Culture Night is set to return to Belfast in September 2025, after Green Party councillors on Belfast City Council secure £150,000 funding pot through this year’s rates setting process. The large-scale cultural celebration last took place fully in 2019 with around 100,000 people in attendance.

Green Party Councillor for Botanic, Áine Groogan, first proposed that Belfast City Council scope out the possibility of supporting the return of the event in 2024 when she was Deputy Lord Mayor of Belfast. She secured support for a £30,000 for a scoping exercise with the arts and cultural sectors and other important stakeholders which concluded at the end of March.

Green Party Councillors also secured £150,000 to fund the event, as part of this year’s rates setting process.

Cllr Groogan said; “I am buzzing to say that Culture Night will be back in Belfast in September 2025. It is a great celebration of the best of Belfast, providing a fantastic free opportunity for the public to engage in the arts and be inspired and have a positive impact on the Nighttime Economy during the summer season.”

“I want to thank Thrive & Daisy Chain Inc who have done great work over the past few months engaging with the arts and culture sector and other important stakeholders to build broad support to make Culture Night 2025 a success.”

“The event might look a little different than before, we will know more when procurement has completed, but I am confident that we can create an exciting and inclusive program, which returns Culture Night to the roots which made it a success in the early years, and which can meaningfully support the arts & cultural sector, which the Green Party will always champion.”