled and up-and-coming NI talent featured regularly. Free to the public thanks to the support of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and The MAC, the event’s second half will see under 18s from Jazz Juniors and beyond take to the stage for the Jazzlife Jam in association with Jazzlife Alliance.
For David Lyttle on social media for news and updates.
Northern Ireland Opera: presents,
• 3 April: La Voix Humaine, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire
• #18 April, Music for Good Friday, R. Strauss Metamorphosen & Haydn The Seven Last Words Of Christ. Haydn’s The Seven Last Words of Christ is a deep, contemplative drama based on the events leading up to the crucifixion and the earthquake that marked the moment of Jesus’s death. The music pulls us into an ominous and unsettled world; a lament at the foot of the cross. Richard Strauss’s Metamorphosen for strings is another lament, this time for the destruction wrought in Munich in World War II and the shattering of cultural life as the composer knew it. Full of loss and anguish – but also serenity and majesty – this is music for meditation and reflection this Good Friday.
• 5 June: La Voix Humaine, The Everyman, Cork
• 11 June: Morning Melodies – The Golden Age of the Musical
• 22-24 August: The Glenarm Festival of Voice
• 13-20 Sep 2025, Follies, Stephen Sondheim and James Goldman. Northern Ireland Opera’s next major production at the Grand Opera House is ‘Follies’, winner of 7 Tony Awards on its debut on Broadway in 1971. Set in that same year, the girls of Weismann’s ‘Follies’ are returning with their partners to the decaying theatre on Broadway which holds so many memories for them for one last time before it is demolished. Time may have moved on, but inside the theatre old connections stir, rivalries flare and ghosts of the past are woken. By the time they all leave the theatre for one last time, their world’s will have shifted and nothing will be the same again. With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by James Goldman, this legendary work features unforgettable songs including ‘Broadway Baby’, ‘I’m Still Here’, ‘Could I Leave You’, and ‘Losing My Mind’. ‘Follies’ will be directed by Cameron Menzies, Artistic Director of Northern Ireland Opera.
Visit www.niopera.com for more information on all events.
Moving on Music: presents,
• 11 Apr, Eoghan Ó Ceannabháín & Ultan O’Brien, The Duncairn
• 9 May, Mohammad Syfkhan, Black Box
• 14 May, The Necks, The Empire
• 16-18 May , Genticorum (tour), various venues
• 2 June, Tengger, Crescent Arts Centre
• 3 June, Eric Chenaux, American Bar
• 8 June, Josephine Foster, Black Box
Visit www.movingonmusic.com
Portico of Ards: presents
Feel Good Festival: The historic Portico of Ards in Portaferry is set to come alive with vibrant music, arts and cultural events as the much-anticipated Feel Good Festival, 1 – 31 March 2025, prepares to awaken your senses and welcome in Spring with five weekends of sumptuous sounds. The Feel Good Festival programme features: Nordic choral sensation Sjaella; New York’s finest chamber ensemble The Calidore String Quartet; Motown magic from the 60s and 70s with The Iconettes; Come on and Sing, Get Happy! workshop with Una McCann; DJ Reductio presents The Mashup Dance Event; organ recital with Peter Stevens from Westminster Cathedral; new and acclaimed local (NI) pop/rock band The Breeze; Sound Bath Journey with Tessa Ann; comedy with Paddy McDonnell: Dagger and 50 Years of Hits with Foster & Allen. For further information on booking festival tickets and accommodation offers visit www.porticoards.com
Ulster Orchestra:
• 4 April, April in Paris, A celebration of jazz and symphonic music. Fiona Monbet conducts and performs her own work, Faubourg 23, written for jazz ensemble and orchestra; a celebration of both jazz and symphonic music that sits in a lineage that flows from Stephane Grappelli and is effervescent, uplifting and full of the joys of spring in Paris!
• 18 April, Music for Good Friday, R. Strauss Metamorphosen & Haydn The Seven Last Words Of Christ. Haydn’s The Seven Last Words of Christ is a deep, contemplative drama based on the events leading up to the crucifixion and the earthquake that marked the moment of Jesus’s death. The music pulls us into an ominous and unsettled world; a lament at the foot of the cross. Richard Strauss’s Metamorphosen for strings is another lament, this time for the destruction wrought in Munich in World War II and the shattering of cultural life as the composer knew it. Full of loss and anguish – but also serenity and majesty – this is music for meditation and reflection this Good Friday.
