Imagine Belfast Festival Launched At Heart Of Linen Quarter

Last week one of Belfast’s most thought-provoking and innovative festivals, the Imagine! Belfast Festival of Ideas & Politics unveiled its 2025 programme at a special launch event at the Grand Central Hotel, sponsored by LQ BID.

This year’s festival is taking place from 24^th – 30^th March 2025 across Belfast and will explore the theme, “helping you make sense of a crazy world.”  This unique festival is in its 11th year and features over 120 events in 50 venues across the city, supported by over 60 partners.  The week-long programme is an eclectic mix of talks, workshops, theatre, comedy, music, exhibitions, film, poetry and tours including 10 events sponsored by LQ BID. 

Mags White-O’Kane joins as the new festival director, following the retirement in 2024 of festival founder, Peter O’Neill.  Mags has over 20 years’ experience in the arts working as an event manager, facilitator and development manager. Commenting on her new role Mags said:

“Our theme this year, “helping you make sense of a crazy world” is more pertinent than ever given the deafening noise of misinformation and the insane information spewing from algorithms that we’re all experiencing and subject to.  We’re aiming to help refocus and bring the attention back to real people and their ideas and lives, through engaging with arts and culture in real-time via our programme of events.”

This year the festival will feature keynote artists and speakers such as Cory Doctorow, Lemn Sissay, Jo Caulfield, David Baddiel, Alison Spittle, Matt Forde, artist-in-residence Erin Fornoff, Tim Arnold, Roman Krznaric, Inua Ellams, Andy Zaltzman, Sinéad Morrissey.

Other highlights include a series of events examining the relationship between music and activism, particularly ska and reggae; a special focus on artistic expression in a digital age and the constant barrage of modern media on our thinking and habits; and the intersection of the climate crisis and growing inequality and injustice across society.

Linen Quarter BID is sponsoring 10 events as part of the programme, with complimentary tickets for LQ based employees

😆 Political Comedian Matt Forde in Conversation with William Crawley
📸 Trocaire’s Eyes of the Storm Photo Exhibition at Belfast Grand Central Station
🌏 Andy Zaltzman assesses the state of Planet Earth and the Human Race
✍ Social Philosopher Roman Krznaric discusses how history can help us re-imagine the future
🗳️ Well-Dressed Hooligans – A History of the Belfast Suffragettes Walking Tour

& More!

You can view more information on all 10 events including how to access complimentary tickets for LQ based employees at linenquarter.org/event/imagine-festival-of-politics-ideas/ 

The Imagine! Belfast Festival of Ideas and Politics 2025 programme is available to view online via imaginebelfast.com.