Artists

Aislinn Clarke

Aislinn Clarke is an award-winning N. Ireland based scriptwriter, filmmaker and director, best known for the horror movie, The Devil’s Doorway.

Alan Meban

Alan Meban is a freelance journalist who reviews films and theatre performances

Alana Henderson

Alana Henderson is a cellist and singer-songwriter from Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland.

Amy Montgomery

Amy Montgomery is an Irish native and is based out of Belfast. The first thing that grabs your attention about this Irish songstress (apart from the Bohemian look) is her raw and beautiful voice honed from relentless busking across her homeland. At just 20 years of age, she is already a musical force of nature, performing with great intensity on both guitar and keyboards.

Andrea Thornbury Project Manager BCC

Andrea joined Belfast City Council in January 2019 as a Data Specialist in the City Innovation team. This role included working towards the development of a city data strategy and developing a well-maintained network of public officials, developers, companies and citizens to leverage data infrastructure to improve quality of life and address city challenges.

Andrew Reid

Head of Production at Northern Ireland Screen. As Head of Production, Andrew is responsible for the investment of Northern Ireland Screen’s £13m annual development, production and skills funds. He oversees the delivery of: physical production; project development; new and emerging talent and skills development schemes. Andrew is an alumni of Cass Business School’s Inside Pictures; a member of BAFTA and a founding member of the Irish Film and Television Academy.

Annemarie Ní Churreái

Annemarie Ní Churreáin is a bilingual poet from the Donegal Gaeltacht in North-West Ireland.

Ara Devine

is an artist, filmmaker and PhD researcher at Belfast School of Art, Ulster University. He is a graduate of Fine Art Media and Visual Culture from the National College of Art and Design. In 2017 his film The Irish Question was shortlisted for the RDS Visual Art Awards. In October 21, Turf was awarded Louth International Film Festival Winner of Best Short Fiction.

Arborist

ARBORIST are a Belfast-based band who have released 2 critically acclaimed LPs (MOJO ★★★★, The Guardian ★★★★, UNCUT 8/10) including a single featuring Kim Deal (The Breeders, Pixies).

Audrey Molloy

Audrey Molloy grew up in County Wexford and currently lives in Sydney, Australia.

Billy O’Callaghan

Billy O’Callaghan is an Irish short fiction writer and novelist from Cork.

Brand New Friend

Brand New Friend are an exhilarating indie pop brother-and-sister-fronted foursome from Castlerock, Northern Ireland.

Brian Mc Gilloway

Brian Mc Gilloway is the New York Times bestselling author of the DS Lucy Black thrillers, and the Inspector Devlin mysteries.

Byddi Lee

Byddi Lee an Armagh City resident, is the author of, Rejuvenation, Book 1, a speculative fiction trilogy.

Caitríona Ní Chléirchín

Caitríona Ní Chléirchín is an Irish-language poet, critic, editor and lecturer (DCU), originally from Emyvale, Co. Monaghan.

Cathy Craig

Professor Cathy Craig is a Professor of Experimental Psychology at Ulster University.

Ciaran Lavery

Ciaran Lavery is an award winning and multi-nominated singer and songwriter from the north of Ireland. He lives with his semi-sighted dog, Hugo in Aghagallon, County Antrim.

Claire Allan

Claire Allan is a former journalist turned bestselling author who has been critically acclaimed for her gripping psychological thrillers.

Colin Hassard

Colin Hassard is a poet, performer and creative writing workshop facilitator from Co. Down.

Conor Carville

Conor Carville is a poet, writer, reviewer and academic who has taught creative writing for over two decades, and now resides in London.

Conor Scott

Ever see 'at there ginger wee lad that sings in the town? Aye him.

Dan Leith

Dan graduated in 2007 with a BA in English & Film from Queen's University Belfast, and then again in 2008 with an MA in Creative Writing. A member of the Lyric Studio since 2010 he has been acting and writing ever since.

