Accessibility
Vault Artists Studios aims to be an inclusive place for our artists and our visitors. We want everyone to feel welcome in our buildings and at our events.
Currently Vault occupies three buildings. These are: Shankill Mission on the Shankill Road, Bedford Street in Belfast’s city centre and 39 Corporation Street also in the city centre.
Accessing this page and our website
The text information on our website should be accessible through screen readers. If this is not the case or if you notice something is missing then please don’t hesitate to get in touch on propaganada@vaultartiststudios.com
We are currently in the process of adding alt text to our existing website imagery and photo galleries.
Further information about our buildings can be found through our Locations page
Accessing bedford street
62/66 Bedford St, Belfast BT2 7GP
Bedford Street (formally Bankmore House) was built in the late 1980s. It is a red and yellow brick building with a working clock tower and is clearly visible at street level. Our lobby is not staffed and when you arrive you will be greeted by glass doors which are opened manually by hand. If no one is in the lobby when you arrive, please phone the party you have arranged your visit with to gain access.
Bedford Street covers 6 floors and is served by a lift. Our gallery and project space is on the ground floor and our artist studios on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th floors. Artist studios are not open to the public unless by prior arrangement. Each floor offers accessible toilet and kitchen access.
The gallery and project Space is on the right hand side as you enter the lobby. It is accessible by buggies and wheelchairs and is a large open space with high ceilings and tall windows covering two of the walls. Our lobby has soft seated chairs available for visitors.
Getting here -
Visiting: Bedford Street is only open to the public during our regular exhibitions, workshops or events. Full details of these can be found on our Events or Artist development pages. If you wish to visit Bedford Street outside of these times please contact staff@vaultartiststudios.com.
Walk: Bedford Street is in Belfast City centre, opposite Wetherspoons and next to the former Dublin Road cinema site. A four minute walk from Shaftesbury Square and 5 minutes from Belfast City Hall.
Taxi drop off: The front of the building on Bedford St does not have an area to pull over in a car. Taxis can pull in and stop on Bankmore St just to the right of our building. There are dropped curbs for wheelchair users.
Bus: You can easily travel here by public transport. We are a 5 minute walk from Cityhall bus stops and 10 minute walk from Grand Central Station which are major bus hubs.
Train: Our nearest train station is Botanic, a 6 minute walk. Grand Central station is a 10 minute walk through the city centre. Check Translink or Google Maps for the latest directions.
Bicycle: There are two nearby Belfast Bikes stations. One right outside on Bankmore St and another at Great Victoria St. BelfastBikes
Car & Parking: Bedford Street is situated on the corner of Bedford St and Bankmore St. Bankmore St is a one way street and Bedford Street is a busy, 2 way street. There is no free parking. There are several on-street parking spots right outside our building on Bankmore St which are often busy. It’s best to head to one of the many nearby car parks. Parkopedia has all the current information of where to park and parking charges.
Upper Arthur St nearby offers designated Blue Badge parking bays and is a 10 minute walk away.
We welcome dogs on leads.
If you have any queries in advance of your visit that are not covered in this document or require any assistance on your future visit please fill in our accessibilty contact form below or e-mail us at staff@vaultartiststudios.com
If you require any assistance when you are at Vault on your visit please ask any staff member.
Accessing Shankill Mission
116 Shankill Road. BT13 2BD, Belfast.
Shankill Mission was built in 1898 and designed by William Roome in the Queen Anne Revival style. It is a large 4 floor building, clearly visible at street level, signposted with painted shutters that say VAULT in different handpainted styles and the words Shankill Mission carved in stone above the central entrance. When you arrive you will be greeted by an ornate metal gate and a heavy wooden door which are opened maually by hand. Our lobby is not staffed so when you arrive, please phone the party you have arranged your visit with to gain access.
Shankill Mission covers 4 floors currently accessible by stairs only. The Belfast Tool Library is on the ground floor and the Dance Studio on the 2nd floor. Our artist studios occupy the ground, 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors. We do not have an accessible toilet yet but we’re working on it. Artist studios are not open to the public unless by prior arrangment.