• 2 May, Take the Stage, This concert shines a spotlight on music filled with sumptuous drama. Strauss’s incidental music for Ariadne auf Naxos gives more than a flavour of its protagonists flitting across the opera stage. Mozart’s Piano Concerto No.24 just pre-dates Don Giovanni and The Marriage of Figaro and it too brings all the poise and characterful drama of opera to the concert stage. Our second half moves from the world of opera to ballet, as Tchaikovsky finished his Third Symphony before writing Swan Lake and this work pirouettes with the kinetic energy of the corps de ballet.
• 10 May, Epic Film Scores, Hans Zimmer and John Williams, Hans Zimmer and John Williams are two of the greatest film music composers of all time, creating epic scores for some of the most iconic films ever made. Experience this incredible symphonic celebration of music from blockbusters such as Gladiator, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park, Superman, Batman Begins and of course Harry Potter and re-live your memories of hearing and seeing it for the first time.
• 16 May, Grand Masters, Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky and Rachmaninoff are three giants of Russian music, and this concert foregrounds all their exceptional talents. Arensky uses one of Tchaikovsky’s Sixteen Children’s Songs to capture a range of moods and character, while Stravinsky’s Concerto for Violin is a feisty, joyful romp for the instrument, full of cheerful melody and musical wit. To close, a second visit to the no-holds-barred emotional world of Rachmaninoff’s symphonies (though you’ll have to wait until 2025/26 for Symphony No.3!) and the achingly beautiful, flamboyantly majestic Second.
• 30 May, Act of Defiance, Was it, or wasn’t it, an act of defiance and bitter retort to Stalin’s displeasure? Shostakovich’s life was so utterly and constantly in peril that he could never publicly declare whether his Fifth Symphony was simply ‘a Soviet artist’s reply to just criticism’ or a satirical puncturing of the dictator, deliberately hollow but dressed as adulation. But either way, it’s a phenomenal piece of music – playful, poignant and magisterial, it’s a blockbuster end to the Season. Walton’s lyrically romantic Cello Concerto sets the scene for Shostakovich’s dramatic fireworks.
Visit www.ulsterorchestra.com for the full programme.
Oh Yeah Centre Belfast: presents a programme of music and tours with highlights including,
• The NI Music exhibition at Oh Yeah is the only permanent exhibit for popular music in Northern Ireland. There is much to see, including a series of storyboards documenting and plotting the history and the stories of Folk, Punk, Rock, Jazz and more. Exhibition Opening Times, Mon – Fri: 10am-4pm, Sat: 12-5pm. To enquire about a visit, or for further info and group bookings please contact info@ohyeahbelfast.com or call 02890310845
• 28 March, BILK
• 30 March, Imagine Belfast presents: Songs of Freedom featuring The Vibes
• 5 April, Back To The 80s: Over 30s
• 8 May, Screening of Poitín with Bán Poitín Tasting & Talk
• 28 Jun, Girls with Guts Fest 2025
Visit www.ohyeahbelfast.com
The Black Box: presents a varied programme of music, comedy, street art tours and other arts events with highlights including:
For further information visit www.blackboxbelfast.com
Scott’s Jazz Club: Scott's Jazz Club runs a weekly concert in Ballyhackamore club 1a Sandown Road every Friday Night from 9pm. The club provides a welcoming environment for world class jazz music to be experienced in a concert setting. For upcoming performances visit Scott's Jazz Club (scottsjazzclub.com)
ITMA: 'Drawing from the Well' is an online monthly ITMA series which connects artists with archival materials to inspire new art. To date, nine videos, podcasts and blogs have been created by leading traditional musicians, singers, and dancers, including Louise Mulcahy, Martin Hayes, Edwina Guckian and Cormac Begley. All episodes are free to view online at https://www.itma.ie/drawingfro...
A combined male voice choir concert: Friday 28th March at Fisherwick Presbyterian Church, Belfast in aid of The Prostate Cancer Centre of Excellence QUB. The concert features the Queen’s Island Victoria Male Choir, The Boys Brigade Centenary Male Voice Choir, and Ballymoney and District Male Voice Choir. Doors 6:45, concert starts at 7:30pm. Suggested donation £10.
Prison Arts Foundation: presents, the Imprisoned Imagination Exhibition, 7-30 March, 2 Royal Avenue Belfast. This exhibition showcases the inspiring and powerful artwork created by incarcerated individuals, offering a unique perspective on creativity, resilience, and the transformative power of the arts.
Circusful:
• Circus Explored - an all-Ireland project delivering events on 7th June for Crinniu na n'Og (day of children's creativity) and an ongoing collaboration between 6 youth circus organisations across the island of Ireland - Circusful, Galway Community Circus, Circus Factory Cork, Dublin Circus Project, Cloughjordan Circus Club and In Your Space Circus Derry.
