Reach'26: Queen's Arts and Sustainability Festival
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What is Reach'26?
Queen’s University Belfast is delighted to announce the return of the Arts and Sustainability Festival, Reach’26.This seven‑day programme brings together artists, researchers, students, and the wider public to explore how creativity can illuminate the urgent challenges of our changing planet.Taking place across the University campus, the festival highlights the powerful connection between artistic practice and sustainability. Through film, image, music, talks, panels, creative writing, design, and visual art, Reach’26 offers multiple ways to engage with themes such as the climate emergency, biodiversity loss, and environmental resilience.Developed in partnership with Queen’s Sustainability Team, the Naughton Gallery, Queen’s Film Theatre, the Seamus Heaney Centre, the MediaLab, and academic experts across the region, this year’s programme brings a rich diversity of perspectives to key climate issues. Art has the unique ability to translate complex scientific ideas into shared emotional experience, opening space for understanding, hope, and collective action.
- When and where is Reach'26?
The festival will run from the 15 – 22 April and events will take place in different locations around the University campus.
Date: 15/04/2026
Time: 10:00AM - 11:00AM
Location: Seamus Heaney Centre
Category: Performance
Date: 15/04/2026
Time: 1:00PM - 3:00PM
Location: Sonic Arts Research Centre, SARC
Category: Performance
Date: 16/04/2026
Time: 11:00AM - 12:30PM
Location: Sonic Arts Research Centre
Category: Performance
Date: 16/04/2026
Time: 5:00PM - 6:00PM
Location: Sonic Arts Research Centre, SARC
Category: Performance
Date: 16/04/2026
Time: 5:30PM - 8:00PM
Location: Naughton Gallery
Category: Exhibition
Date: 17/04/2026
Time: 12:00PM - 1:30PM
Location: CaptureLab, University Square Mews
Category: Performance
Date: 17/04/2026
Time: 4:15PM - 5:15PM
Location: Queen's CaptureLab, University Square Mews
Category: Film
Date: 17/04/2026
Time: 6:00PM - 7:40PM
Location: Queen's Film Theatre
Category: Film
Date: 18/04/2026
Time: 10:00AM - 11:00AM
Location: Naughton Gallery
Category: Exhibition
Date: 18/04/2026
Time: 11:30AM - 1:00PM
Location: Belfast Room, Ulster Museum
Category: Workshop / Seminar / Course
Date: 18/04/2026
Time: 12:30PM - 1:00PM
Location: One Elmwood
Category: Performance
Date: 18/04/2026
Time: 1:00PM - 3:30PM
Location: Seamus Heaney Centre
Category: Community Event
Date: 20/04/2026
Time: 1:15PM - 2:30PM
Location: Queen's Film Theatre
Category: Film
Date: 21/04/2026
Time: 12:00PM - 1:45PM
Location: The Cube, One Elmwood, Queen’s University Belfast
Category: Workshop / Seminar / Course
Date: 21/04/2026
Time: 12:00PM - 1:00PM
Location: Outside the main entrance to the Lanyon Building, Queen’s University Belfast, on University Road opposite One Elmwood.
In wet weather, the meeting point will move inside the Lanyon Building.
Category: Information Event
Date: 21/04/2026
Time: 12:00PM - 2:00PM
Location: Main Foyer, One Elmwood
Category: Workshop / Seminar / Course
Date: 22/04/2026
Time: 9:00AM - 1:00PM
Location: The Canada Room, Queen's University Belfast
Category: Conference / Symposium
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How to get there
Queen's University is located in the city of Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland.
It is a 15-minute walk from Belfast city centre, served by regular connecting bus services.
The main University campus is the size of a small town, situated within three designated conservation areas, making walking or cycling around the area a very pleasant experience. Within walking distance of Queen’s are numerous shops, cafes and restaurants, Botanic Gardens, the Ulster Museum, the Grand Opera House and the Lyric Theatre, the Physical Education Centre and many other useful facilities. - Arriving by bike
The University campus is easily reached from the city centre (1.5 km).
Bringing a bicycle on public transport: all ferries accept bicycles, usually free of charge. Train services will usually accept bicycles; often a small surcharge is made. Coach services are generally less willing to carry bicycles, although it is often discretionary; check first. The policy of airlines varies a lot, so again enquire before travelling.
The road system can be busy in and around Belfast, although pleasant cycling can be found on the Lagan Towpath (to Lisburn) and in the surrounding countryside.
Bicycle hire is available in Belfast - check with the Northern Ireland Tourist Board. - Arriving by bus and train
The Queen's Campus is a 5- minute walk from Botanic Train Station on the Bangor, Larne, Newry and Derry/Londonderry lines. Coach and bus services arrive at Great Victoria Street, which is also connected by rail (or alternatively it is a 10-minute walk).
The Enterprise Train service runs from Dublin to Belfast with an average of 8 trains per day with an estimated travel time of 2h 09. Trains from Dublin to Belfast depart approximately every 1h40mins. A regular bus service also runs from Belfast Europa station to Dublin city and Dublin airport.All public transport in Northern Ireland is organised by the Translink Company Visit their website for more information on fares, timetables, journey planners and online ticket bookings.
- Arriving by car
Queen’s is located in south central Belfast and as such is close to the both Northern Ireland’s main motorways, connecting it easily with the rest of Ireland.
If you are planning on driving to Queen's and have a SAT NAV available you can use the following address:
Queen's University Belfast,
University Road,
Belfast,
BT7 1NN,
Northern Ireland, UK - Reach'26 accessibility
Queen's University Belfast has partnered with not-for-profit group AccessAble, which promotes accessibility, to develop guides to help our staff, students and visitors get to and around our University buildings and sites more easily. The guides provide detailed access information on our buildings and facilities specifically to help people with an accessibility need.
Access the guide here.