Initial Investigations

Three visioning principles

The most experimental and innovative festival

Building on Belfast's history in innovation to showcase the most innovative and experimental content from across Northern Ireland and beyond

What if?

  • ‘Smart’ maritime festival zones tracked audience activity for live data analytics, programming, interaction and evaluation?
  • The Belfast Maritime Festival became a ‘playground’ for the most innovative content producers from NI and beyond
shipbuilding

A Maritime festival Built on Ownership and Belonging

Where local people are as much a part of the story as they are visitors to the Belfast Maritime Festival.

What if?

  • The maritime festival developed throughout the year in partnership with another city projects e.g. lighting?
  • Was a true creative democratic process?
collaboration

That showcases Belfast’s authentic maritime heritage

In all its forms; new and old. From the ships to the people, food, culture, technology and creativity.

  • Tells the Maritime story from across Belfast, not just the mile
  • More than just ships; food & produce, creativity & culture, tech & innovation

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features

Maritime Festival Challenge


For this design challenge, we are seeking proposals that build on one of three narratives to develop content and programming - either an installation, event, performance or artwork - to be showcased during the festival.

We will work with the winning entry to form a fully proposed idea ready for funding applications, including economic analysis and professional life-like visualisations. Download the brief to learn more!

Registration is now open to students of all disciplines and submissions must be received no later than Monday 2nd November.

Themes

The 5 Themes

Co-Design at the core

How might Belfast Maritime Festival be heralded as the most co-designed festival ever?

Connects to the city

How might the Belfast Maritime festival connect the Maritime Mile to the centre of town?

Leaves a lasting impact

How might the Belfast Maritime festival leave a legacy beyond 2 days?

Builds year on year

How might the Belfast Maritime Festival get better year on year?

A lab for sustainability

How might the Maritime festival lead as a sustainable example for other festivals?

Theme 1Co-design at the core


Where everything is an interaction

  • Promoting active citizenship
  • As an engagement tool for key city challenges

Data becomes the new currency

  • 'Smart Zones' that record everything from behaviour, heart rate, satisfaction
  • Live mapping and analytics
  • Connected performances
  • Crowd behaviour that informs programming

Theme 2Connections


Connects to the city centre

  • Through playful installations/interactions?
  • Partnerships?
  • Transport
  • Wayfinding?

Connects to the world

  • What is the Belfast Maritime international story?

Connects businesses

  • Sponsorship and partnership opportunities
  • A digital trade expo
  • B2B Digital Tools

Theme 3Leaves a lasting impact


Skills and training

  • Businesses to support young people skills and training
  • Young talent for experience in festival production

Physical Legacy

  • Pop-up Neighborhood museum and exhibition spaces
  • Interactive voting on content
  • Tells the Maritime Story
  • Partners with NMNI

An open and transparent model

The whole festival, planning, programming and evaluation is an open and transparent model for others to learn and implement

Theme 4That builds year on year


Connects to the city centre

  • Through playful installations/interactions?
  • Partnerships?
  • Transport
  • Wayfinding?

Connects to the world

  • What is the Belfast Maritime international story?

Connects businesses

  • Sponsorship and partnership opportunities
  • A digital trade expo
  • B2B Digital Tools

Theme 5A lab for sustainability


Challenge-led briefs

Challenge-led innovation briefs developed by businesses and young people throughout the year evaluated, developed and showcased at the festival e.g. Air Quality Monitoring


A green approach

  • Green transport
  • Funding models
  • Partnerships
  • Knowledge Share

A closed Loop System

Matching businesses already on site to reduce waste through circular processes. E.g. Carpet tiles from fishing nets

Let's Connect

We would love to hear from anyone who is interested in collaborating in the co-design process for the Belfast Maritime Festival

Engagement

The Story So Far

visual minutes

Workshops

Get Involved

Throughout September and October we're hosting a number of workshops to establish how we can build on these themes through partnerships and projects!

The Future of Tourism

In this interactive workshop session, international tourism experts Group NAO will explore what the future of tourism will look like globally and for Belfast.

View more info

The Future of Business

In this interactive workshop session, international business experts, together with USI, will explore what a sustainable future of Belfast will look like.

View more info

The Future of Education

In this interactive workshop session USI will explore what a future of industry-led education and training will look like.


View more info

The Future of Creative Industries

In this interactive workshop session, USI, will explore what the future for our creative industries will look like.

View more info

The Future of Creative Industries

In this interactive workshop session, USI, will explore what the future for our creative industries will look like.

View more info

Team

Belfast Maritime Festival Project Partners

Urban Scale Interventions

belfast city council

Belfast City Council

belfast harbour

Belfast Harbour

titanic foundation

Titanic Foundation

group nao

Group NAO

flint

Flint

Contact

Contact Us

Urban Scale Interventions

Belfast

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