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Date: 30 June 2025
The first legal street art wall in Belfast will officially open this Friday 4 July with a free street art paint jam for up-and-coming artists and creatives.
The wall, funded by Belfast City Council, is located on Little Patrick Street in the city centre and will be managed by Seedhead Arts, with permissions from NIE Networks which owns the wall.
It is the first of three walls due to be open this year, providing a place for artists to freely express themselves, without the need to seek permissions from landowners to house their artworks.
It is hoped the legal walls, as they are known, will deter graffiti in the city. They are the latest initiative from the council to support street artists and nurture creative development.
The locations for the other two walls are still to be finalised, with engagement ongoing between council, Seedhead Arts and property owners.
“Belfast already has an impressive array of street art which has become a huge draw for visitors and really brightens up our city for residents and communities too,” explains Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Tracy Kelly.
“We want to harness that creative spirit and create further opportunities for young artists by offering them safe spaces where they can create, practice and experiment without fear of getting into trouble.
“Legal walls have long been used in Europe to nurture artists and encourage collaborative art projects, and I’m pleased that our first Belfast wall is now in place.
“We know graffiti and tagging can be real issues for businesses and communities so we hope that these walls will also help reduce nuisance behaviour, by instead providing a place where creativity can be freely expressed.
“Council is really keen to encourage creative development in the city. Our Belfast Canvas project has transformed over 110 utility boxes since 2019 and provided a platform for both established and emerging artists to showcase their work, and we’re currently helping a further six street artists with mentoring and coaching to develop their skills.”
Adam Turkington from Seedhead Arts will help operate the wall at Great Patrick Street. It will be open 24/7 for professional and emerging artists to use, along with anyone with an interest in street art.
No booking is needed, but the wall will be continuously monitored to manage content and ensure it is well maintained.
“Legal walls are a key building block for any city wanting to support its artistic community and, although there are spaces in the city that have been unofficially legal for some time, this is the first time that Belfast has a formally designated a space in this way,” said Adam.
“In particular, in Belfast, where we have a huge number of young women who are street artists, this will hopefully provide a space where they can safely meet and practice their skills.”
Artists can check out and use the first legal wall at a free street art party on Little Patrick Street, run by Seedhead Arts, from 12pm to 4pm on Friday 4 July.
Admission is free and open to everyone. Some materials will be available, but artists are also encouraged to bring their own.
Further details are available on the council website - belfastcity.gov.uk/events