When you enter the lobby, the entrance to the Belfast Tool Library is on your left and the stairs to our Dance Studio are on the right hand side. Our Dance Studio is a bright, large room with high ceilings and wooden floors and heating. Two of the four walls have windows and one wall has full length mirrors. The ground floor of our building only is accessible by buggies and wheelchairs. Our lobby has 3 soft seated chairs available for visitors.
GETTING HERE
Visiting: Shankill Mission is only open to the public during Belfast Tool Library opening hours or for workshops or events. Full details of these can be found on our Events or Artist Development pages. If you wish to visit Shankill Mission outside of these times please contact staff@vaultartiststudios.com.
We welcome dogs on leads.
Walk: Shankill Mission is a 15-minute walk from Belfast city centre at the bottom of the Shankill Road.
Taxi drop off: Taxis can drop off and pick up right in front of our building. There are dropped curbs for wheelchair users.
Bus: Buses no. 11a, 11b, 11c and 11g stop just a few doors down at the Agnes Street stop.
Train: Our nearest train station, Grand Central is a 24 minute walk away. Check Translink for times or Google Maps for the latest directions - Translink
Bicycle: Belfast Bikes station right next to us at Shankill Leisure Centre - BelfastBikes
Parking: Free on-street parking is available in front of the building and also behind the building at Northumberland St Car Park. There are dropped curbs for wheelchair users.
Accessing 39 Corporation Street
39 Corporation Street. BT1 3BA, Belfast.
39 Corporation Street is a white and glass, rectangular, stand alone tower block building built in 1991 and is clearly visible at street level. It is set within its own carpark and the building is signposted with a large 39 numeral at the top of the central atrium tower and a digital clock. If you arrive at the building carpark by car you will be greeted with a barrier. To gain entry, please call the party you are visiting for access. Otherwise please use your key to unlock the barrier.
39 Corporation Street has more than one entrance which can be confusing at first and our reception is not staffed. When you arrive you will be greeted by steps leading up to a central revolving door and two doors to either side. Only the door to the righthand side is in operation, which is a pull door and opened manually by hand. If no one is in the lobby when you arrive, please phone the party you have arranged your visit with to gain access or use your key.
Wheelchair and buggy access is to the right hand side of the main building entrance where a concrete access ramp brings you up to a separate accessible door. Please call the party you are visiting or use your key to gain entry here.
Once inside the lobby you will see stairs beside the front desk and a working lift on the left hand side. The lift on the right hand side is out of service.
39 Corporation Street covers 4 floors and is served by a lift. Our Multiuse Event space is on the ground floor and our artist studios on the ground, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th floors. Artist studios are not open to the public unless by prior arrangement. Each floor offers accessible toilet and kitchen access.
During events the Multiuse Event Space can be accessed through the double doors at the top of an accessible ramp on the ground floor at the right hand side of the building. It is accessible by buggies and wheelchairs and is a large open space with high ceilings and tall windows covering two of the walls.
GETTING HERE
Visiting: Corportation Street is only open to the public during exhibtions, workshops or events. Full details of these can be found on our Events or Artist development pages. If you wish to visit Corporation Street outside of these times please contact staff@vaultartiststudios.com.
We welcome dogs on leads.
Walk: 39 Corporation Steet is in Belfast City centre. A two minute walk from Cathedral Quarter and 10 minutes from Belfast City Hall.
Taxi drop off: Taxis can easily drop off anywhere near the building.
Bus: You can travel here by public transport. We are a 7 minute walk from Laganside bus station and Custom House Square which are major bus hubs.
Train: Our nearest train station is Lanyon Place, a 21 minute walk or 6 minute Glider bus ride. Grand Central station is a 26 minute walk through the city centre. Check Translink or Maps for the latest directions.
Bicycle: There are two nearby Belfast Bikes stations at Donegall Quay and Cotton Court. BelfastBikes
Car & Parking: 39 Corporation Street has a large private carpark available to use with prior arrangment.
If you have any queries in advance of your visit that are not covered in this document or require any assistance on your future visit please fill in our accessibilty contact form below or e-mail us at staff@vaultartiststudios.com
If you require any assistance when you are at Vault on your visit please ask any staff member.
Accessibility contact form
This form covers visitor inquiries for all three of our buildings and is checked daily. We will respond to your query quickly.