Belfast's Vibrant Music Mural Celebrates UNESCO City Status

Belfast's city centre is buzzing with new colour and sound, thanks to a magnificent new mural celebrating our status as a UNESCO City of Music. Unveiled recently at the Telegraph Building on Donegall Street, this vibrant artwork marks a special milestone – four incredible years since Belfast earned this prestigious designation, remaining the only city in Ireland to hold the title.

The eye-catching mural, depicting an array of musical styles and genres, is the creation of talented local artists Friz (Marian Noone) and Gerry Norman. It's a powerful visual testament to the lively spirit of Belfast's music scene.

Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Tracy Kelly, shared her enthusiasm: “This mural truly captures the vibrancy and colour that music brings to our city, no matter what your preferred genre. Since our UNESCO designation in 2021, a phenomenal amount of work has gone into supporting our local musicians, venues, and industry professionals, maximising this accolade for everyone who works with and enjoys live music.”

The unveiling also coincided with the Sound of Belfast Festival, which saw events happening at 27 venues across the city, and the NI Music Prize event, celebrating the best of our local artists. Further boosting the scene, the upcoming introduction of late-night buses to the city centre is set to make travel to and from gigs more accessible and affordable for both music fans and those working in the gig economy.

Artist Friz (Marian Noone) described the project as a “labour of love.” “We had the design ready from last year, and my husband Gerry and I worked on the mural for 16 days. It was a challenging wall due to its massive scale, but it’s been incredibly rewarding, especially as it’s a topic we’re both so passionate about,” she said.

This beautiful addition to the city’s street art is part of the council’s ‘Music Matters’ programme, which has seen an impressive £400,000 invested into the local music scene over the past year. This includes initiatives designed to support local artists, boost the live music scene, nurture new talent, and make the most of our UNESCO status. Projects range from the Pathways into Music conference, which helps young people keen to enter the industry, to a music internship programme with WorkPlus, providing paid placements with festivals and event providers. The NI Venues Day also highlighted the crucial value of our local music spaces.

Beyond these, the council continues to fund the Gradam Ceoil bursary scheme for traditional musicians and a micro-bursary scheme with the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival, which last year provided 20 individual musicians with up to £1,000 each in support. Numerous music events and festivals throughout 2025, including the Soultrane Festival, Imagine Festival, Output conference, and LyndonFest community festival, have also received vital funding.

Partnership projects like the Gig Buddies scheme, assisting those with additional needs to access night-time entertainment, and Sounds Atypical, empowering disabled musicians to deliver accessible events, demonstrate a commitment to inclusivity. International collaborations with other UNESCO Cities of Music, such as Hannover, Germany, and Daegu, South Korea, are also fostering global connections. Looking ahead, a sustainability toolkit for the music sector is due to launch, alongside new programmes targeting young people, disabled music fans, and local music businesses.