Belfast School of Art

Making it on Rathlin - Crafting an Island Experience 7-8th August. Join us for a unique Rathlin Island overnight experience including a night at the Manor House and a wool workshop with Belfast School of Art textile researchers Alison Gault and Anna Duffy. Also included is a photography workshop and a chance to visit the West Lighthouse, the Boathouse Museum and the Breakwater Studio and Rathlin Cooperative, with the opportunity for a boat tour of the cliffs on the island. The arts and crafts on Rathlin have long formed part of our traditional island culture, building upon the necessity of self-sufficiency it makes the connection with our native flora and fauna found across the rugged landscape.

BSOA Hosts NCAD Art and Ecology Students

NCAD lecturer Gareth Kennedy recently brought his art and ecology students to visit three community gardens in County Louth. The day was hosted by Pamela Whitaker (BSOA, Art Psychotherapy) as part of Louth Urban Food Sanctuaries, a Creative Ireland project supporting climate change food growing. The field trip offered students a chance to meet activists in the area of community growing and the art of gardening. Students were also given the opportunity to visit Creative Spark, a creative enterprise supporting NCAD’s Diploma in Digital Making.

Healing Through Photography Conference 2025
Belfast Exposed

BSOA post-graduate students contributed to the content of the Healing Through Photography conference. MFA Photography student David McKinney’s exhibition Seen/Unseen used digital transformations and high-contrast imagery with the intention of sparking meaningful conversations around mental health. David was also part of a therapeutic photography panel which featured stories of recovery and resilience. Megan McLaughlin, Lauren Baldwin and Siobhán O’Callaghan from the MSc Art Psychotherapy programme facilitated a Walking Studio with members of Bbeyond, which included a visit to the sculpture studio at the Belfast School of Art. A huge well done to all the BSOA students for their contributions to the conference!

https://www.belfastexposed.org/whats-on/conference/

BSOA Supports The Art of Mental Health
The MAC Belfast, 10th April 2025

BSOA supported The Art of Mental Health a forum for creative and compassionate dialogue promoting the arts and mental health, which was organised by the NI Mental Health Arts Festival and the Belfast Learning Festival. The event was an opportunity to highlight rights based access and participation in the arts for people with lived experiences of mental health conditions. The forum was an opportunity to celebrate arts based learning within cultural venues, galleries and festivals.

The Belfast School of Art is supporting Stitching Solidarity: Activism in Textile Art Symposium

March 1-4th

In this symposium scholars, artists, textile-makers and activists will explore how textiles can express narrative of resistance.

For more information contact Pamela Whitaker, [email protected]

Our Celebrating the Past, Present, Future Exhibition is now open in the foyer of the Belfast School of Art.

Very inspired by changes to York St station! Especially their transformation of the pedestrian tunnel with breathtaking work by and many other local artists! Delighted to be collaborating with them on a further York St mural piece in partnership with our Fine Art students as part of our 175 celebrations… exciting times ahead.

Approaching our 175 Graduate Show, it’s lovely happen upon the embroidered gig posters from our student Holly Fairgrieve, offering a glimpse into the past through present work…

All Ireland Gathering of Art Therapy Trainees at the Irish Museum of Modern Art

MSc Art Psychotherapy trainees from the Belfast School of Art shared a teaching day with their colleagues from the MA Art Therapy course at the Crawford College of Art and Design at the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA). Guest lectures, exhibition visits and studio art making were all part of an inspirational and exhilarating day at this inaugural gathering.

The community are very saddened to hear of the passing of former colleague and Fashion lecturer Stephen King. Stephen will be remembered as an incredible character and a man of great flair and flamboyancy.