2 Royal
Avenue
MayWe is delighted to manage 2 Royal Avenue, a new cultural venue that Belfast City Council have transformed playing host to artistic experiences, events and workshops.
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2025 Opening Hours
2 Royal Avenue is open 10am-6pm Monday to Sunday.
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Pop in to find some new additions to the space featuring...
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A New Installation 'Landscape with Columns and Figures' curated and commissioned by Belfast City Council with MMAS Architects and OGU Architects
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Our Kids Cosy area
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The Library Corner, featuring a selection of books for all ages by Northern Irish and Irish writers and a diversity themed collection, curated by Seamus Heaney Centre at Queens, Michaela Mc Dermott, and Orla McKeating, and supplied by No Alibis bookshop.
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A Homework Station
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Our Sensory Dome
Yallaa Café will be open from 10am-5pm Monday-Saturday and 12pm-4pm Sundays, serving delightful hot & cold beverages and delicious food, featuring a new lunch menu!
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Check out whats on below!
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If you are interested in using 2 Royal Avenue for an event or workshop, please contact 2royalave@maywe.co.uk​
EXHIBITIONS
31 January - 6 february
OUR COMMON HOME
​​​4 Corners Festival
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This exhibition was created by clients of Action Mental Health and was inspired by the organisation’s I AM SOMEONE campaign.
2025 marks the 10th anniversary of the publication of ‘Laudato Si – On Care For Our Common Home’, Pope Francis’ encyclical considering how we can care for the environment. The letter is addressed to “every person living on this planet” and calls for a global dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet through our daily actions and decisions. The encyclical was welcomed by the World Council of Churches and many environmental organisations of different faiths.
What is happening in our home – unsustainable production, consumption, and disposal – concerns us all. Together we can make a difference and take individual and community actions that directly and significantly affect the world around us. Westcourt Camera Club will use photography to highlight issues of environmental responsibility on our own doorstep.
4 FEBRUARY - 28 febRUARY
NORTHERN IRELAND NOW:
CONTEMPORY COLLECTING
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Join Northern Ireland Now at 2 Royal Avenue in Belfast this February for a showcase of the innovative contemporary collecting project, featuring video content from diverse groups across Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland Now: Contemporary Collecting is an outreach and digitisation project from Northern Ireland Screen and Nerve Centre aimed at increasing representation in the Digital Film Archive.
The project has been delivered with the support of the BFI, awarding funds from the National Lottery, and prioritised diversity and inclusion, helping to bridge gaps and address imbalances in the archive.
Over the last 18 months, Northern Ireland Now has engaged 12 community groups around their video collections and over 120 moving image items have now been catalogued and added to the archive, contributing to the rich film tapestry of Northern Ireland’s evolving story.
On display throughout February, this showcase event is an opportunity to enjoy content submitted by each of the groups, view a display of specially commissioned film posters by artist Louis Nelson and to find out more about how to submit your own video content to the archive.
The showcase is available to view for free every day at 2 Royal Avenue from 10am – 6pm
and up to 9pm on 6 February during Late Night Art.
week commencing 27th January
monDay 27 january
BREASTIVAL MUMS GATHERING 10.30am-12.30pm
Breastival NI
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Are you a new mum? Join Breastival at 2 Royal Ave with your baby and let's chat about your journey so far. We'll be making a little memento of your baby's early days and pausing to reflect on your experiences of becoming a mother.
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For more information email sarahgordon@breastival.co.uk
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Free Event, no booking required just drop in.
TUESDay 28 january
GRAPEVINE 11am-1pm
Age Friendly Belfast
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The Grapevine is a new drop-in hub for older people.
Come along, get a coffee, and catch up with the latest news and activities for older people in the city. Open 11am-1pm every Tuesday in 2 Royal Avenue.
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Free Event, no booking required just drop in.
TEA DANCE 2pm-4pm
Age Friendly Belfast
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Enjoy an afternoon of music and dancing at the Tea Dance in 2 Royal Avenue!
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Featuring live music from Rosie Hunter and delicious refreshments provided by our in house caterer, Yallaa Café.
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Pop your dancing shoes on and dance the day away to all your favourite hits, in partnership with Age Friendly Belfast.
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Free Event, no booking required just drop in.
wednesDay 29 january
CREATIVE WRITING PROJECT 10.30am-12.30pm
Yallaa​
Discover the art of self-expression at our Creative Writing Workshop!
Open to everyone, this weekly session offers a space to explore creativity, share experiences, and connect with others. Each week brings new activities designed to inspire, foster connection, and support self-healing.
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Free event. Booking required. Email coordinator.yallaa@gmail.com and book your slot. Limited spaces available.
ESOL 1pm-3pm
Yallaa​
Want to improve your English and become more confident to get out there and make friends? Join Yallaa Free ESOL Classes in 2 Royal Avenue. Don't miss out it is a great chance to enhance your conversational skills!
