Bank of Ideas - successful projects | Bank of Ideas 2025 - what you decided!

North Belfast

Idea	Brief description
Safe, Strong and Seen Full Circle Martial Arts	Helping young people in working-class areas rise above challenges by learning to defend themselves, build boundaries, and stand proud.
Sign and Share: The Makaton Way Lower Oldpark Community Association	We aim to empower our young people by teaching them basic Makaton through fun interactive sessions. Then to celebrate there achievements we will preform their new found skills in front of friends and Family.
5 Ways Creativity Challenge Kehinde Ahmed	We will Launch a challenge where each task focuses on one of the Take5 themes, with a creative task: Creative 1 (Connect): Write a poem/notes for a friend/neighbour Creative 2 (Be Active): Create a dance or movement-based art (cultural dance inclusive) Creative 3 (Take Notice): Take 5 photos of something beautiful Creative 4 (Keep Learning): Try a new creative technique or skill. (Cook, beauty skills or play new sports) Creative 5 (Give): Design a gratitude postcard for someone. (kindness pledges)
The People's Pages: Sharing 'Our Belfast' The Duncairn Writers' Hub	Through writing and shared reading workshops, local people create ‘Our Belfast', a book of true and imagined stories. Shared with communities who don’t often access literature, making space for voices often unheard!
The Woodland of Wonder Ligoniel Improvement Association	The Woodland at Ligoniel Dams will be filled with stories, music, dance and art giving locals and visitors alike the opportunity to explore and learn together about very special place in the heart of the Belfast Hills
Delicate: Their Musical Diarmuid McLaughlin & Victoria McLaughlin	A jukebox musical around the theme of head versus heart. Two practicing doctors meet under difficult personal circumstances and guide each other through a tumultuous time in their lives by helping each other discover the importance of logic and emotion.
Plastic Bloom Anna Dalton	A hands-on workshop run in Depaul family services, where participants recycle plastic waste into plant pots, learn about local recycling issues, and plant sunflower seeds. Turning plastic into something personal, practical, and theirs to keep and grow.
The Wishing Canopy Claire McGuckin	The Wishing Canopy, a 7-meter bell tent nestled among the trees. Designed as an outdoor classroom, it will host forest school sessions, offering hands-on learning about the environment, wildlife, and natural creativity.
Park Up - North Side Conor Owens	Showcase some of inner North Belfast Public Parks with family fun and entertainment. Parks to include Alexandra Park, Waterworks and new City Quay park. Two sessions at the weekend at end of Sept with idea to promote use of City Quay Park weekend after..
North Belfast All Ability Olympics Ashton Centre	Happy Days is a Social Enterprise as Ashton Community Trust, It's a day opportunity for young adults with learning disabilities and we will host a special Olympics for them, other NB supporting organisations and individuals, including all abilities.
Creative self expression and storytelling workshops Corrina Askin	Environmental and nature-based storytelling workshops to encourage children to create their own narratives and inspire world building.

