What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 5pm 6pm - 7pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm 6pm - 7pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm 6pm - 7pm Thursday 9am - 5pm 6pm - 7pm Friday 9am - 5pm 6pm - 7pm

Belfast Ensemble

The Belfast Ensemble is music | theatre | new. Our mission: to create work in Belfast and move that work into Europe. Our vision: Art in the hands of Artists.

Who we are…

The Belfast Ensemble is an emerging collective of internationally established, award-winning Belfast-based artists. Our purpose is the eventual founding of a permanent performance ensemble - world-class theatre and music makers in the city of Belfast - a legacy and a living wage. Our manifesto is ‘Made in Belfast / Brought Beyond’: engaging with the wider European contemporary music / theatre / design scenes by festival touring, commissioning and drawing upon present trends in writing and performance. The Belfast Ensemble will have no ‘home’: the city is our stage.

22/09/2026

A look back at Friday evening, when Belfast Ensemble cellist joined the celebrations at the .

We had three beautiful sets across the evening, spanning centuries of music for solo cello. All brought together with Elias’ wit and warmth and a lovely audience dropping in and out along the way.

Thanks to everyone who joined us, and to the Crescent for having us.

16/09/2026

As Culture Night approaches, Belfast Ensemble member and cellist, Elias David Rooney has curated three 30-minute performances that take in Bach, Britten, Tavener, Caroline Shaw, Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson, Malcolm Arnold and David McCann.

The selection of pieces takes us from the beginning of the unaccompanied cello repertoire through to more recent works by Northern Irish composers.

There are connections across the centuries too, with Caroline Shaw drawing on a 16th-century motet by Thomas Tallis, Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson combining “Baroque structures with jazz and blues”, and David McCann inviting us on “an uncomfortable journey of reflection”.

And across all three sets, Elias will give the world premiere of Artistic Director Conor Mitchell’s ‘On Hearing of the Death of Dolly Parton’. This short, eulogistic work sends a love letter from Belfast to our sister city of Nashville, and to all who loved the much-missed country icon.

Check out the full programme and a little more about Elias.

Friday 18 September | The Cube, Crescent Arts Centre 16:30 | 17:30 | 18:30 30 mins | Free | No booking required

15/09/2026

HUGE shout out to multi-talented actor/soprano Emma Morwood for tonight’s final of The Great British Sewing Bee. Everyone at the Ensemble will be watching and cheering you on! 🥳🥳🥳

09/09/2026

Belfast Ensemble cellist Elias David Rooney presents a low-key evening of music for solo cello, including the world premiere of 'On Hearing of the Death of Dolly Parton' by Conor Mitchell for Culture Night Belfast

This laid back concert tours the incredible range of repertoire written for solo cello, including music by Bach, Tavener, and David McCann. Elias will guide you through the programme with his own unique thoughts, perspective, and artistry.

▪️Friday 18 September
▪️30 minute performances at 16:30, 17:30, 18:30
▪️The Cube - Crescent Arts Centre
▪️Free - No Booking Required

www.thebelfastensemble.com/our-work/culture-night-2026

25/08/2026

Massive congratulations to the Ulster Orchestra and Lyric Belfast for an epic series of concerts over the weekend. Together they celebrated their 60th & 75th anniversaries and we were SO proud to see Belfast Ensemble colleagues in the cast and orchestra, including our Artistic Director Conor who curated and conducted the concerts (straight off the Helsingin juhlaviikot / Helsinki Festival concert!).

✅ National institutions working together? BRAVO!
✅ Celebrating our music and theatre history? BRAVO!

Arts Council of Northern Ireland The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon Belfast City Council

20/08/2026

A huge, generous response for RIOT Symphony with Ooppera & Baletti from our packed audience at Helsingin juhlaviikot / Helsinki Festival

Check the comments for a very happy composer ( Conor Mitchell ) and Film Maker ( Nicky Larkin )

At this moment in time, the cultural significance of presenting this Belfast born protest work on Europe's eastern front is monumental.

Thanks to conductor Andrew Gourlay, soloists Ric Furman & Aurora Marthens - soprano, alongside video tech Fergus Wachala-Kelly and producer Andrew Hume, for your stunning work.

Kiitos x

Culture Ireland Belfast Music Arts Council of Northern Ireland

14/08/2026

RIOT! Symphony unleashes a spirit of energy, revolution and activism through a multi-media orchestral experience.

A high concept protest work that refuses to be defined.

Playing - 20 August 2026.

Music: Conor Mitchell
Film:

Soprano:
Tenor: Nic Furman

Symphony:
Conductor: Andrew Gourlay

Video Tech: .e.w.k
Producer:

Commissioned and premiered by [2024]

Supported by &

05/08/2026

Olet tässä:EtusivuTapahtumatKlassinen ja nykymusiikkiKansallisoopperan orkesteri, C ... Kansallisoopperan orkesteri, Conor Mitchell: Riot Symphony Kuva: Neil Harrison Aika: to 20.8.2026 19:00 Kesto: n. 1h 40min, sis. väliajan Osoite: Musiikkitalo, Konserttisali Mannerheimintie 13 A 00100 Helsinki...

31/07/2026

Belfast Ensemble x Nicky Larkin

Our visually explosive symphonic protest piece travels to the iconic Helsingin juhlaviikot / Helsinki Festival in 3 weeks time.

An orchestral experience that fuses Conor Mitchell's symphonic colour with the music of PussyRiot and the Ukrainian national anthem, set against the writing of Sophie Scholl.

Performed by Ooppera & Baletti with Aurora Marthens - soprano & Ric Furman.

Conducted by Andrew Gourlay.

🎟️ Link in Comments

28/07/2026

OPEN LETTER

On his appointment to cabinet as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Chris Bryant MP outlined a boost to the Creative Industries as a checklist priority.

In an open letter also sent to Gordon Lyons MLA(Communities Minister) and Roisin McDonough (CEO, Arts Council of Northern Ireland), our Executive Producer Andrew Hume lays out a challenge for the Secretary of State:

to unlock increased investment in the NI Arts Sector to at least levels comparable with our English colleagues.

Read the full blog - link in comments

Address

Crescent Arts Centre
Belfast

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
	6pm - 7pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
	6pm - 7pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
	6pm - 7pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
	6pm - 7pm
Friday	9am - 5pm
	6pm - 7pm

Website

http://www.thebelfastensemble.com/

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