Dani Larkin

Dani Larkin is a singer-songwriter and folk musician from the Armagh-Monaghan border. Her songs are inspired by the folk tales she was raised with and blend elements of melodies and rhythms from around the world in a seamless and timeless tradition.

Danielle McLaughlin

Danielle McLaughlin is the author of the short story collection, Dinosaurs on Other Planets.

Daragh Carville

Daragh Carville is an Armagh-born playwright and screenwriter.

Dawn Purvis

Dawn Purvis describes herself as a recovering politician, having led the PUP (Progressive Unionist Party), and as an East Belfast MLA for four years.

Declan Lawn

Declan Lawn is a screen writer and producer from N. Ireland, and a former investigative reporter with BBC Panorama.

Dena Anuksa

Dena is an Egyptian neo soul hip hop artist based in Belfast.

Donal Phillips

Donal Phillips is Business Development Manager for the Creative Industries at QUB, he has over 10 years’ experience in the games industry working within a broad range of roles, departments and projects and 5 years’ experience of delivering government funded innovation programmes for the Games Sector in Northern Ireland, establishing the first games incubator for the region, The Pixel Mill. He is currently treasurer of Games NI and a Trustee at UK Games Charity Games Aid.

Duke Special

By nature Duke Special is a curious person. He is curious about theatre, books, music, poetry, art, love, life, redemption, death, 78RPM records and most recently, gardening! All of this is evidenced by the variety of musical adventures throughout his career.

Emma Must

Emma Must is Belfast based environmental activist, poet and academic researcher.

Emmi Itäranta

Emmi Itäranta is a Finnish novelist who writes in Finnish and English.

Fia Moon

Soulful. Honest. Heartfelt. These are just a few of the words that crop up time and time again in conversations around Irish singer/songwriter Fia Moon. The Dublin-born London-based artist’s blend of R&B tinged alt-pop has drawn comparisons to the likes of Halsey, Jhene Aiko, Banks and Snoh Aalegra.

Fiona Scarlett

Fiona Scarlett has just been announced as the author to watch!

Gerard Brennan

Gerard Brennan is, says Stuart Neville, ‘a unique voice in contemporary Irish fiction’.

Glenn Patterson

Glenn Patterson is a N. Ireland based writer for film, television and radio who has published several acclaimed novels, the most recent of which is Where Are We Now?

Hex Hue

Hex Hue marks a clean break for producer, composer and songwriter Katie Richardson.

Jan Carson

Jan Carson is a writer and community arts facilitator based in Belfast. She is the author of two novels and four-story collections.

Jane Robinson

Jane Robinson is a poet, and biologist from Dublin.

Jealous of the Birds

Delivering stripped-back, introspective indie rock with a bright melancholy and garnering comparisons to arresting songwriters such as Cat Power, Karen Dalton, and Laura Marling, Jealous of the Birds is the solo project of Irish singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Naomi Hamilton.

Jehnova

Jehnova is a South African born emcee residing in Dublin with a diverse and lyrically stacked rap style. He is a member of the rap collective/group “NUXSENSE” and their Lo-Fi , Jazz and Trap infused sound are the driving force behind his songs.

Joanne Stuart

Joanne Stuart is CEO of the Northern Ireland Tourism Alliance, the private sector voice of the local tourism industry, having spent 30 years working in Tech and Innovation.

John Barry

John Barry is Professor of Green Political Economy and Co-Director of the Centre for Sustainability, QUB, and Co-Chair Belfast Climate Commission.

John FitzGerald

John FitzGerald has just launched his debut collection, The Time Being, June, 2021, with The Gallery Press, marking the arrival of a distinctive presence in Irish poetry.

Joseph O’Connor

Joseph O’Connor, novelist, screenwriter and playwright, is one of Ireland’s best-known writers.

