A photo of artist Kerri Hanna with pupils from Donegall Road Primary School.What does it mean to feel welcome in a city? And what would Belfast's welcome to the world look like if its children were invited to create it?
At Belfast Grand Central Station, the answers are written across the walls.
When Walls Speak Welcome is an extraordinary celebration of Belfast's creativity, diversity and imagination. Bringing together seven local schools, more than 20 street artists and a shared ambition to create something truly special, the project has transformed the surroundings of Belfast Grand Central Station into a vibrant outdoor art gallery.
Developed by Translink in partnership with Daisychain, creative director EMIC, local schools and leading street artists, it is one of the most ambitious youth co-created public art projects associated with transport infrastructure in the UK.
But behind the colour, scale and creativity lies something even more meaningful: every mural begins with the voices of Belfast's children.
A Welcome Created by Belfast's Young People
The project began with one simple question:
What should Belfast's welcome to the world look and feel like?
Through creative workshops, storytelling, drawing and conversations with professional artists, pupils explored what matters most to them: friendship, kindness, belonging, family, nature, education, creativity and the possibilities that lie ahead.
Their ideas were brought to life by street artists, who transformed the children's words, drawings and imagination into spectacular large-scale artworks.
This was more than an opportunity to contribute ideas. The young people became genuine co-creators, helping to shape the visual identity of one of Northern Ireland's most important gateways.
One phrase, repeated by children across the schools, captured the spirit of the entire project:
"We're so glad you're here."
Those words now feature prominently at the station, offering a simple and heartfelt welcome to everyone arriving in Belfast.
Seven Schools, Countless Stories
Seven schools from across Belfast helped shape the project, each bringing its own experiences, creativity and understanding of what makes the city special.
The participating schools were:
- St Mary's Primary School, Divis
- Donegall Road Primary School
- Fane Street Primary School
- St Joseph's Primary School, Slate Street
- Blythefield Primary School
- St Louise's College
- Royal Belfast Academical Institution (RBAI)
The children came from communities with different histories, cultures and experiences of Belfast.
Some have families who have called the city home for generations. Others have made Belfast their home more recently, bringing new languages, traditions and stories.
Together, they imagined a city where everyone can feel welcome, connected and part of something bigger.
Each participating school also received its own permanent mural, extending the project beyond the station and creating a network of creativity and connection through neighbourhoods across Belfast.
More Than Murals: Stories of Connection and Possibility
Every mural tells a different story, inspired by the children's ideas and brought to life through the creativity and artistic interpretation of the street artists.
Birds in flight represent journeys, migration, freedom and the courage to explore new horizons. Flowers, trees and growing roots reflect the importance of community, care and belonging.
Astronauts and imagined worlds celebrate children's curiosity, their ambitions and the excitement of discovering what lies beyond the familiar.
Hands, faces, movement and vibrant colours speak of friendship, diversity and the connections that bring people together.
The murals also celebrate the transformative power of education. Children described their schools as places where they feel supported, encouraged and inspired – places that help them put down roots while giving them the confidence to take flight.
Every artwork offers a different perspective, but together they tell a remarkable story of a city looking towards its future with creativity, kindness and hope.
From Classroom Imagination to Extraordinary Art
At the heart of When Walls Speak Welcome is the special relationship between the children and the artists.
Through interactive workshops and street art experiences, pupils had the opportunity to meet professional artists, explore new creative techniques and see how art can transform everyday places.
The artists listened to the children's stories, studied their sketches and explored the ideas that mattered to them.
Then they took those ideas to the walls.
Working on an extraordinary scale, the artists transformed the children's imagination into a collection of powerful public artworks, while retaining the original spirit of their ideas.
For many pupils, it was their first experience of seeing something they had imagined become part of the city around them.
Their creativity is now visible to the thousands of people passing through Belfast Grand Central Station every day.
A Different Picture of Belfast
Belfast is a city of stories, shaped by its history and continually transformed by the people who call it home.
When Walls Speak Welcome celebrates that evolving identity.
The murals reflect a Belfast that is creative, welcoming and increasingly connected to the wider world. They celebrate the diversity of its people, the richness of its communities and the importance of making everyone feel they belong.
Some of the participating schools have children speaking up to 17 different languages, bringing personal experiences of travel, migration, friendship and finding a new home.
Those experiences helped inspire artworks that speak a universal language of welcome.
In a city whose history has often been associated with division, the project offers a different narrative – one shaped by the imagination, friendships and aspirations of a new generation.
It is a celebration of feeling rooted in a place, while wondering what's beyond it.
Connecting People, Places and Possibilities
Public transport is about much more than getting from one place to another.
It connects people to education, employment, culture, friendship, family and new experiences. It opens doors to places we know and destinations we have yet to discover.
As one of Northern Ireland's most important transport gateways, Belfast Grand Central Station offers a fitting home for a project celebrating journeys and connection.
Through When Walls Speak Welcome, Translink and its partners have created a place where public transport, education, community and creativity come together.
The programme demonstrates how major infrastructure can become much more than a functional space. By inviting young people to help shape their surroundings, it creates a stronger sense of belonging, pride and ownership, while giving communities a visible place within the city's future.
The result is more than an outdoor gallery. It is a lasting expression of Belfast's identity, created by the next generation and shared with everyone who passes through.
These are more than paintings on walls. They are the stories, hopes and imagination of Belfast's children – and their welcome to the world.
And at the heart of it all is one simple message:
"We're so glad you're here."