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South Belfast

Idea	Brief description
Roots & Remembrance Belvoir Community Hub	Roots & Remembrance is a mural and community art project celebrating Belvoir’s history. Locals will create flowers with loved ones’ names to add to an oak tree mural, linking to our Legacy Project and recent memorial tree planting .
Sonic Playground All Creatives Flow	Within our group, we have experienced facilitators and musicians specialising in percussion, movement, sound healing instruments and voice. With this shared experience, it is our aim to bring creative people into a flow-like state, by guiding them through an exploration of different musical instruments and techniques such as percussion, vocals, and chimes, encouraging participants to follow their own creative expression as we naturally move to co-created improvised sound.
Cultural Sewing Happy Women's Group	Happy Women's Group will be learning to sew cultural items and doing crafts for wellbeing, learning to sew for sewing cultural items to use it to showcase it to NI as a tool of diversity and awareness.
Wee Mays Zine Library Conor McClure	This idea seeks funding for an outdoor zine library in South Belfast, offering free access to local self-published work and supported by workshops to promote creativity, storytelling, and community engagement through the accessible medium of zines.
The Big Family Sing Out Social Ciara Delaney	The Big Family Sing Out Social is a series of fun and uplifting participatory singing sessions for all the family in Belfast’s lovely green park spaces.
Reimagining Refurbished Balfour Avenue Play Park LORAG Pre-school	LORAG preschool group caters for children to 2-4 years of age would like to involve the children and their families in a project to reimage and reimagine the local play park, using art, song, dance, storytelling as a celebration of the pa
'Roots & Pressure' - Original Belfast Sound Explosion Soundsystem	Documenting 20+ years of stories and sounds from Belfast's longest-running reggae sound system in a podcast format. Roots & Pressure captures the culture and creative spirit of the crew through interviews, music, and storytelling.
Reconnect: Crafting Connection Through Nature The Advantage Foundation	Reconnect is a seasonal workshop series bringing people together to learn, create, and grow through nature. From bird box building to foraging and preserve making, we’ll use hands-on activities to boost wellbeing, connection, and community spirit.
Viva Mexico: A celebration of Mexican culture in Belfast Julia Monjaras Feria	Viva Mexico is a vibrant celebration of the rich traditions, flavours, music and art of Mexico to the heart of Belfast. This festival aims to bring together people, cultures and to show how diversity enriches a community.
Yoga for all Martina Klapkova - the Roma Support Hub	FREE Inclusive community 'yoga for all' classes open to all—regardless of background, ethnicity, age, or ability. A safe, welcoming space to move, breathe, and connect with others. Everyone is welcome.
Pure Shenanigans Erin Thompson and Erin Humphrey	A series of 8 drama - based workshops provided for free to give children of the local area, especially newcomer families the opportunity to be involved in creative play. We want to use this money to provide these sessions for free to children within the area of Mornington. We will shape these workshops with an aim to encourage young children’s confidence, allow them to have fun within the sessions and inspire them to gain a love for drama.
Seasons of Belonging - Environmental, group, art psychotherapy in Ormeau park Victoria McGrath-Hayes	Environmental art therapy in Ormeau Park exploring belonging, identity, and purpose. This project aims to foster connection, reduce loneliness, and strengthen community through creative expression in nature.
Dance: Rhythm of life - Free Bollywood, Bhangra and Latin workshops Binder Tohani	Dance is my shortcut to happiness — a healing force that carried me through profound personal loss and now drives me to help others reconnect with joy, resilience, and community through movement. This project is not just about my personal journey — it’s about inviting others into their own. The video will be used as a launchpad for a series of 10 community-based workshops that blend dance and mindfulness, helping participants rediscover joy in movement.
Reusable Period Pads Are Sew Sustainable Oonagh McNally	Reusable Period Pads Are Sew Sustainable is an innovative, educational project that combines environmental awareness with practical skill-building and family engagement. Delivered through two 3-hour workshops at YMCA Stranmillis, the project will bring together 24 girls and their parents or guardians to learn how to sew reusable period pads and pouches using high-quality, ethically sourced materials from local suppliers.
Tulca Community Yoga Day TULCA	TULCA will host a community wellbeing day in South Belfast, we'll have taster sessions, arts and craft and interactive workshops around health and wellbeing.
Mind Yourself Carley Magee	In partnership with the Ballynafeigh Community Development Association, I want to expand on their summer scheme as a youth theatre facilitator to work with their young people to creatively engage with mental health through outdoor theatre making..
We Are Belfast: Still We Rise – A Children’s Book of Belonging Still I Rise Diversity Storytelling	A creative project bringing children together to explore identity, culture, and inclusion. Through stories and art, they will create We Are Belfast — a children’s book celebrating a city where everyone is seen, heard, valued and celebrated.
Tapestry of Echoes Samridhi Saini	"Tapestry of Echoes" is an immersive celebration of folk arts that blends live performance, storytelling, and collaborative art-making to highlight cultural memory and create shared spaces of connection and expression among students and communities.
The ReUp Tariq Soliman	Our idea is to host an event that stimulates interaction and growth in the fashion and music scene in Belfast. Essentially the idea is to turn a venue into a clothes shop, where we can platform live local music and offer the service of a thrift store.
Dance Your Dreams Mayte Segura	Dance Your Dreams is a magical, open-air dance gathering in Belfast. Everybody will dance connect, and dream together, creating positive energy for a better world. Bring yourself and your family and friends with pyjamas, pillows, and an open heart.

