Street art has become one of the most vibrant and progressive arts scenes in Belfast. We have seen our grey walls transformed from boring backdrops we didn’t choose, into colourful canvases for large scale pieces varying in style and subject matter, so much so we are now akin to cities like Berlin and Bethlehem. Cities once restricted by conflict, now reinvigorated by artists. To get a great perspective and background on the walls, The Street Art Walking Tour is an absolute must.
Running for around 9-10 months of the year, it is a project generated by local artists, many of whose work graces the walls you will see. And the work is not just local. With initiatives like Culture Night, Belfast is attracting internationally known artists and the results have been frankly incredible. Check out local talent such as Visual Waste, Kevlar and Friz, look out for their work as you take in the city.
Bullitt has a couple of personal favourites. One adorns the side of the Black Box, just facing one of our sister bars, The Dirty Onion. Painted by rising Irish art star Conor Harrington, it is a breathtaking reimagining of classical art, abstracted and modernised without losing any sense of drama. The other, by Visual Waste, is in Bullitt itself and if you’re staying in one of our bedrooms overlooking our courtyard you’ll be lucky enough to spot it – it’s truly out of this world!
Of course there are other tours in Belfast that have proved popular with tourists, nicknamed The Terror Tours. They’re more concerned with the political murals here and they are very interesting in themselves. They are an important document of, essentially, what the city used to be. The history of the murals and the artists that painted them is a great story, to the point of being a valid form of folk art, but we prefer the modern pieces in Belfast. The work of a new, young generation more tuned into what the city has become and what it can be, rather than what it was. Really, both give you what Belfast and its people are about.
The Street Art Walking Tours are informal with knowledgeable,passionate guides who are willing to answer any questions and know the streets well. Check the link below for booking details. Enjoy. Our future is the writing on the wall.