Belfast's Strand Cinema Marks 90 Years with £7 Million Revival and New Heritage Book
Belfast's Strand Cinema, Northern Ireland's last surviving 1930s picture house, is celebrating its 90th anniversary with a major £7 million restoration project, the launch of a new heritage book, and the premiere of a short documentary film celebrating its remarkable history.
The celebrations were marked at a special event in the Long Gallery at Stormont, where the heritage book "Strands of Our Picture House Past" and the documentary "The Strand at 90" were unveiled to an audience of cinema enthusiasts, community members, and cultural figures.
Background
The Strand Cinema first opened on 7 December 1935 with a screening of "Bright Eyes" starring Shirley Temple, and has been a cultural cornerstone of East Belfast ever since. It is the oldest operating cinema in Northern Ireland and the sole survivor among the 113 picture houses that were operational in Northern Ireland during the 1930s. A charity formed over a decade ago saved the building from closure and rebranded it as the Strand Arts Centre.
Key Developments
The £7 million restoration project, led by Belfast City Council with support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and the UK government, began in January 2025 and is scheduled for completion in late autumn 2026. The refurbishment will transform the Strand into a modern cinema, theatre, and community arts hub while preserving its original Art Deco and Streamline Moderne design, including its iconic curved façade and porthole-style windows influenced by Belfast's shipbuilding heritage.
The 80-page heritage book, funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and compiled by heritage officer Rosie Hickey, includes personal recollections, essays, and archival imagery. The 15-minute documentary, created by East Belfast filmmaker Ross McClean and narrated by Northern Irish actress Marie Jones, explores the venue's evolving relationship with its community. According to The Irish News, the cinema is currently operating from a pop-up unit at Connswater Shopping Centre during the refurbishment.
Why It Matters
The Strand's revival is a significant moment for Belfast's cultural landscape, preserving a piece of the city's social history while creating a modern arts hub for future generations. The project is expected to secure the cinema's future for generations to come and boost the arts sector in East Belfast.
What's Next
The refurbished Strand Arts Centre is expected to reopen in late autumn 2026, featuring state-of-the-art screening facilities, creative workshop spaces, a licensed café, and an interactive exhibition telling the story of cinema in Northern Ireland.
