Every Monday from 10:00am - 10:30am. Booking is essential; phone from 9:00am on the Friday before event. Rhythm and Rhyme sessions introduce parents and children aged 0 - 4 years to the wonder of rhymes, songs and stories; children must be accompanied by an adult.
aged 0 - 4 years; Children require an accompanying adultVenue listing
Every Monday from 10:00am - 12 noon. Tea and Newspapers groups give adults the opportunity to meet new people, socialise and discuss local and national affairs in the newspapers while enjoying complimentary tea/coffee and biscuits.7 libraries, 10:00 to 10:30
Every Monday from 10:30am - 12 noon. Knit and Natter Groups are for adults who enjoy knitting, crochet, cross stitch and other crafts. They are free of charge to attend and participants have the opportunity to share hints and tips, swap patterns, meet new people and learn new skills. Members can bring along a project they are already working on or can start something new.5 libraries, 10:30 to 15:00
This event takes place every Monday. It provides an opportunity for parents, guardians, grandparents or Childminders to socialise with each other in a library setting over a cup of tea and a biscuit. No booking required; suitable for children 0-3 years (accompanied by an adult). Contact for more information: Eamonn Lynch t: 028 9050 9210 e: Chichester.library@librariesni.org.uk
Share and read your selected poems and then if you wish discuss, within a pleasant and relaxed group of likeminded people. Very informal all welcome with tea and coffee. Every Monday from 10:30am - 12 noon.
Every Monday from 11:30am to 12 noon. Phone to book on Saturday prior to Monday Rhythm and Rhyme. Rhythm and Rhyme sessions introduce parents and children aged 0 - 4 years to the wonder of rhymes, songs and stories. Each session offers an entertaining opportunity for children to engage with others, provides a good foundation to develop their reading, listening and language skills and of course to have lots of fun!6 libraries, 10:30 to 14:30
Mary
Ann’s Poor House Tales – Clifton House Self-Guided Audio and AR Tour Experience
Mary
Ann McCracken (1770 – 1866) was a remarkable woman who, throughout her life,
fought for the rights of the poor and disadvantaged in her hometown of Belfast
and further afield. Her life is inextricably linked to the Belfast Poor House.
Mary
Ann was just six years old when she first visited the Belfast Poor House. From
that day on she worked tirelessly to support and uplift the poor, and her
influence within the house left a legacy that can still be felt today.
Mary
Ann’s Poor House Tales
is a 30-minute self-guided audio
and AR tour experience of Clifton House, during which you will hear all about
her work and endeavours, her family, and the people who shaped her journey. You
will also learn about some of the people who Mary Ann helped and supported;
residents of the Poor House whose stories deserve to be told. As you listen to
these stories and explore the house, you will stroll through the same hallways
that Mary Ann walked every day.
This
tour experience includes augmented reality (AR), bringing Mary Ann’s Poor House
tales to life. Glimpse into the nursery school, set up by her and the Ladies
Committee; see into the basement, where Mary Ann ensured women and children
learnt a skill and trade to escape poverty; and gaze out the window into 18
th
Century Belfast, and spot the ships masts as Mary Ann would have seen as a
child.
Please
note:
Clifton House remains a working building, hosting conferences,
talks, and events in addition to tours. For this reason, availability for
self-guided tours will change on a weekly basis. We recommend checking in
advance to confirm available tour times and make your booking.
This new experience has been funded by Belfast
City Council and Belfast Charitable Society.
Further
Information
Free App Download:
Mary Ann’s Poor House Tales
self-guided tour
makes use of a free app, downloadable from both the
Apple App Store
and
Google Play
. Clifton House has
devices available to use with the App, however if you prefer to use your own
mobile, please download the app in advance of your visit. Please note that
there are sometimes compatibility issues with older devices, but rest assured
we will be able to provide a device and headsets on your arrival if the app
fails to download on your own mobile.
·
Audio-Only Tour:
Please note that
the tour currently includes audio only and does not feature subtitles or
BSL/ISL interpretation.
Available Languages:
The audio is
available in English, Irish, Spanish, French, German, and Italian.
Headphones:
Headphones are
available to borrow at Clifton House. However, if you prefer to use your own
device to experience the tour, we encourage visitors to bring their own
earphones also, to avoid any compatibility issues.
Tour Route:
The self-guided
tour takes place entirely on the ground floor of Clifton House and does not
include access to our historic Board Room. To explore more of our history and
visit Belfast’s most historic room, consider joining one of our
fully guided
tours
led by our expert volunteers.
Parking:
Free onsite
parking is available at Clifton House.