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East Belfast

Idea	Brief description
Larder East Craft Club Olivia Dee and The Larder	We would use this money to start a craft club at Larder East. This would be a fortnightly club, open to everyone, at which participants can learn a beautiful craft, influenced by the work of Larder East on food equality.
Women of Colour Market Stacy Aluebhosele	The Women of Colour Market, in collaboration with the East Side Arts Programme, is a celebration of diversity, featuring small businesses owned by women and non-binary people of colour, alongside captivating performances by talented artists and Djs.
Our House Anna McAteer	Our house is a community lead art show that is centred around accessibility for application and giving everyone a chance to showcase art.
Tubs of Glory EastSide Learning	Tubs of Glory is a creative, community-driven project that celebrates East Belfast’s rich heritage through joyful intergenerational collaboration. Transforming old bathtubs into works of art. Community groups will design, decorate, and race their own non-motorised bathtub.
The Art Club Boom Clap Play	Art Club is a series of three open-ended workshops for children aged 4–11, focused on playful making, flow, and exploration, with support from play workers, a guest artist, an ambient DJ, and a final exhibition shaped by the participants.
Park Play - Outdoor Theatre workshops for young people Green Room Productions NI	Park play is a weekend of Outdoor Theatre workshops for ages 7-11 promoting confidence, friendship and providing a space to connect with nature in Victoria Park, East Belfast.
Vibrant Years Rave of Reason Knocknagoney Area Forum	A sober UV Rave for older people with musical instruments such as bongo drums, guitars. Older peoples Silent Disco and beginners wood working Classes to include participants to learn how to write risk assessments and event management plans.
Say Hi to Your Neighbours Fiona Fitwi	A free 3 course meal with one condition - you must sit next to someone you don't know. Break bread with a stranger, take part in workshops to create gifts for others, and leave with a new friend from your community!

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West Belfast

Idea	Brief description
Clonard Community Garden Clonard Neighbourhood Development Partnership	A shared community space in the sense of a community garden allows us as a community to come together celebrate diversity and foster innovation, through artistic expression - painting rocks for the garden, growing fruit and vegetables and seasonal flowers.
Belfast Translated Billie Mills	Belfast Translated is a cross-community, multilingual storytelling project that captures the rich and varied lived experiences of people across the city through the mediums of filmed interviews and dance sequences.
It's A Jungle Out There! Spectrum Centre	A summer school for children and teenagers with Autism/ADHD that aims to use creativity to help participants negotiate the change of routine in the long summer break and the transition back to school in September in the safe space of Spectrum Art Den.
Moon Gardens and Meadows Ulster Wildlife Meadow Ladies and Community Garden	Biodiversity and beauty to inspire. A moon garden planted for nocturnal pollinators and a feast for the senses. We also plan to add to our meadows for daytime pollinators. We will use both as settings for storytelling, art and wellbeing workshops.
Wear Your Voice David McLearnon / Youth Initiatives Crosslinks	Young people will create their own streetwear with bold, positive messages, learning design, how to use software and tools, and screen-printing skills in creative workshops that boost confidence, self-expression, and a sense of identity.
Blackbird Mountain Footnote Productions	We would perform a Céilí at the cafe on Divis mountain and record the performance there. The story of our traditional music and dance would be seen and narrated from the perspective of a bird ‘on the wing'. We would incorporate the story of the ancient Blackbird of Belfast into the project as well as other local birds that live and nest on the mountain overlooking Belfast.
Outside Makeover Lisa Mills	The idea of this project is to work with all centre user groups to improve the outside space available. This will consist in working with an artist to create an outdoor mural and small sensory garden that can be used by all.
Parent & Child Music Fundamentals Laoise Curtis	Our project will offer interactive parent and child music classes, introducing children aged 3-6 to basic music concepts through instruments, rhythm, song, and dance to foster creativity, bonding, and early development.
Retreat Treat - Yoga and Wellbeing Gill Henderson	A half day yoga retreat in Malone House in Belfast, a range of yoga and mindfulness techniques will be shared indoors and outdoors (weather permitting). An opportunity to connect and support each other - it is open to members of Suicide Awareness and residents of West Belfast, in Autumn 2025.