Free event. Booking required. Email coordinator.yallaa@gmail.com and book your slot. Limited spaces available.
friDay 31 january
PEOPLE, PLANET, PASTRY 10.30am-12pm
Small 99​
If you’re interested or curious about sustainability, come along to the People, Planet, Pastry event to meet like-minded business owners who are taking action on sustainability. Learn about what is going on locally, share insights on how to overcome barriers and make new friends!
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This relaxed and informal event brings people together to learn more about sustainability and take action. The sister event, People, Planet, Pint, brings people together to learn more and chat about climate, while our “Pastry” series is focused on empowering small businesses with the action they can take and where to start with sustainability.
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While we will mostly be discussing businesses, this is an open event where anyone is welcome, so if you’re curious about what’s going on, come on down!
Free event. Booking required, book here
OUR COMMON HOME EXHIBITION LAUNCH 4pm-6pm
4 Corners Festival​
2025 marks the 10th anniversary of the publication of ‘Laudato Si – On Care For Our Common Home’, Pope Francis’ encyclical considering how we can care for the environment. The letter is addressed to “every person living on this planet” and calls for a global dialogue about how we are shaping the future of our planet through our daily actions and decisions. The encyclical was welcomed by the World Council of Churches and many environmental organisations of different faiths.
What is happening in our home – unsustainable production, consumption, and disposal – concerns us all. Together we can make a difference and take individual and community actions that directly and significantly affect the world around us. Westcourt Camera Club will use photography to highlight issues of environmental responsibility on our own doorstep.
​
For more information click here
Free event. No booking required.
saturDay 1 february
PEACEMAKERS 12pm-3pm
4 Corners Festival​
Join us under the dome at 2 Royal Avenue to participate in the making of a unique piece of art with Gardner & Gardner’s ‘Peacemakers’ large-scale French knitting loom. Drop in to chat with the artists and try your hand at this simple but beautiful craft. Over the week we will see the piece grow, its richness of colour and texture reflecting the vibrancy of the city we call home and the interconnection of the individual strands of our stories. On the final day the yarn will be cast off, stretched out and measured, creating a single textile piece which will be presented at the Festival’s closing event.
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Based in Glasgow, Heidi and Peter Gardner are a husband-and-wife artist duo who have taken their Peace Loom to several cities since its initial installation in Scotland in 2014. This installation as part of the Festival will be the first in Northern Ireland with the work reflecting the community of those who live, work and socialise in Belfast. Donations of leftover wool to contribute to the project would be gratefully received and can be brought at any time during the project.
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For more information click here
Free event. No booking required.
DOG PORTRAIT PAINTING WORKSHOP 12pm-1pm
Abstract Art Academy​
Bring your dog to 2 Royal Avenue for a fun, relaxing art workshop to paint a portrait of your furry friend! All materials are provided and no experience necessary. Suitable for ages 5+.
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All dogs must be toilet trained and comfortable around other dogs.
Tickets £10 per workshop. To book click here
OPEN ARTS COMMUNITY CHOIR PERFORMANCE 1.30pm-2.30pm
Open Arts​
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Come along to hear Belfast’s own Open Arts Community Choir who has just been shortlisted for this year’s Royal Philharmonic Society Awards!
Running for 25 years, the choir has amplified the amazing voices of our disabled members of society and created an environment to encourage and uplift.
They will sing a wide selection of songs on the day, guaranteed to entertain audiences of all ages and musical tastes.
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Free event.
sunDay 2 february
CONVERSATIONAL ENGLISH 12pm-1pm
Yallaa​
Want to practice your English and become more confident to get out there and make friends? Join Yallaa's free conversational English sessions in 2 Royal Avenue. It's a great opportunity to enhance your conversational skills!
Free event. Booking required. Email coordinator.yallaa@gmail.com and book your slot. Limited spaces available.
PEACEMAKERS 12pm-3pm
4 Corners Festival​
Join us under the dome at 2 Royal Avenue to participate in the making of a unique piece of art with Gardner & Gardner’s ‘Peacemakers’ large-scale French knitting loom. Drop in to chat with the artists and try your hand at this simple but beautiful craft. Over the week we will see the piece grow, its richness of colour and texture reflecting the vibrancy of the city we call home and the interconnection of the individual strands of our stories. On the final day the yarn will be cast off, stretched out and measured, creating a single textile piece which will be presented at the Festival’s closing event.
​
Based in Glasgow, Heidi and Peter Gardner are a husband-and-wife artist duo who have taken their Peace Loom to several cities since its initial installation in Scotland in 2014. This installation as part of the Festival will be the first in Northern Ireland with the work reflecting the community of those who live, work and socialise in Belfast. Donations of leftover wool to contribute to the project would be gratefully received and can be brought at any time during the project.
​
For more information click here
Free event. No booking required.
SUNDAY CHESS 2pm-5pm
Roaming Knights​
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Belfast City Chess meet up. This is a free weekly social meet up for chess players. It is not a chess club, or tournament. Under 16s must be accompanied by responsible adult.
Free event. Contact roamingknightsni@gmail.com for more info.
