Why Autumn is the Perfect Time to Experience Belfast's Culture Scene
Why Autumn is the Perfect Time to Experience Belfast's Culture Scene
Belfast International Arts Festival
Autumn is the perfect time to experience Northern Ireland’s cultural heartbeat. As the nights grow longer, the region becomes a stage for prestigious festivals and acclaimed arts events that celebrate creativity, diversity, and artistic innovation.
Leading the way is the renowned Belfast International Arts Festival, a flagship multi-disciplinary event featuring international and local theatre, dance, music, visual arts, and thought leadership. Over four weeks (14 October – 9 November), the festival will present voices and stories from around the world in a celebration of global creativity. Highlights include Our Voice Together Now, a unique dance exchange between Belfast, Cairo and Ramallal, and Anchored in Air, the ground-breaking aerial theatre show that pushes the boundaries of circus. An impressive programme of theatre will include a bold new production about artificial intelligence – Instructions, which will see an unrehearsed actor with no knowledge of the script follow real-time instructions to create a unique story.
In the historic walled city of Derry~Londonderry, cinema is the star of the Foyle Film Festival (19–30 November). The festival presents screenings of over 50 films from around the world, as well as workshops, talks from leading industry figures and the prestigious Light in Motion short film competition. The competition is a gateway to the Oscars®, with the winners of three of the categories – Best Irish Short, Best International Short, and Best Animated Short – eligible to enter the Academy Awards, providing they meet the season’s requirements.
Belfast Cathedral Quarter, Cobbled Streets, Belfast
Celebrating and supporting Northern Ireland’s LGBTQ+ community, Belfast’s Outburst Queer Arts Festival (14–22 November) presents theatre, spoken word, music, visual art, film and performance, pushing creative and social boundaries. This year’s eclectic programme includes queer opera, Dublin Jack, and an innovative one-man show by acclaimed circus artist Christopher McAuley that mixes theatre, trapeze, visuals and a conversation with his dad. Up-and-coming queer performance artists are showcased in the Brewing event while makers of original art and craft work are celebrated at the art market.
The light shines on contemporary art at the prestigious Royal Ulster Academy’s Annual Exhibition at the Ulster Museum (19 October – 4 January), which brings together emerging talent and celebrated established artists, such as Andrew Cranston, Donovan Wylie and Jennifer Trouton. With over 300 works on display spanning painting, sculpture, ceramics, print, and textile, the free show (now in its 144th year) takes the pulse of contemporary art in Northern Ireland. There will also be talks, artist-led workshops, guided tours and the opportunity to chat with showcased artists in a programme that should be on every art lover’s must-see list.