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Translink welcomes local primary schools to celebrate arts and heritage activity across the city of Belfast

5 July 2024

Ahead of National Children’s Art Week (June 29 - July 7) Translink’s Belfast Grand Central Station project team brought together over 300 students from five local primary schools to explore and celebrate creative expression through arts and heritage activities.

Translink collaborated with Wheelworks and Belfast Mural Arts to deliver an impactful programme of visual arts and digital activities inspiring the next generation into STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) careers.

When bidding farewell to Great Victoria Street Station, students from St Mary’s P.S, Blythefield P.S, Donegall Road P.S, St Jospeh’s P.S and Fane Street P.S brought their art to life through augmented reality (AR) and animation design while onboard the famous Wheelworks ArtCart and ChillCart as well as engaging with a custom designed selfie booth to create a collaborative mosaic.

As a final nod to Great Victoria Street Station, Translink hosted an art competition to commemorate the event. The competition saw Key Stage 2 pupils from local primary schools design their Dream Destination ticket. The standard of competition was incredibly high with winning entries from Eyad, P7 at St Mary’s P.S placing 1st, Sophie, P5 from Donegall Road P.S, 2nd and Aine, P5 from St Joseph’s P.S, 3rd.

Translink has also worked with renowned Mural Artist, Dee Craig of Belfast Mural Arts and pupils from local schools including two nursery schools to co-create an art piece identifying local landmarks, historical sites and community stories that reflect the rich heritage of Belfast. Storytelling played a significant role in developing this art piece some of which have been interpreted and painted on complementary artworks by the students themselves alongside 45 individual pieces to be showcased at an art exhibition at Belfast Grand Central Station. 
 

Translink CEO, Chris Conway, with school pupils

Louise Sterritt, Senior Programme Manager for Translink commented: “This exciting new integrated transport hub will bring about a step change for public transport. As a multi-modal transport facility, it will improve connectivity for everyone in Northern Ireland and beyond and act as a highly impressive gateway. Work is progressing at pace, and we are entering a really intensive period with many project parts coming together to deliver this world class station so we are ready to give everyone a Grand Welcome this autumn.

“As an organisation we recognise the significant role art plays in enhancing health and wellbeing. We are committed to actively encouraging young people to get involved in the project’s arts and heritage activities to help create a healthier, smarter and more sustainable city for everyone. This programme of events also demonstrates the many opportunities available, ranging from design and architecture to various arts forms, inspiring the next generation of STEAM professionals through both creativity and innovation.’’

School pupils at Belfast Grand Central Station

Mary Harbinson, Principal of St Mary’s Primary School said: “Our Primary 5 pupils loved taking part in the fabulous art activities provided by Wheelworks as part of the celebrations marking the last day of service at Great Victoria Street Station. They had opportunities to learn new techniques and explore different types of media through digital art activities.

“All of our Key Stage 2 classes enjoyed creating their own artwork for the Translink Dream Destination ticket competition and we are all thrilled that Eyad, one of our Primary 7 pupils, was a winner in the competition. His beautiful drawing of Paris was a testament to his own artistic creativity and to the new skills he had developed through the art workshops provided in our school as part of Translink’s Belfast Grand Central Station community engagement programme”.

Further project information on Belfast Grand Central Station can be found at www.translink.co.uk/bgcs

School pupils showing their art
School pupils at Grand Central Station showing their art