Belfast is set to officially open its first legal street art wall this Friday, 4 July 2025. Located on Little Patrick Street in the city centre, this new space will offer a designated area for artists and creatives to express themselves freely, without the need for prior permissions from landowners.

Funded by Belfast City Council and managed by Seedhead Arts, with permission from wall owner NIE Networks, this is the first of three such walls expected to open this year. The initiative aims to nurture creative development within the city's burgeoning street art scene.

It's hoped that these "legal walls" will also play a role in deterring unauthorised graffiti across Belfast. This project is the latest from the council in its efforts to support street artists. The locations for the two additional walls are still being finalised, with ongoing discussions between the council, Seedhead Arts, and property owners.

Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Tracy Kelly, highlighted the benefits: "Belfast already has an impressive array of street art which has become a huge draw for visitors and really brightens up our city for residents and communities too. We want to harness that creative spirit and create further opportunities for young artists by offering them safe spaces where they can create, practice and experiment without fear of getting into trouble." Councillor Kelly noted the success of similar initiatives elsewhere: "Legal walls have long been used in Europe to nurture artists and encourage collaborative art projects, and I’m pleased that our first Belfast wall is now in place. We know graffiti and tagging can be real issues for businesses and communities so we hope that these walls will also help reduce nuisance behaviour, by instead providing a place where creativity can be freely expressed." She also referenced previous council efforts, adding: "Council is really keen to encourage creative development in the city. Our Belfast Canvas project has transformed over 110 utility boxes since 2019 and provided a platform for both established and emerging artists to showcase their work, and we’re currently helping a further six street artists with mentoring and coaching to develop their skills."

Adam Turkington from Seedhead Arts, who will help operate the Little Patrick Street wall, confirmed it will be accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for professional and emerging artists, as well as anyone with an interest in street art. No booking is required, though the wall will be continuously monitored to manage content and ensure it is well maintained.

"Legal walls are a key building block for any city wanting to support its artistic community and, although there are spaces in the city that have been unofficially legal for some time, this is the first time that Belfast has a formally designated a space in this way," Mr Turkington explained. He also pointed out a specific benefit for local artists: "In particular, in Belfast, where we have a huge number of young women who are street artists, this will hopefully provide a space where they can safely meet and practice their skills."

Artists are invited to check out and use the first legal wall at a free street art paint jam run by Seedhead Arts on Little Patrick Street, taking place from 12:00 to 16:00 on Friday, 4 July. Admission is free and open to everyone, with some materials provide belfastcity.gov.uk/events