Joshua Burnside

Joshua Burnside (born 11 July 1989) is a Northern Irish folk singer-songwriter based in Belfast. His music incorporates elements of Irish folk, rock, Americana, world music and electronica. His debut album Ephrata was written in Colombia and incorporates Cumbian rhythms, as well as Colombian-inspired lyrical themes referencing the likes of Jaime Garz&ampoacuten. Ephrata was awarded the Northern Ireland Music Prize Best Album award in 2017.

Karishma Kusurkar

A designer, podcaster and founder of Belfast Design Week and Karishma's World. Karishma is a thinker, creator, maker and innovate UK grant holder, specialising in entrepreneurship.

Kathleen McCracken

Kathleen McCracken is Canadian and the author of eight collections of poetry.

Kerrie Sweeney CEO Maritime Belfast Trust

Kerrie joined Maritime Belfast in March 2013 and has over 20 years’ experience working in the tourism sector including 10 years between Belfast City Council and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, where she was a member of the team that put together the plans for the Titanic Signature Project. Kerrie’s experience is in product and destination development, capital projects and partnership initiatives.

Kevin Killen

Kevin Killen’s current practice is the creation of self-made neon light sculptures and installations, often site-specific. The works capture moments in time, representing life and peoples’ physical journeys as snapshots of lives. Based in Belfast, he obtained a BA (Hons) in Fine Art from the Surrey Institute of Art and Design University College (now the UCA) in 1999 and specialist training in neon making in Dallas, Texas in 2009.

Leo Miyagee

Belfast based rapper for Banjaxed Records

Lisa Kelly

Lisa Kelly is half Danish and has single-sided deafness. Her first collection, A Map Towards Fluency, was published by Carcanet, 2019.

Lost Brothers

Although they both hail from Ireland (Oisin from Navan, and Mark from Omagh), The Lost Brothers didn’t meet until they both lived in Liverpool, where their old bands were based in the early noughties. Mark played lead guitar in The Basement (Deltasonic Records) while Oisin sang and played guitar in The 747s (Island Records).

Louise Kennedy

Louise Kennedy, from Co. Down, is a major new voice in Irish fiction for the twenty-first century.

Lucy Caldwell

Lucy Caldwell is the award-winning Belfast-born author of three novels, two short story collections, several stage plays and radio dramas.

Malachi O'Doherty

Malachi O'Doherty is a journalist, writer, presenter and photographer.

Malojian

Over the last few years, Malojian has released several stunning solo albums, along the way collaborating with musical legends including Steve Albini, Joey Waronker, Gerry Love, Jon Thorne and more ...

Manukahunney Blue

Manukahunney was formed in 2012 by soul singer Siobhan Brown and with a growing following, Manukahunney have become one of Northern Ireland's best live soul bands with a reputation for creating that authentic and irresistible live soul vibes that has become synonymous with every performance.

Maureen Boyle

Maureen Boyle’s debut Poetry collection, The Work of a Winter, (Arden Press) was shortlisted for the 2019 Strong Shine Award for a first collection.

Michael Hughes

Michael Hughes is a native of Keady in Co., Armagh. A writer, successful stage and screen actor, lecturer in Creative Writing at Queen Mary University of London, he also works in film production and script development.

Michael McGlade CEO Yellow Design

Michael McGlade is Creative Director of Yellow Design based in Belfast, N. Ireland. With 25 years’ experience in branding and visual communication, the key focus on the use of immersive technologies, Michael leads a dedicated team that brings creativity and imagination to the visitor's experience within smarter, sustainable cities, ensuring that cultural and historical stories are promoted within communities.

Myles McCormack

Belfast based musician Myles McCormack occupies a very special place within the Irish music community. Beyond his work with innovative trad/fusion group Lonesome George, Myles crafts careful, considered tales under his own name.

Nattassa Latcham

Nattassa Latcham is a Poet, Writer, Blogger, Podcaster and Dance Educator.

Nealo

Nealo is a rapper & singer from Dublin, Ireland. He writes from the heart over soulful jazz instrumentals made by his friends.

