More information

Belfast Stories is a flagship city centre development supported by investment from the Belfast Region City Deal and Belfast City Council. It is intended to establish a new anchor destination for Belfast and support the next phase of growth in the city’s visitor and creative economy. The project brings together a visitor attraction, a creative hub and high-quality public space within a single, integrated destination, designed to increase footfall, extend dwell time and support economic, social, and cultural regeneration across the Belfast City Region.

The main visitor exhibition is made up of four interconnected galleries that will communicate the spirit of the city. There are 3 screen auditoria and an indoor event space to showcase locally produced work and international content reflecting the importance of the screen industries to the success of the city – past, present and future. 

There is a creative hub with a range of spaces to support an ever-developing programme of activities through which we gather and share stories – the story engine. It will be a place to meet, learn, collaborate and provide opportunities for participants from Belfast and beyond to get involved.  

There are 2 cafés / food and drink outlets and a small retail offering celebrating and showcasing local produce. The main public spaces are a central covered courtyard at ground level and a rooftop garden. Indoor public spaces are also included at every level in the building. 

Funding for the project has been secured, and the design is currently at RIBA stage 3. More information can be found here www.belfastcity.gov.uk/belfaststories   

Research and consultation to date have led us to propose the provision of a large flexible flat floor event space as part of Belfast Stories.  The screen industries sit at the heart of Belfast Stories, and there are three sector-related purposes proposed for this event space: 

1. A standing immersive XR exhibition space 

2. A seated film exhibition space with a large screen 

3. A seated television production studio 

The immersive XR mode will provide opportunity for international work to be seen in Belfast (e.g. David Hockney: Bigger and closer, The Moonwalkers: A Journey with Tom Hanks) and for presentation of new locally commissioned work in new forms.  

Belfast Stories will have three full-time cinema spaces which will be used year-round for presentation of curated programming, but the availability of a much larger event space could provide opportunities for larger screen based gala events, premières and cast and crew screenings.  

The television production studio mode will address future needs and opportunities in the unscripted TV production sector and will make live professional production manifest in Belfast Stories.  

The flexibility of the event space is also intended to future proof Belfast Stories for new developments in the screen sector. 

The potential 4th use of the event space is for:  

4. Other live cultural events  

We are interested to understand if there are other creative cultural programming uses e.g. festivals and exhibitions that could align to the vision of Belfast Stories to complement and add value to the existing provision of cultural spaces that already exist in Belfast city centre.  

It is important to note that Belfast Stories does not intend to create a space that duplicates existing cultural infrastructure, therefore interest in other live cultural events is likely to be focussed on amplifying the storytelling across the site or addressing a demand that is not currently met by existing infrastructure. 

We recognise that there may be crossover between these 4 uses, users and programme strands.  

The proposed Belfast Stories event space will be a modern, high-performance environment, capable in its different modes of operation, of supporting broadcast production, cinema exhibition, immersive XR presentation and live events, and immersive and non-immersive events within a flexible, city-centre setting. 

The proposed event space is approximately 500m² with a clear internal height of 12 metres, enabling the accommodation of complex set builds and high-end production requirements as well as projection equipment. The event space will feature a level resin floor finish, integrated power and networked lighting infrastructure, and full connectivity for camera, audio and video systems linked directly to a gallery, supported by robust three-phase power supply and detailed acoustic design. 

The facility will have a large screen, sound system and retractable seating for audiences of 300 – 500 people depending on the production set up.   

Supporting the event space is a comprehensive suite of production and back-of-house facilities, including: 

• A dedicated audience reception area with appropriate circulation and security provision 
• A fully serviced scene dock and loading bay, designed to accommodate large set construction, storage and interchange 
• Double-height access to facilitate efficient movement of equipment and staging 
• Dressing rooms, green rooms and make-up areas, designed to professional broadcast standards 
• Dedicated production office space and meeting areas to support operational delivery 
• Secure technical storage for camera, audio, projection and lighting equipment 
• Integrated large screen(s) for live output and presentation  
• A full public address system 
• Cloakroom and welfare facilities, including toilets and accessible provision. 

All elements are designed to ensure efficient connectivity between the event space, production, and support spaces, enabling seamless operation across a range of uses - from live events to television production or immersive and hybrid programming. 

Located within the heart of Belfast city centre, the event space benefits from the facilities on site and nearby public car parking and sustainable transport links.

The proposed event space is a modern, adaptable environment capable of supporting broadcast production, cinema exhibition, immersive XR and live events.

Key Features

• Approx. 500m² flat‑floor space with 12m clear internal height
• Level resin floor, integrated power and networked lighting
• Full camera, audio and video connectivity linked to a production gallery
• Large screen, sound system and retractable seating for 300–500 people
• Robust three‑phase power and detailed acoustic design

Supporting Facilities

• Dedicated audience reception and circulation
• Fully serviced scene dock and loading bay
• Double‑height access for efficient set and equipment movement
• Dressing rooms, green rooms and make‑up areas to broadcast standards
• Production offices and meeting rooms
• Secure technical storage
• Large‑format screens for live output
• Cloakroom, toilets and accessible welfare facilities

This market engagement is an open call that is an informal, exploratory activity for us to engage with the market which may inform a future competitive process.  

The purpose of this market engagement exercise: 

• Is to better understand the market and inform the event space requirements 
• Is informal and does not constitute a competitive process and will not be scored 
• Does not represent any commitment by either party i.e. the respondent or the Council and shall create no legal obligations between the parties 
• To inform a potential future competitive process. 

The Council is now seeking to engage with the market to inform the next stage of design development and understanding how the facility could be best designed to reflect user demand and operate as a sustainable asset. The results will help shape the plans and better define the specifications of the event space.  

Responses will further inform the design development, programming and usage model and full business case.  

If this is relevant to you and your organisation, please take the time to complete the questionnaire. 

We have created a short document that explains the proposals.To request a copy, please email: belfaststories@belfastcity.gov.uk