Funding

We are a diverse, multi-disciplinary, artist-led organisation dedicated to creating space where art and people thrive. Our aim to forge a brighter future by working in collaboration with progressive organisations and individuals who value the arts and harness creativity to help build a fairer and more equitable society where people, not capital, are at the heart of the decisions that shape our lives.

Funding allows us to amplify the reach and impact of our work, supporting our professional and multi-disciplinary members AND also the communities that we directly engage with.

Some recent initiatives that have been made possible through funding:

Mutual Flux —Artist Development

Funded by Belfast City Council’s ‘Art Studios Organisational Grant’, ‘Mutual Flux’ was a multidisciplinary artist development and peer learning programme that reached hundreds of artists and art students.

A year-long programme of artist-led events focused on: practical skills for artists on finance, facilitating groups, career advice, coaching, writing and crit sessions; specific artistic disciplines such as  linocut and collagraph printmaking, 3D modelling and animation, video content and engagement, lettering, stencil cutting, sound and performance art; and workshops run by and for young people on collaborative art making.

Gallery Programme

Thanks to funding by Esmé Mitchell Trust and Belfast City Council, and a lot of volunteer work by our members, we were able to convert a ground floor space of our temporary building on Victoria Street Belfast into a gallery and project space with a professional lighting system. Funding allowed us to run a highly successful gallery programme of 12 exhibitions over the course of 2024 and 2025 which saw thousands of visitors enter the space every month. We are currently seeking funding to be able to offer our artists and curators more support for their work which is largely in line with inflation and to run a similar programme in our new space on Bedford Street, Belfast.

Highlights included ‘Mother’ for this International Women’s Day which included an open call to artists from outside the Vault artist membership. The exhibition included over 70 responses to theme in the form of paintings, sculptures, collages, photography, prints, drawings, bunting, embroidery, poetry, installations, textiles, mixed media, digital illustration, and videos. All works that celebrate, commemorate and cherish mothers. 

Making the Arts Accessible

In 2025 we availed of organisational support and completed all three flagship arts and disability access programmes with University Of Atypical. These were the Access Audit and Improvement Plan, Making the Arts Accessible and the Training Course.

In conjunction with University of Atypical we created accessibility information videos for our gallery and project space to be included on a new accessibility page on our website which features information for all visitors including disabled visitors and Vault members.

As a result of qualitative feedback from our 2025 gallery programme, we learned from disabled artists taking part in the programme that specific disabled accessibility funding was vital to help break down barriers and further increase inclusion throughout our programming.

What people say about us

  • "Artist-led spaces, such as studios and creative workspace, are essential to the cultural fabric of our communities"

    Brona Whittaker, Head of Arts at Arts & Business NI

  • "Incredible collective of artists bringing vitality and creativity to the city. Spaces are unique and the open days are great to see everyones work."

    Sarah Gordon — Local Guide

  • "Cameraderie. Collaboration. Shared values. Exchanges of ideas. A space to think, to produce, to breathe, to prepare protest placards free from myriad distractions inherent in contemporary living."

    John Macormac — Vault Member

  • "Great city centre gallery with a varied programme of exhibitions, well worth a visit."

    Studio group and gallery.

  • "Vault Artist Studios is a treasure to have in Belfast. From their studio spaces to their exhibitions to their always amazing markets - they really punch above their weight. There is always something interesting and new to discover."

    Dee Magee — Trip Advisor

Current & Past Funders