Queen’s University Belfast and Libraries NI have joined forces to deliver a new pilot project aimed at making Northern Ireland’s rich cultural heritage more accessible and engaging for local communities.

Funded by Queen’s CiviContribution Fund, the project brings together unique and complementary collections held by Queen’s Special Collections and Belfast Central Library. Through a series of interactive workshops hosted in the Special Collections Reading Room, participants from diverse backgrounds explored historic materials, shared stories and helped shape a forthcoming travelling exhibition.

With 84% of registered attendees coming from outside the University, including representatives from the Department for Communities and the African and Caribbean Support Organisation Northern Ireland, the workshops demonstrated a strong appetite for accessible, community-led cultural engagement.

Feedback was overwhelmingly positive:

"These folios represent an important part of Irish and Northern Irish history"
"The activity impressed me and was beneficial for my knowledge of NI"
"All the items on display had so much character and really spoke to me"
"Great collaboration"

The workshops fostered intercultural dialogue and encouraged participants to see themselves reflected in the archive. As one organiser noted, “Opening up collections creates a real sense of community and helps people connect with their own identities and with our shared past.”

This initiative reinforces Queen’s civic mission while building capacity across both institutions. By partnering with Libraries NI, the project will now expand into public library spaces across Greater Belfast, using the community-curated exhibition to spark conversations, inspire learning and promote understanding of Northern Ireland’s shared cultural history.