• Circusful also currently have some class spaces available for 2-3 year olds (attending with a parent/guardian) and 12 -15 year olds. To find out more or book a spot for your young person, get in touch with them at classes@circusful.org
Visit www.circusful.org
Crescent Arts Centre has a new term of classes to book and enjoy now. Fancy learning to speak some Italian before your holiday to Italy this year? Well now’s your chance! From visual arts, language classes, acting, dance, music making and more, there’s something to tantalise all tastes. Visit www.crescentarts.co.uk
Duncairn: presents live music from the following,
• 28 Mar, Salt House
• 29 Mar, Connor McCann & The Heroine Choir
• 4 Apr, Conor Caldwell & Ryan Molloy
• 11 Apr, Eoghan Ó Ceannabháín & Ultan O’Brien
• 17 Apr, Buí
• 25 Apr, Jinx Lennon + Rare Witch
• 26 Apr, Zoé Basha - Gamble Album Launch
• 1 May, Carsie Blanton
• 9 May, Alannah Thornburgh - Shapeshifter Album Launch
• 18 May, Genticorum
• 23 May, Lewis McLaughlin
The Duncairn also has a range of workshops and craft classes and courses. For further details visit www.theduncairn.com
Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fiaich: presents,
• Irish Language Intensive Course. Intensive courses are a great way to boost your language skills in a short space of time. The course will be both motivating and informative and will take your confidence in the Irish language to another level. The levels we offer are: Bunrang | Beginner , Meanrang | Intermediate , Ardrang | Advanced . Please email sinead@culturlann.ie for more information
• Yoga Classes with Dunla, 6:30-7:30pm, £5. No need to register, just pay on arrival.
For this and more visit www.culturlann.ie
Greater Shantallow Community Arts: presents Spill The Tae Youth Led Podcast from the young people at Studio2/GSCA. This amazing group of creative young people have launched their very own podcast and it can be found on Spotify or Apple Podcast. The young people plan, host, interview and edit the Podcast. To date they have interviewed some of their local MLA’s, Councillors, survivors and local Derry’s own Serena Terry, creator of Mammy Banter. As well as this they have a voice and a safe place where they can openly talk about mental health and what it means to them. You can find the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcast.
Eden Place Arts Centre: in Derry-Londonderry has an exciting range of courses and workshops to get your creative juices flowing including wood sculpture, Inner Landscapes, Abstract Art, Ceramics, Painting for Beginners, Contemporary Botanical Watercolours, Landscape Painting Life Painting, Spinning and Weaving plus Portrait Painting, among others. All courses are designed for adults aged 18+. Visit www.edenplaceartscentre.com
WheelWorks Arts: presents,
ArtCart: Unique to WheelWorks Arts (WWA) is their ArtCart community engagement and outreach programme, which brings creative and artistic activities to your community. ArtCart is also the name WWA gives to its bespoke vehicle that can travel across Northern Ireland and transform into a unique workshop space. ArtCart is available for hire at youth, community, education, and festival events, bringing artistic and creative activities to the community. The available inventive activities cover digital and traditional arts and can include animation, DJing/music making, arts & crafts, and digital arts using augmented and virtual reality. For further information and to hear about their special Art Cart offers over Christmas, visit https://www.wheelworksarts.com... or email artcart@wheelworksarts.com.
TS3 Programme: The Tech Studio Skills Share (TS3 programme) is a new initiative by WheelWorks Arts (WWA) that offers training to help people improve their creativity and skills in digital communication by harnessing the specialist artistic expertise of the WWA team. The staff team at WWA consists of professional artists and digital innovators who have a wealth of knowledge, talent, and experience in delivering creative activities. They are now offering a range of training opportunities to the corporate and commercial sectors. For further information, visit https://www.wheelworksarts.com....
TechStudio: This is a 60m2 meeting room and collaboration space available for hire at our office in Weaver's Court, close to Belfast city centre (BT12 5GH). The room is equipped with a range of digital and recording resources, including cameras, green screens, tripods, iPads, and an interactive whiteboard, all available for hire. For pricing and to book the TechStudio, please use our online booking system. For further information, visit https://www.wheelworksarts.com... or email info@wheelworksarts.com or business@wheelworksarts.com.
ChangeMaker: This is a programme by WWA that connects people from diverse communities with varied identities within organisations, communities, or geographical areas. It encourages open dialogue, exploration, and recognition of differences to foster mutual inclusion, enhance interpersonal understanding, and ultimately boost inter and intra-community cohesion. The programme explores perceptions, stereotypes, and misconceptions that workshop participants may have, with a view to understanding other contributors' values, heritage, biases, and experiences, and why people may have certain views or stereotypes. It also highlights how many of these perspectives may be unintentional, unconscious, and often unchallenged. For more information, contact Lesley@wheelworksarts.com.