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Citywide or city centre

Idea	Brief description
Connecting the Deaf community - Building the Bridge Anthony Sinclair	The deaf community are isolated unless with each other. Very few people know BSL or ISL. I want to film a short intro course and film it well and make it exciting. This could then be linked by QR codes that could go all over the city. Staff and customers could learn, and our city could become inclusive, open and welcoming to our deaf community. Let us show off our amazing language and share it so we can share in our city with ease.
Why Belfast? Mar Mayo Alcover	Why Belfast? Is an art-community project that looks at the positive aspects of this city from the migrant perspective. It wants to celebrate and embrace Belfast's safe and welcoming places, people, events, and stories. It is photography and online based.
Sourbakes: Bakers Crit Dónal McCaughey	Sourbakes is a meeting for bread and pizza bakers inspired by artists crits. The idea is to meet other bakers and critically evaluate each other’s work, get some inspiration and make baking more social.
Joyful Beginner Sticker-Making Workshop Amber Jennings	A relaxed, inclusive workshop where participants create hand-drawn vinyl stickers as a fun, mindful way to express themselves—open to all, especially those seeking joy and creativity without pressure. Beginner friendly!
The Wee Desk Sessions Jack Brown	The Wee Desk Sessions is a grassroots live performance series in Belfast, inspired by NPR’s Tiny Desk, showcasing local talent in an intimate, stripped-back setting. It aims to elevate the city’s emerging artists through high-quality audio-visual content.
Plot & Potluck: A Crafty Garden Salon Kitsch Sisters CIC	Plot & Potluck: A Crafty Garden Salon is a series of four seasonal community workshops combining gardening, cookery, and craft. Each session brings neighbours together to grow herbs, share recipes, learn embroidery, and enjoy creative connection.
Pop-up People's Newsroom Una Murphy	A pop-up people's newsroom set up in Belfast's Fleet Street by VIEWdigital independent community social enterprise. Interactive with fun games including a quiz about local history, encouraging community members to engage with media heritage in the city.
Anyone Can… Betsy Scullion	“Anyone Can…” is a skill-sharing workshop for young creatives ages 18-25. We strive to bring young people together to learn new skills and build a community of young creatives.
Weekend Rock Camp! Girls Rock School NI:	Our girls rock camp for girls and gender expansive youth aged 12-17 where they learn to play an instrument, form a band, write a song, make band merchandise and perform a show together!
The City Canvas Alex Knowles	The City Canvas will seek to invite members of the public to actively engage with architects to design schemes for the City. Whether it's play grounds, parks or whatever creative and imaginative designs the participants can dream up.
Brain Bar Tasja Lennox	Brain Bar is a creative, interactive experience that blends neuroscience, art, and well-being. Using 2 MUSE S Athena headsets connected to iPads, participants can view their brainwave activity in real time while engaging in creative practices like painting or drawing. The aim is to make neuroscience accessible, enjoyable, and personally meaningful.
Playwriting Intensive Belfast Playwrights	Playwriting Intensive will invite playwrights in the North to attend a FREE week long playwriting workshop where each writer will create connections and leave with a new idea and the first few scenes of a new play.
Awaken Ann Street - Riddel's Warehouse Hearth Historic Building Trust	Awaken Ann Street is a large-scale mural project that reimagines Belfast’s industrial past through the lens of contemporary street art, transforming a neglected city centre wall into a bold, inspiring symbol of heritage, resilience, and renewal.
Critical Mass Bunk Bed Bicycle Kieran McManus	We want to build a bunk bed bike, a creative vehicle to capture fun and imagination for our critical mass campaign which is a positive cycling campaign event which promotes cycle infrastructure and safety in Belfast. We want to create this fun bike to help promote our events.
Folk Photo Polly Garnett	Folk Photo are guided photography walks and workshops led by documentary photographer and environmentalist Polly Garnett, designed to creatively engage participants with local biodiversity and climate action through photography and storytelling. These workshops invite participants to explore nearby urban green spaces and to learn creative techniques to explore their surroundings with fresh perspective, and connect with nature in a hands-on, reflective way.