Neil Foster

Neil Foster composes cinematic ambient electronica and classically influenced music inspired by dreams, landscapes, horizons and spaces, bringing elements together through intuitive experimentation. He uses pianos, synths, vocals, percussion, and samples everything from local bird calls, the ocean, radio static, mountain wind and urban noise. His first album ‘Hiraeth’ was released in 2018.

Neil Martin

Neil Martin is a composer from Belfast whose work has been performed across the world from Ground Zero to Mostar Bridge and the Royal Albert Hall, as well as being played on the International Space Station.

New Pagans

New Pagans create music that is vivid and engaged. The songs have massive riffs and rare dynamics. The lyrics are ready to start conversations and challenge the given ideas. Every release is a throwdown, a provocation, an education.

No Oil Paintings

No Oil Paintings are a vivacious, dynamic alternative-folk band from Belfast. Using typical folk instrumentation and four-part harmonies they produce music that’s a little wilder than what is often associated with the genre. The band switch and share vocal leads, each member playing to their own strengths and bringing their own style to the songs they shepherd. Expect to hear everything from swampy blues rock to straight-up country waltzes.

Nuala O’Connor

Nuala O’Connor is one of Ireland’s most acclaimed writers

Nuala Toman

Project Manager of Future Screens NI. Nuala is an expert in funding, innovation and entrepreneurship having personally held £2.5mn in research grants and access funding for a range of emerging charities. Nuala is the former Acting Head of Research Development at Ulster University, Chair of Breastival, Vice Chair of Thrive, Board Member of the NIMC and Council Member of CCMS.

Pádraig Ó Tuama

Paul McVeigh

Paul McVeigh has written comedy, essays, a novel, plays and short stories, and his work has been performed on radio, stage and television, and published in seven languages.

Paul Moore Director Future Screens NI

Professor Paul Moore joined the University of Ulster in 1999 and has since been active in the development of the creative arts/industries policy in the University. He was head of the School of Creative Arts and Technologies from 2008 to 2017 before serving a short period as head of the School of Communication and Media.

Phil Kieran

Phil Kieran is a DJ, music producer and composer who has toured internationally and released records for the past twenty years.

Prof Conor Carville

Born in Armagh City, Conor is an Associate Professor of English and Creative Writing at Reading University.

Professor John Fitzgerald

Economist and former Chair of Ireland’s Climate Change Advisory Board

Professor Pramod Nayar

Professor Pramod Nayar lectures at the Department of English, the University of Hyderabad, India.

Rachael Hegarty

Rachael Hegarty is a Dubliner. Her debut collection, Flight Paths Over Finglas, won the 2018 Shine Strong Award.

Raquel McKee

Rebekah Fitch

Rebekah Fitch is an artist who combines her love of melody with thought-provoking poetry; powerful vocals with transparency and vulnerability; and constant wonder with enigmatic visuals. The power of music is in its ability to carry a message, and this is exactly what Rebekah does. In a rapidly transforming world, she challenges listeners to stop and think for themselves, finding where they stand before being swept away in the chaos.

Reevah

Derry based Indie-pop artist Reevah grew up surrounded by music & art her mother is an artist & her father is a musician.

Rita Duffy

Rita Duffy is one of Ireland's groundbreaking visual artists.

Robyn G Shiels

Possessing the haunting bleakness of Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, the exploratory musical sensibility of Wilco and the lyrical beauty of Nick Cave, the music of Robyn G Shiels somehow still manages to stake out a territory all of its own.

Roe

ROE is 19-year-old multi-instrumentalist from Derry (Ireland), Roisin Donald. Laying down her unique brand of self-styled “Grumpy Electro-Pop”, she has been blazing a trail for young female indie artists across Ireland, UK, Europe and beyond.