Streetwise Community Circus: Fancy learning how to juggle and other circus skills?! In response to Covid 19 Streetwise Community Circus has developed a team of tutors who are now working via Zoom to reach out to those who can no longer participate in workshops. To take advantage of this opportunity all you have to do is email Streetwise on streetwiseathome@gmail.com. Suitable for participants who range in age from 8 to 80 plus.
Late Night Art Bangor: LNA Bangor is an initiative that aims to share Bangor’s amazing arts and cultural venues and showcase the creatives who live and work there. On the last Thursday of every month from 6-9pm you can enjoy open house across the city centre. LNA is about encouraging collective effort. All you need is to share the goal of creating a vibrant arts community. Visit www.latenighartbangor.com
The MAC Belfast: presents, I see his blood upon the Rose, 8 Nov 2024 - 30 Mar 2025, a major MAC exhibition across all three galleries that traces the history of the flower in art, its evolution from botanical illustrations to the opulent still-life paintings of the 17th century, their adoption as symbols of political influence, revolution, and human control over nature. Visit www.themaclive.com
Craft NI: presents a new exhibition, ‘Makers Who Teach: ME. HERE. NOW.’ Dates: March 6 – May 2, 2025; exhibition opens March 6 at 6pm. Building on the success of the first ‘Makers Who Teach’ exhibition which took place in 2023, Craft NI are pleased to present the 2025 edition of this unique event. This year’s theme, Me. Here. Now, highlights the creative practices of makers who teach others as part of their overall practice, whether it’s in classrooms, workshops and communities. The show focuses on their current creative endeavours and it shines a spotlight on their recent works, ensuring they are seen and appreciated not only as teachers, but also as makers.
Exhibiting makers: Aisling Higgins, Alison Gault, Andrea Hayes, Clare Bowe, Heather Burgess, Helen Hancock, Jonathan Williams, Justine Bonenfant, Louisa McCartney, Maggie Napier, Natasha Duddy, Nichola Dalton, Patrick Colhoun, Ruzica Ruane, Sandra Kerr, Scott Benefield, Shauna McCann, Theresa Kelly, Tracey Johnston. Visit www.craftni.org
Seacourt Print Workshop: Seacourt is a friendly open-access print workshop based in the seaside town of Bangor, Northern Ireland. They offer membership, courses and resources for all, as well as our self-arranged residency programme and exhibitions. Visit https://seacourt-ni.org.uk
Golden Thread Gallery: Belfast's leading contemporary art gallery, located at 23-29 Queen Street, BT1 6EA. Free Entry.
• Current exhibition: History of The Present: Maria Fusco and Margaret Salmon, 15 Feb – 29 Mar 2025. Together with the Golden Thread Gallery, Maria Fusco and Margaret Salmon present History of the Present, an exhibition based around the critically acclaimed work of the same name, History of the Present (2023). This 46-minute experimental opera-film was made collaboratively by Fusco and Salmon, featuring new compositions by Annea Lockwood, libretto by Maria Fusco and improvisational vocal work by Héloïse Werner. Made on 35mm film and video on the streets of Belfast, in the Ulster Museum, and the Royal Opera House in London, History of the Present observes how defensive architecture defines movement to enforce intersectional histories and identities within daily experiences in conflict and post-conflict zones on an international level.
• Stay a While: Stuart Calvin Exhibition, 3 April – 7 June 2025. The Golden Thread Gallery is delighted to present new work by Belfast sculptor Stuart Calvin in our Lower Gallery, opening on Late Night Art in April 2025. Calvin’s sculptural work explores themes of human fragility, and the search for meaning in a world marked by political turmoil, societal collapse, and environmental anxiety. His art delves into the shared experience of feeling helpless in the face of seemingly insurmountable world tragedy and reflects on reclaiming control and personal agency in the face of this chaos. Through mediums like wax, gold, plaster, metal, and light, Calvin’s practice bridges the personal and the universal, offering an immersive installation of sculpture that invites reflection and connection. His work attempts to turn darkness into a resonant exploration of hope, truth, and discovery, reflecting a collective uncertainty and the precarious nature of human existence today.