Nettle Belfast x Sunday Scaries Nettle Belfast	We are hoping to run three day long art and craft workshops with different themes, designed for people to learn new crafting skills and host their own DIY craft evenings with friends.
Daytime Disco Safe Night NI	Daytime disco is a space for people to dance for their rights. Safe Night NI want to host a space for people to let loose, shake off their stress and feel connected through a safe, inclusive and accessible party for all.
Transcendance Belfast Morgane Cabella	Eclectic dance classes hosted with sustainable values, deeply rooted in international culture, ethnic diversity and integration, strong sense of community and individuality, holistic approach, therapeutic dimension, for fun, fitness but also mindful practice and mental/physical health and wellbeing benefits.
Creative Beans Collective Creative Beans Collective	In green spaces around Belfast, attendees draw the natural world around them. We want to encourage people to get creative and spend time in natural spaces around our city! We would like to run themed Green Beans, led by wildlife specialists in the city to teach us more about Belfast’s green spaces.
Queer Shed Bhéal Feirste Aoife de Bhál	A space for the LGBTQ+ community to gather to learn, share skills, connect with nature, the Irish language, and each other. People will be able to explore growing food, foraging, herbalism, DIY and more in safe, relaxed environments across the city.
Irish for Artists Jane Morrow	Our workshops series, festival pop-ups and online pronunciation guide will help artists in the North of Ireland to learn something new, build opportunities for creative collaboration, and deepen cultural partnerships. We'll run three workshops and two festival pop-ups across the city, and with artists and creatives from different disciplines to co-design the website’s content and to both teach key phrases as Gaeilge to the creative community, and co-design a multi-disciplinary guide. The online resource will be both informative and irreverent, leaning into this island’s sense of humour and the specificity of arts sector jargon.
Listen and See the Aged Ed Reynolds	Listen and See the Aged is a visual and audio portrait project centred on older members of our community who regularly spend time in public spaces—specifically, at 2 Royal Avenue in Belfast. The project will result in a series of impressionistic oil paintings accompanied by recorded conversations and personal stories, to be shared in a public exhibition in late October 2025.
Timeless Tiles Workshops Selina Casey	The Timeless Tile Collection is a therapeutic arts initiative supporting parents who have experienced miscarriage, baby loss, or neonatal death. This project offers creative workshops in Belfast, where bereaved parents design and create hand-crafted clay tiles in memory of their babies—marking names, footprints, dates, or meaningful symbols.
Enchanted Storytime Dark Forest Theatre	I wish to create an evening of art and storytelling by bringing visual artists and actors together to work on short vignettes of performances. These works will be based around the concept of Irish mythology, folklore and history, whether it be about the famine, fairy-trees or the titanic it will be decided by the artists which story they wish to work on but bring with it modern themes, perhaps of immigration, social media or mental health.
The Weight of Water Shahrukh Asad	"The Weight of Water" is a visual storytelling project exploring the quiet strength of women in Northern Ireland. Through abstract jellyfish, florals, and symbols, it reflects unseen emotional weight carried by women across communities.
Wall hanging - People's stories through textiles Karen Douglas	I propose the facilitation of making a wall hanging using stitch and applique. During this process, each participant will create a piece, which will be 15cm x 15cm square, telling their own personal story/journey. Sewing projects have emotional and metaphorical currency. People have stories to tell or a portrait to share
South African Culture Celebration Miss Kay's Health & Wellbeing Projects	The aim of this event is to share South African platform and its culture with other Africans and the NI community and combat the negativity. It is said that music and food bring people together. This is done so those who do not know anything about the culture would know and learn from it.
Here Come the Regulars Darren Hill	I will take portrait photographs of 100 people in one day. All of these people will live in Belfast at the time that the photographs are taken. They will be printed and displayed one night for people to see.

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