: a a a a
: A A A

Start Reading the Website Out Loud and control Speed and Volume using the player. You can also hover and click to speak any text on the site.
Adds a distraction Free Mask To The Screen. Block out all unneccessary content and scroll through the page line by line.
Changes the Default Cursor & Pointer to a large version allowing you easy navigation of the website.
Simplify any page on our website with 1 click. You can control Contrast, Colours and Text Size as well as print the page too.
Accessibility Menu
Strand Cinema Belfast

Strand Cinema Belfast

future strand

Transforming the Strand for current and future generations

The Strand is in urgent need of renovation. It has played a huge part in the life of the East Belfast community for over 85 years, but cannot continue to do so without investment.

The not-for-profit Strand Arts Centre charity took over the tenancy of Northern Ireland’s oldest cinema building in 2013 with the aim of securing both its short-term survival and long-term redevelopment.

Since then it has demonstrated an overwhelming appetite for more live entertainment. Over 55,000 people each year now attend a busy programme of new and classic film, theatre and music, and performing arts and filmmaking workshops for children. The Strand is widely used by many festivals and by the local community for school visits, local film premieres and charity fundraising events.

A building in need

All of this, however, has been delivered in a building that is physically deteriorating, has poor disabled access, and a lack of usable spaces to meet the demand for its youth, education and community outreach activities.

Due to limited stage and dressing room facilities, we cannot presently accommodate some of the best performers and theatre companies who wish to be in our programme.

The Strand is full of character and we want to preserve and promote its Art Deco heritage. But it urgently needs renovated and in doing so we can provide so much more for our audiences and the local community.

New Opportunities for Everyone

Our vision is for a fully modernised film and live performance venue. Our aim is to engage audiences of 100,000 annually. And a key focus of our work will be education and skills development projects with young people, schools and the local community.

The Strand Arts Centre’s multi-million pound refurbishment will include:

  • three flexible theatre spaces/screens showing the latest blockbusters as well as classic, cultural and educational films; also presenting a diverse programme of live theatre and music performances throughout the year – both professional and community; and can also be hired for private events including birthday parties, social nights out, school visits and fundraisers
  • two flexible drama/dance studios for rehearsals, performing arts classes, yoga workshops and more
  • smaller rooms for activities promoting creative and digital skills (eg) filmmaking, animation, arts and crafts, music and DJ production
  • glazed projection box showing some of the history and heritage of the Strand, including both our 35mm projectors and the newer digital technologies
  • Coffee dock with view of the Belmont Road for daytime meetings and laptop working
  • Breakout spaces for meetings and pre-event receptions
  • Licensed bar for hospitality before and after screenings and events
  • Stunning rooftop views offering a breathtaking glimpse at the evolution of East Belfast – from our industrial heritage at Harland and Wolff to the emerging creative industries within Titanic Quarter.

The new building will be a thriving community space day and night, attracting audiences of all ages, from our Saturday Minors Club for young families to our Silver Screenings of classic movies for seniors.

OUR FUNDERS​

The Strand has been awarded £4million towards the refurbishment by the UK Levelling Up Fund. This application was submitted by Belfast City Council with whom we have been working for many years on securing an appropriate funding package. We are hugely grateful to the council officers and councillors for their vote of confidence in this project and their support in developing a successful application.

We acknowledge the generous early support of Ulster Garden Villages with a grant of £60k, Swire Charitable Trust (£20k), The Esmé Mitchell Trust NI (£20k) and Steel Charitable Trust (£15k).

And we have received a Development Stage grant of over £250k from National Lottery Heritage Fund Northern Ireland. This grant will enable us to progress the design stages of the project, as well as funding our ‘Lasting Picture House’ project to gather memories of all Northern Ireland’s lost picture houses and their social history. This will inform a permanent exhibition within the refurbished building.

But we urgently need other funders and individuals to come on board this exciting project to close the funding gap so that refurbishment can begin.

If you would like to discuss making a donation to the campaign, please e-mail linda@strandartscentre.com