FLOWERFIELD MAY - AUGUST 2025 ARTS GUIDE OUT NOW

We are delighted to launch our May – August 2025 Arts Guide with a packed programme of live events, creative workshops and community activities to take place at Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre in Limavady and Flowerfield Arts Centre in Portstewart.

EXHIBITIONS

Flowerfield Arts Centre marks International Refugee Week with an exhibition from 21-30 June. Featuring stunning embroidered arpilleras from around the world, on the theme Community as Superpower, this exhibition shares moving stories of resilience, joy, and beauty in the face of conflict. Donated by Conflict Textiles curator Roberta Bacic, these intricate textile pieces are on display for the first time. Join us for the launch on 21 June with live music, dance, and a free children's workshops. In July, Flowerfield will be welcoming, Una, Baba, Mosey and the gang to their galleries for Puffin Rock Habitats (5 July-6 Sept), a brilliant new exhibition, with a fantastic programme of events and creative workshops inspired by this magical show, for both kids and adults. The galleries will also celebrate women in the visual arts with the USWA 2025 Spring Show (3 May-14 June) and the Upper Gallery will show a fresh look at Portstewart with Shifting Tides (21 July-23 Aug), a community exhibition as part of the Red Sails Festival.

LIVE EVENTS

Flowerfield Arts Centre is set to welcome an exciting programme of live events over the coming months, bringing internationally acclaimed musicians, thought-provoking film screenings, and vibrant festival celebrations to Portstewart.

Kicking off the season, The Bridge takes to the stage on 3 May. This mesmerising Cuban guitar duo, featuring the legendary Eduardo Martín and virtuoso Ahmed Dickinson

On Thursday 22 May, Flowerfield hosts a special screening of Out of the Silence, a documentary exploring how women’s writing in Ulster has shifted from the margins to the mainstream through an Ulster-Scots lens. Writer Anne McMaster and Dr Dayna Jost will lead a post-screening Q&A, offering fascinating insights into Northern Ireland’s literary landscape.

PARTNERSHIPS

This summer, Flowerfield Arts Centre is once again delighted to be a Red Sails Festival partner. Alongside hosting the Shifting Tides Exhibition, two highlights of the Flowerfield festival programme include a Sketch and Walk session with artist Heather Byrne on 23rd July and later that evening, book lovers can gather for an inspiring discussion with Ruby Free, author of Rathlin: A Wild Life, as part of the North Coast Book Club In Conversation event. Flowerfield’s summer film programme will include indoor family screenings ofDr. Seuss – The Lorax in Partnership with Cinemagic Young Audiences Supporting the Food bank (6 August).

CREATIVE WORKSHOPS

As we head into May there are some brilliant opportunities to explore new creative skills in painting, pottery, fused glass, Tiffany style Glass, floristy and textiles and there are two fantastic opportunities in the summer months to learn from award winning willow artist Louise McLean of Atlantic Craft NI, and create a beautiful asymetical basket.

Alongside this there will workshops in pottery with Fiona Shannon for kids and teens, fused glass with Natasha Duddy, Week Wonders and Lego animation, little stichers sewing course, and a comic book workshop with Kev F Sutherland who has written and drawn for Beano, Doctor Who and Marvel comics.

WHAT'S ON IN FLOWERFIELD PARK

Saturday Lunchtimes Live in the Park are back, with incredible range of live music from the likes of North Coast Trad, Northern Ireland Opera, Polar Bolero Acoustic Duo, the Cool Hand String Band and more. Why not pack a picnic, some camp chairs or a blanket and join the team every Saturday from 5 July – 23 August from 12noon – 1pm (Please note no seating is provided for these free outdoor performance. There will be no performance on Saturday 12 July).

Following on from our popular screening of Grease in 2024, we are delighted to host another alfresco flick, an evening screening of the much loved feel-good classic Mamma Mia (25 July) in Flowerfield Park. There will also be live theatre in the park this summer, as Jak in the Box Pop-Up Theatre presents Benches, a charming, and funny promenade around Flowerfield Park, where you’ll meet some wonderfully quirky characters (9 August)

To start planning your summer of fun and creativity, download the digital Summer Arts Guide now, or call into the Arts Centre to pick up a copy (Available from Tuesday 8 April). You can browse all events and workshops on our website.