Ulster University is delighted to announce the eighth annual Art Unwrapped exhibition, a treasured holiday tradition showcasing rarely seen artworks gifted to the city of Belfast from the national collection.
Launched at an event with Belfast Lord Mayor at the Belfast campus on the afternoon of 27 November, this year the university will be exhibiting two inspiring artworks by Enniskillen born T.P Flanagan and a poem written for him by the celebrated Irish poet Seamus Heaney.
Exhibition Details
- Dates: 28 November 2025 to 22 December 2025
- Location: Art Gallery, McCracken Building (Block BC),Ulster University Belfast Campus, 2-24 York Street, Belfast, BT15 1AP
- Admission: Free, with guided interpretive tours led by Fine Art Students of Belfast School of Art. Walk-ins are welcome during our opening hours. Tickets available via Eventbrite
Art Unwrapped 2025 invites Northern Ireland residents and visitors to immerse themselves in two breathtaking artworks by T.P Flanagan Autumn Lough, 1961 and Weir on the Blackwater River, County Cork, 1993 from the collection of the Ulster Museum will be showcased in an intimate gallery setting, where attendees will explore the paintings’ rich context and underlying themes, guided by students of Fine Art from the Belfast School of Art. In a unique addition, this year’s exhibition will also feature “Bogland” a poem composed by Seamus Heaney for the artist.
This initiative, a collaboration between Ulster University, Belfast City Council, and National Museums NI, has brought iconic art pieces closer to the public for the past seven years. Previous years have seen artworks like Gerard Dillon’s “Innishlacken Couple”, Jack Butler Yeats’ “On Through the Silent Lands” and a collection featuring Margaret Clarke and Catherine McWilliams come to the university for the Christmas period.
Kathryn Thomson, Chief Executive of National Museums NI, says they look forward to sharing another Italian art moment with the public:
“Art Unwrapped has become a much-loved festive tradition for National Museums NI. Every year it provides a special opportunity to see a painting from the national art collection at the Ulster Museum somewhere unique and unexpected. This initiative highlights the power of working in partnership to do something different and make art more accessible to wider audiences.”
Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Tracy Kelly said:
“Art Unwrapped is a special Christmas gift to the city. Belfast City Council is delighted to have collaborated with National Museums NI and Ulster University for the eighth consecutive year on this innovative project because it’s raising both the profile and our appreciation of the visual arts. It’s fantastic to see Art Unwrapped grow in popularity and reach year on year – and it’s another great reason to visit and enjoy the city centre over the festive period. The schools outreach element is a particularly welcome way of inspiring our young people to explore their talent and passion for art and creativity.”
Professor Cathy-Gormley Heenan, University Provost at Ulster University said:
“Art Unwrapped is not just an exhibition but a celebration of art and culture during the festive season. The vision of Professor Rafaella Folli in Ulster, we are proud to continue this tradition, now in its eighth year, offering a unique opportunity for the local community to engage with and appreciate significant works of art, like these wonderful T.P Flanagan pieces we have been generously gifted this year by Ulster Museum. We welcome everyone to our campus to come appreciate these impressive works of art.”
With student-led tours and school outreach programmes designed to inspire and educate the next generation of artists and art enthusiasts, Art Unwrapped is more than just an art exhibition. Ulster University invites the public to experience these pieces up close and personal this festive season.
For more information, visit: www.ulster.ac.uk/artunwrapped