• Decoys & Ghosts: John Rainey Exhibition, 12 April – 7 June. ‘Decoys and Ghosts’ at the Golden Thread Gallery is an ambitious exploration of two recurring sculptural themes in John Rainey’s work over the last 10 years – imitation and revisiting. Materials, their histories and associated processes have always formed a core component of his practice. In the staging of work in exhibitions, Rainey aims to create environments and designed experiences where groupings of sculptures form relationships and act as installations. Plinths become sculptural extensions, evolve into dioramas, or morph into viewing platforms for audiences to climb. This exhibition will feature a combination of retrospective and new work by the artist, centered around a new large scale installation. As the the broadest survey of Rainey’s work to-date, it will be an opportunity to explore recent developments in his practice, alongside works that trace his path to this current moment.
Golden Thread Gallery also has a range of other events on including:
• Mindful Colouring Drop-In Workshops (ages 18+). Mindful colouring is great for your brain. Engaging in art activities has been proven to benefit mental health and help with anxiety and depression, improve focus, and promote relaxation. Come down to the Hub on Friday mornings and end your week on a calm note. Go outside the lines if you like All materials are provided, as well as tea, coffee & biscuits. No booking required, just drop in!
• GTG Arts & Craft Materials Swap Saturday 29th March 2-3.30pm. New! Monthly arts & crafts materials swap. If you have art materials that have been gathering dust, or that you don’t want anymore but are too good to throw away, why not pass them on to others to put to good use. Come along to our materials swap with new or lightly-used art materials and exchange them with others. Reduce waste, help other artists, and come away with inspiring new materials for yourself! Materials must be in good condition, and anything not exchanged must be taken away with you again. This event is free and swaps are at the discretion of the owner. If you have any questions please email info@gtgallery.co.uk with the subject MATERIALS SWAP.
• NEW: Out of Office Drop-In Sessions Wednesdays 12-2PM. Give your head a brain shower over lunch with a simple creative activity in our Hub. Bring your lunch with you. Engaging in art activities has been proven to benefit mental health and help with anxiety and depression, improve focus, and promote relaxation. ll materials are provided, as well as tea, coffee & biscuits. No booking required, just drop in!
For all of the above and more visit https://goldenthreadgallery.co...
Belfast Exposed: presents,
Healing Through Photography. Northern Ireland’s leading photography centre announces Healing Through Photography: Trauma & The Art of Recovery; a unique two-day event investigating the powerful role of photography in improving mental health and wellbeing. On 7 and 8 April 2025, hundreds of mental health practitioners, clinicians, leading academics, educators, photographers and those with lived experience of mental health issues will gather at Belfast’s MAC theatre, as Belfast Exposed hosts its second “Healing Through Photography” conference. Designed to inspire and equip attendees with practical tools and meaningful insights into the potential of therapeutic photography to heal trauma, the event will be hosted by award-winning comedian, BBC presenter, and TEDx speaker Emer Maguire and will feature world-class speakers, interactive workshops, and thought-provoking panels.
Belfast Exposed will also host special exhibitions at their gallery in Donegall Street from 3 to 25 April, giving conference-goers a chance to experience work by Northern Irish photographers who have used photography to reflect on their mental health.
• In The Shadow Of The Butterfly Bush Exhibition, 3-25 April 2025. Exhibition by Gareth McConnell at Belfast Exposed as part of Healing Through Photography conference. Belfast Exposed is delighted to present In the Shadow of the Butterfly Bush, a compelling new exhibition by acclaimed Northern Irish photographer Gareth McConnell. Running from 3 to 25 April, this thought-provoking work has been specially commissioned by Northern Ireland Alternatives to mark over 25 years of the organisation’s transformative work in restorative justice. The exhibition forms a key part of the Healing Through Photography conference.
Visit www.belfastexposed.com for tickets.
VOID Art Centre: www.derryvoid.com
Platform Arts: Visit www.nuacollective.com for more information.
CCA: presents, Take Hold - an exhibition guest curated by Rachel Botha at CCA Derry~Londonderry
Launch: 28 March, 7—9pm
Duration: 28 March — 7 June 2025
Take Hold is a group exhibition curated by Rachel Botha, as part of New Curating 2025 at CCA Derry~Londonderry. Take Hold explores "hope as a practice" in the face of crisis through diverse artistic mediums. Featuring works by nine artists, it reimagines hope as a tool for resistance, interconnectedness, and action. Visit www.ccadld.org for more details.
Market Place Arts Centre - 28/03/25-10/05/25
25th Anniversary Exhibition
A group exhibition of up to 25 works from the Arts Council of Northern Ireland I Collection selected by the Market Place, celebrating the work of artists from the ABC borough held in the Collection across disciplines and also those who have previously exhibited in the centre in its 25-year history.
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