Accessibility:
Please inform us
at least two days in advance of any accessibility requirements. While there are
steps at the entrance, alternative arrangements can be made with prior notice.
Cancellations & Refunds:
Cancellations
must be made at least 24 hours before the scheduled tour start time.
£5 per person
Age:
Not suitable for children
under 8 years old
Entry
to Clifton House for the Self-Guided Tour is £5 per person (not £5 per
device). The app is free to download. Sharing of devices to reduce cost is
not permitted.
Use
of headphones is a requirement of the tour. Clifton House is a working
building and the noise from devices not connected to headphones will
impact on other people’ experiences. Borrowing of headsets is free.9 times, 12:30 to 14:30
The library offers a dedicated space for children to complete their homework. Please note this is not a staff led activity. Every Monday from 3:00pm - 4:00pm No booking required t: 028 9266 9345 e: lisburncity.library@librariesni.org.uk
Mondays 3pm - 4pm & Tuesdays 7pm - 8pm
No Registration Required. Donations appreciated. Every week
Hosted by Marnie Kennedy Shared Reading brings people together through great literature to talk, laugh and share.
Just drop in and enjoy listening to a story or poem – no pressure to talk or read.
“Shared Reading means being part of a community… it is a peaceful place to reflect.”
“It slows you down and reminds you to listen.”
“It’s a chance to share and savour the delights of the short story and an opportunity to connect in a meaningful way with others.”
Over the past decade, the Ulster Museum has collected a significant number of important artworks from around the world—many of which have never been seen by the public until now. Art of the Possible features over 40 artworks made from glass, ceramics, silver, metalwork, jewellery, and wood.
These works were created by some of the most talented and important artists and designers working in these materials today.
Craft NI are delighted to be invited back for a second year to present a Guest Showcase at RUA’s 145th Annual Exhibition! The Royal Ulster Academy of Arts (RUA) returns to the Ulster Museum this autumn for its 145th Annual Exhibition, bringing together around 350 works by artists from Northern Ireland, across Ireland and further afield.
Craft NI will present a guest showcase within the exhibition, bringing together a curated selection of contemporary craft works spanning various disciplines such as ceramics, glass, jewellery, textiles, metalwork and furniture. The showcase brings together works that explore new, contemporary interpretations of the natural colours of the Irish landscape: from bespoke furniture and blown glass to silversmithing, ceramics and handcrafted jewellery, the works sit in conversation with one another, creating a shared canvas of the local landscape and its influence on the makers.
Participating designer-makers include Adam Frew, Andrea Spencer, Anima Roos, Anna Smyth, Cara Murphy (RUA Academician), Carla Pennie McBride, Céline Traynor, Joanne Lamb, John Piekaar, Mark Hanvey, Matthew Chambers, Rauni Higson, Sarah Cathers, Scott Benefield, Seliena Coyle and Shauna McCann.
The showcase highlights the breadth and vitality of the local craft sector, with an emphasis on the quality, creativity and technical skill evident in the work of NI designer-makers.
The Earth is the First Body: an Exhibition by Botanic Gardens Artist-in-Residence Kerrie Hanna
The Earth is the First Body is a new exhibition by artist Kerrie Hanna, created during her residency at Botanic Gardens. Using inks, pigments and charcoal made from plants growing in the Gardens, Kerrie has explored the stories, history and living landscape of this unique place. The exhibition looks at the Gardens' past, including the movement of plants around the world during Victorian times, while also highlighting the important work of protecting plants and biodiversity today.
Through stained glass and other artworks, The Earth is the First Body invites us to think about our connection to the natural world and our role in caring for it.
Join us for the exhibition opening event and be among the first to see the work. The exhibition officially opens to the public on 24 October and runs until 6 December.
Craft NI Gallery in partnership with Future Island-Island, Belfast School of Art, Live Borders Museums & Galleries and The Bernat Klein Foundation, is delighted to present a capsule exhibition of selected work that shares the legacy of Bernat Klein (1922 – 2014), textile designer and manufacturer, artist and colourist.
Colour connects every aspect of Klein’s creative practice that lasted a lifetime. Whether in his innovation of 1960s couture mohair tweeds or printed textiles, or evident in his work as an artist and colourist. Klein encompassed the importance of place in exploring his visual language of colour and texture.
There will also be a sister exhibition (details to follow) at Belfast School of Art and a symposium in November. Both exhibitions illustrate Klein’s influence across design, architecture, visual arts, as well as his significant creative and cultural contribution to Scotland. Original archive pieces give context to the work of contemporary practitioners who have been inspired by The Klein legacy, and which still holds relevance today.