Ruth McGinley

Derry-born Ruth McGinley quickly became a young star of classical music when she won the piano final of the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition in 1994

Sam McBride

Sam is a highly respected journalist, author, broadcaster and political commentator.

Sasha Samara

Sasha Samara is a new voice in the Northern Irish scene, bringing a fresh vision of folk-tinged pop that is honest and insightful.

Scott Flanigan

Hailing from Belfast in Northern Ireland, Scott Flanigan is one of the foremost keyboard players on the Irish jazz scene. He performs regularly across the United Kingdom, Ireland, France and Germany, and has recently performed with Van Morrison, the Ulster Orchestra, Larry Coryell, Jean Toussaint, Jim Mullen and Linley Hamilton. As a leader, Scott successfully tours his own contemporary piano trio, as well as a hard-swinging organ quartet.

Sharon Dempsey

Sharon Dempsey is a Belfast based crime writer, academic researcher, former journalist and health writer.

Sinéad Moynihan

Sinéad Moynihan is an Associate Professor in American and Atlantic Literatures at the University of Exeter.

Soda Blonde

The debut album from Soda Blonde may be called Small Talk, but if there’s one thing the Dubliners do not do, it’s mince words. Their debut, and entirely self-produced, album sees the group reflecting on their twenty-something experiences with refreshingly honest transparency.

Stephen Sexton

Stephen Sexton has a long association with the Society, as a former bursary student, and readings at Hewitt’s Spring Festival 2015, and the John Hewitt Birthday Readings, 2017, alongside the late poet Ciáran Carson.

Steven Agnew

Steven Agnew is the head of RenewableNI, which gives a voice to the local renewable electricity industry.

Sue Divin

Sue Divin is a Derry-based writer, hailing originally from Armagh City.

Thushara Sabreen

Innovation Lead for the Creative Industries at Innovate UK. Thushara is responsible for creative industries programmes across Innovate UK. Thushara Sabreen is also the founding director of Tinker Design, a wearable technology company.

Tom Fiddian

Head of AI & Data Economy Programmes at Innovate UK. Tom is a globally recognised thought leader on technological innovation across multiple sectors. Tom is the lead on artificial intelligence (AI) and the data economy and plays a lead role in developing and implementing Innovate UK strategy on artificial intelligence (AI) and the data economy.

Touts

TOUTS are a three piece band from Derry, Ireland. A singer that can't sing, a mod that can't play bass and a drummer that can't see.

Travi The Native

A child of Belfast, Northern Ireland, Travi The Native burst onto the scene in the spring of 2020

Travis is a Tourist

Take a moment to consider sleepless nights, the road not taken. Travis is a Tourist explores the thoughts closest to him, drawing on experiences from his youth, admittedly not that long ago - delivered with a gentle swagger and an unforgettable voice.

Tu Nokwe

Tu Nokwe is a South African singer, actress, guitarist, composer, lyricist, recording artist, author, teacher.

Ursula Burns

Songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and comedienne Ursula Burns has been smashing the stereo-typical image of the harp for 25 years by performing and touring the world through the mediums of Music, Theatre, Circus and Comedy – a diverse and compelling artist who is not afraid to take risks and push the harp to places it has never dared to venture.

Visual Waste

Visual Waste is a Belfast Based Graffiti Artist who’s Street Art pieces can be found throughout Belfast, Ireland, United Kingdom, Europe and America. He has been working with Brands, Business’s, Agenices and Communities for over 10 years delivering bespoke projects to a diverse range of clients.

Vittoria Cafolla

Vittoria Cafolla, one half of Paradosso Theatre company, is an Armagh born playwright now based in Belfast. Her last play ‘The Shedding of Skin’ for Kabosh Theatre Company, told the hidden stories of women at war. She is currently under commission to the Lyric Theatre, working on an opera about Irish painter Mary Swanzy. Her adaptation of, The Lonely Passion Of Judith Hearne, a novel by the North Belfast born writer Brian Moore, is to be staged in late 2021.