Joyful Journeys by Hollie Massey and Linnets in Linen by Anna Warwick, two striking new artworks by second-year Belfast School of Art students have been unveiled at Belfast Grand Central Station, celebrating the city’s heritage, biodiversity, modernity, and creative future. 

With Belfast Grand Central Station supporting some 20 million passenger journeys each year, it provides an important civic platform for the students’ work. The partnership gives emerging artists the opportunity to have their work experienced by thousands of passengers and visitors within one of Belfast’s most significant public spaces. 

The permanent installations reflect both the heritage and modernity of Belfast Grand Central Station, reinforcing its role as a major transport hub, civic destination, and public platform for local creativity.

Created from layers of brightly coloured, translucent Perspex, Hollie Massey’s Joyful Journeys responds directly to the station’s contemporary architecture and the energy and movement of travel. The design was developed from CAD drawings of Belfast Grand Central Station, transforming the precise lines, structures, and intersecting forms of the building into a vibrant abstract artwork. 

Its overlapping shapes evoke transport routes, connections and the individual journeys made through the station each day. As natural light passes through the translucent Perspex, the colours combine, shift, and cast changing reflections throughout the day, allowing the artwork to continually respond to the station around it.

Louise Doyle, Belfast Grand Central Station Manager, said:

“These beautiful works capture both the heritage and modernity of Belfast Grand Central Station. Joyful Journeys brings colour, light, and movement into the building, while Linnets in Linen connects the station to the history and biodiversity of the surrounding area.

“Our partnership with Ulster University gives emerging student artists an important public platform and enables thousands of passengers to experience original art as part of their everyday journey.”

Linnets in Linen by Anna Warwick connects Belfast Grand Central Station to the industrial heritage of Belfast’s Linen Quarter, while also reflecting Translink’s Biodiversity Strategy. Anna created the birds using antique Belfast-made linen, including tablecloths and tea towels sourced especially for the project, giving these familiar materials a new life. 

The choice of linen creates an additional connection to nature, as linnets are small birds that feed on seeds, including linseed from the flax plant used to produce linen. Presented together in flight, they carry the area’s linen-making heritage into a contemporary artwork representing movement, freedom, and connection, while responding beautifully to the natural light within the station.

Dr Majella Clancy of Belfast School of Art, Ulster University, said:

“Hollie and Anna have responded to this significant public space with originality and artistic ambition. One work captures the light, architecture, and excitement of contemporary travel, while the other sensitively connects Belfast’s linen heritage with sustainability and the natural world.

“It is hugely rewarding to see emerging student artists creating permanent work for one of the city’s most prominent civic spaces.”

They artworks were selected through an annual public art competition jointly delivered by Translink and Belfast School of Art as part of the students’ Professional Practice module, giving emerging artists valuable experience of responding to a live public art commission. 

The initiative builds upon the wider partnership between Translink and Ulster University’s Belfast School of Art, which has created opportunities for student competitions, exhibitions, mentoring, professional development, and public art across the Translink network.

It also supports Translink’s Better.Connected strategy by using transport spaces to connect people not only with places, but with creativity, education, heritage, and the environment.

Joyful Journeys

Created by Hollie Massey using overlapping sections of translucent Perspex, Joyful Journeys is inspired by the architecture, light, and movement of Belfast Grand Central Station. Its appearance changes according to the time of day, viewing position, and natural light. 

Linnets in Linen

Created by Anna Warwick, Linnets in Linen features sculptural birds made using wire forms and recycled Belfast linen, including tablecloths and tea towels. The installation references Belfast’s linen heritage, sustainability, biodiversity, and the movement of people through the station.