Belfast. Setting aside Sir Kenneth Branagh’s most recent film oeuvre I would bet that for most people, art is not the first thing that comes to mind. And yet, there is a lot of it. Great art. Easily accessible for anyone who pays attention when walking through the city. Impermanent art. Street art. Graffiti. Murals. Belfast has a great selection for you.

HEAD OUT TO THE CATHEDRAL QUARTER

Street art lovers, head for the Cathedral Quarter first. This is where the good stuff is. Drawing its name from the striking St. Anne’s Cathedral, the neighborhood is the epicenter of Belfast’s art and dining scene.

The cathedral itself is a modern work of art. Built on soft “sleech” (mud, silt and sand) surface, the cathedral’s foundations ruled out the building of a tall bell tower. So, the city found a creative solution. It approved a plan for an innovative lightweight spire designed by Colin Conn and Robert Jamison of Box Architects. The spire was added to the cathedral in 2007. Rising 80 meters above ground level, it enters the cathedral through a glass platform that allows visitors to gaze up into the sky. Nicknamed ‘Spire of Hope’, it has modernized the otherwise traditional structure and has become a unique addition to the skyline. I really liked it.

The cathedral anchors the area, but the street art is what drew me here in the first place. First stop: Dunbar street and the now iconic “Deep Love” by ADW. This must be one of my favorite pieces in the entire city. A little worse for the wear today than when I first saw it a few years ago, the diver carrying a mermaid stands out against the red brick background and catches your attention from afar.

Just a few blocks away, you can catch a new mural created by Dean Kane for International Women’s Day. It takes on the challenges of gender discrimination and what we can to end it.

From here, head to Hill street. Don’t forget to look up, because your next stop is the Nomad Clan piece “Still Waters” showing a young woman face-to-face with a wolf. My internet sleuthing informed me that the piece is meant to represent past tensions and an acknowledgment of past and present.

Moving along Hill street, you will hit a trifecta: “The Duel of Belfast, Dance by Candlelight” by Connor Harrington, “Whitewashing a Rembrandt” by PANG that captures the inevitable fate of most street art - portrait of a man being whitewashed over by a painter in the bottom right corner, and right next to it, “Unbreakable” by Psychonautes - hundreds of geometric shapes making up a picture of the skateboarder Jay Adams. It’s a bit of a shame that these pieces sit around a small parking lot and so it’s almost impossible to get a clear shoot without a random vehicle being in the way.

Next? Let’s move on to “The Chef” by Smug. Another very cool piece that has graced the High Street for some time now. The giant lobster on the side of the building is unmissable.

The added benefit of visiting “The Chef” is that it takes you to another Belfast landmark (actually, several!): the “Ulster says Yeoo” sign, and then, a block or so away, the leaning tower of Belfast, aka the Albert Clock. When admiring it, look into the distance, too. You will spot the yellow Harland and Wolff shipyard crane. It is here to remind you that this is also the city that built the Titanic. Local signs will readily assert that “she was alright when she left here”. That is true. The unfortunate iceberg encounter came later.

There is much more street art to be found around Belfast, including an awesome piece by one of my faves, Starfightera, that I apparently missed (insert a sad face emoji here). And, the city keeps adding more through its annual “Hit the North” festival that’s produced over 400 murals to-date. But, that’s not all that Belfast can offer.

THE MAC (NO, NOT THE HAMBURGER KIND)

Tucked away just steps from the cathedral, contemporary art lovers will find another little gem: Metropolitan Arts Centre, aka The MAC. The centre is the city’s destination for international art exhibitions, live theatre and all things creative. And they have a cool coffee shop too. What a lovely space. Stop by, you won’t regret it.

GALLERIES GALORE

Belfast is also spiffing up its art gallery scene. I have a couple on my list for my next visit :

The Golden Thread Gallery that showcases world-class national and international artists, and, through its Project Space program also supports early career artists.

Belfast Exposed which should surprise exactly no-one given my love of photography. You should put it on your list, too.

So, art lovers everywhere: it’s time for a wee visit to Belfast. Trust me, it’ll be grand.