Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has launched a landmark photography exhibition at Belfast Exposed gallery, exploring identity, belonging, and cultural heritage. The BIEN (British? Irish? Either? Neither?) programme, which opened on 15 April 2026, represents one of the first major cultural initiatives delivered in partnership with the newly established Office of Identity and Cultural Expression (OICE).
The exhibition brings together three distinct shows examining Ulster-Scots heritage, Irish language and landscape, and contemporary diverse identities. Running until 25 May 2026 at the Cathedral Quarter venue, the programme includes readings, performances, and talks designed to extend the conversation beyond the gallery walls.
Three Lenses on Northern Irish Identity
The BIEN programme comprises three interconnected exhibitions:
- Rebecca Brownlie – Abandoned NI: Explores Ulster-Scots heritage through haunting photographs of abandoned buildings and domestic interiors across Northern Ireland. Brownlie, whose work documenting derelict properties has previously been featured in BBC Northern Ireland’s Abandoned Ulster, collaborates with Ulster-Scots writers to examine memory and loss.
- Iollann Ó Murchú — Tarraingíonn Scéal Scéal Eile (One Story Leads to Another): Celebrates the Irish language, landscape, and the enduring relationship between people and place. Ó Murchú’s work incorporates Irish mythology and oral storytelling traditions through photographic and textual elements.
- In Their Own Image: A group exhibition featuring fourteen artists whose work reflects the many voices contributing to contemporary identity in Northern Ireland.
The launch event took place on 15 April 2026 at Belfast Exposed on Donegall Street. Minister Lyons was joined by Dr Katy Radford, Director of the Office of Identity and Cultural Expression, and Deirdre Robb, Chief Executive of Belfast Exposed.
Ministerial and Institutional Perspectives
Minister Lyons emphasised photography’s unique role in recording community and cultural identity. He said:
“I am pleased to launch this exhibition today. Photography is an art form that has a unique role to play in how communities, identity and culture is recorded. These three interconnected exhibitions provide us with an opportunity to bring together a diverse range of artists and subjects all of whom are proud to call Northern Ireland home. This is exactly the kind of initiative that enables us to celebrate together the diversity that makes Northern Ireland a welcoming place for everyone. I encourage everyone to come along and see it for themselves.”
Dr Katy Radford, appointed Director of OICE in November 2025 following the commencement of the Identity and Language (Northern Ireland) Act 2022, highlighted the Office’s statutory aims. She said:
“The Office is delighted to work with others who see culture and heritage as ways to celebrate being from Northern Ireland. We exist to promote a positive sense of belonging and community cohesion providing opportunities to celebrate together, in an open and respectful manner.”
Deirdre Robb, whose organisation has spent over four decades documenting working-class life and Troubles-era Belfast through community photography, placed the exhibition within a broader historical context. She said:
“For over forty years Belfast Exposed has created a space where photography can explore the social and cultural realities of Northern Ireland. BIEN continues that tradition by bringing together artists whose work reflects the diversity of identities that shape our society today. Each artist approaches the question of identity from a different perspective — through language, heritage, landscape, memory and lived experience. What unites them is a belief in photography’s power to help us see one another more clearly. We are honoured to partner with OICE on a project that opens up new conversations about who we are, and how we understand each other.”
Institutional Context and Historical Significance
The collaboration marks an early operational test for OICE, established to promote cultural pluralism and respect for diversity following the 2020 New Decade New Approach agreement. The Office’s board, appointed in December 2025, includes members with backgrounds in equality, arts, and community sectors.
Belfast Exposed, founded in 1983 at Conway Mill on the Falls Road, evolved from a grassroots community photography project—established to counter mainstream media portrayals of the Troubles—into Northern Ireland’s leading contemporary photography centre. Its archive holds over one million negatives and slides, many documenting working-class communities during the conflict.
The exhibition’s focus on both Ulster-Scots and Irish heritage aligns with the recent appointments of the first Irish Language Commissioner (Pól Deeds) and Commissioner for the Ulster-Scots and Ulster British Tradition (Lee Reynolds), who took up their posts in November 2025.
Unanswered Questions and Broader Considerations
While the press release highlights the exhibition’s collaborative nature, several details remain unclear. No budget has been disclosed for the project, making it difficult to assess the scale of public investment or compare it with other cultural funding allocations. The Department for Communities did not specify ticket pricing or accessibility provisions, nor did it detail how organisers selected the fourteen artists for the group exhibition.
Given Belfast Exposed’s historical roots in working-class community documentation, questions arise about how this gallery-based exhibition will reach audiences beyond the traditional arts demographic. The accompanying programme of talks and performances offers potential for broader engagement, though the extent of community outreach remains unspecified.
Questions for Stakeholders
- How will the Office of Identity and Cultural Expression evaluate whether this exhibition achieves its stated aims of community cohesion and reconciliation between different cultural identities?
- What mechanisms are in place to ensure engagement extends beyond the traditional gallery audience to the working-class communities historically served by Belfast Exposed’s outreach programmes?
- How does this project complement the statutory work of the newly appointed Irish Language and Ulster-Scots commissioners, and will there be formal collaboration with their offices?
- Will the accompanying talks and performances include contributions from the specific communities whose heritage is being depicted, particularly regarding the Ulster-Scots and Irish language elements?
- What are the long-term plans for sustaining partnership between OICE and community arts organisations beyond this initial six-week exhibition?
What Happens Next
The BIEN exhibition runs at Belfast Exposed, 23 Donegall Street, until 25 May 2026. The gallery will host specific events including a launch conversation on 14 May 2026. Visitors seeking further information can consult the Belfast Exposed website.
The initiative represents an early indication of how Stormont’s new cultural institutions—established under the 2022 Identity and Language Act—will operationalise their statutory remit to promote diversity and belonging. As the first major collaboration between OICE and an established community arts organisation, the project’s reception and reach may influence future funding decisions and partnership models within Northern Ireland’s cultural sector.