Who was Bernat Klein? Serbian born designer Bernat Klein (1922 – 2014) emigrated to the UK in the post-war period and based his textile manufacturing business in the Scottish Borders (1951 – 1992). In a career spanning six decades, Klein found international success in the interlarded spheres of visual arts, fashion, textiles design, architecture, industrial design, and colour consultancy.
He sold couture fabrics to leading couriers such as Chanel and Dior, gained recognition in Scandinavia and North America, and realised two important buildings with modernist architect Peter Womersley (1923 – 1993).
An annual staple at Craft NI Gallery during the festive season, the Big Bauble Showcase features a wide selection of limited ranges and one-off baubles all handcrafted to a high standard by local designer-makers in porcelain, felt, enamel, textiles or hand blown glass. The event is a highlight for visitors who come back each year to add to their collection. Stop by to admire the skills of local makers and pick up a meaningful gift!
The Gift, Craft NI Gallery’s annual Christmas selling exhibition, opens November 5th! Join us for a festive opening night on November 5th, 6 – 9pm (Late Night Art Belfast) to see the latest creations of local designer-makers and a chance to meet some of them in person! Celebrating the creativity and craftsmanship of local makers, the exhibition brings together a thoughtfully curated collection of unique, handcrafted gifts, from contemporary jewellery and ceramics to textiles, woodwork and much more.
Whether you’re searching for a special gift for a loved one or something to treasure yourself for years to come, discover one-of-a-kind pieces made by talented makers right here on our doorstep. Participating makers: Abbie Dixon, Aisling Higgins, Anna Smyth, Fiona Kerr, Hugh Cummins, Inga Reed, Janice Gilmore, Jill Phillips, Marlene McKibbin, Martin Cameron, Mary Chris, Natasha Heaslip, Nichola Dalton, Rory Shearer, Sarah Elliott, Seamus Gill, Ursula McGivern. The exhibition runs until January 31st, 2027.
Celebrate 50 years of creativity with the Class of ’76, a group of artists who graduated from Belfast School of Art in 1976. Explore an exciting exhibition of paintings, drawings, photography, ceramics and conceptual art, organised by John Rubery. Showcasing the diverse and unexpected journeys of a generation of artists.
Launch : Saturday 14th November 1pm-3pm
Dates : 14th November – 13th February 2027
Gallery : Upper Gallery & Lower Gallery
Artist Talk : 20th November (TBC)
Ralf Sander’s largest solo exhibition in Northern Ireland to date, this exhibition brings together sculpture, photography, sound, film and satellite data to examine how images shape our understanding of reality.
A “perfect storm” describes a rare and powerful convergence of events. Sander uses this idea to consider the forces that shape how we see the world, and our capacity to influence them.
Sander turns satellite imagery and weather data, tools normally used to observe the Earth, into an artistic medium. Treating the satellite as a camera, he transforms scientific information into another way of seeing the world.
The resulting installation creates an illusion through photography, digital imagery and sculpture. It invites us to consider whether every photograph is, in some sense, an illusion: not reality itself, but one version of it. The work asks how this constructed reality differs from the reality we experience in everyday life.
The exhibition builds on Sander’s long-standing interest in testing the possibilities of sculpture across different materials and media. His work has been exhibited internationally, and he has also initiated and curated exhibitions and art projects.
The exhibition reflects Golden Thread Gallery’s continuing commitment to ambitious and critically engaged contemporary art. It extends the gallery’s programme beyond historical enquiry to address wider questions of perception and representation, and the role visual culture plays in shaping our shared understanding of the world.
About the Artist
Born in December 1963, Ralf Sander is an internationally active sculptor and conceptual artist. His practice ranges from large-scale public monuments and figurative sculptures carved from single tree trunks to experimental projects that connect art and science.
Sander has exhibited worldwide, in internationally acclaimed locations such as Bonner Kunsthalle, Museum of Art Stuttgart, Haus der Kunst Munich, Philadelphia Museum, Nowisibirsk Museum of Art and Seoul MoA.
Sander is a Reader in Fine Art at the Belfast School of Art , Ulster University. Originally from Berlin, he is now based in Islandmagee, Northern Ireland.
Accessibility
The Lower Gallery is accessed via the ground floor, which is step-free. The Upper Gallery is accessed via wheelchair accessible lift or by the stairwell.
Large print versions of exhibition texts are available.
Access videos of the gallery are available on our website here , with BSL and ISL signed versions.
Please let us know if you have any questions or additional requirements, we are working hard to make the gallery as accessible as possible for everyone.
Golden Thread Gallery is proud to hold an Arts & Disability Access Award Venue Accreditation.
Golden Thread Gallery is supported by: