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 — a milestone that marks not just the survival of a beloved building, but the renewal of a cultural institution that has been at the heart of East Belfast life for nine decades.
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 from across Northern Ireland.
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. At a time when Belfast boasted over 40 cinemas, the Strand is the sole survivor of that golden age of picture houses — the only one of the 113 cinemas that were operational in Northern Ireland during the 1930s to have endured to the present day. Its location near the Harland and Wolff shipyards deeply influenced both its design and its connection to the local community, with generations of East Belfast families sharing their most cherished memories within its walls.
The cinema's survival is itself a remarkable story. A charity formed over a decade ago saved the building from closure and rebranded it as the Strand Arts Centre, transforming it from a struggling picture house into a community-focused arts venue. The restoration project now underway represents the culmination of years of campaigning, fundraising, and community advocacy — a testament to the determination of East Belfast residents to preserve a piece of their shared heritage. According to The Irish News, the cinema is currently operating from a pop-up unit at Connswater Shopping Centre during the refurbishment.
Key Developments
The £7 million restoration project, led by Belfast City Council with support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund — which has awarded over £1 million to the project — and a £4 million grant from the UK Levelling Up Fund, 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, which were designed to evoke the feeling of boarding a grand ocean liner — a deliberate nod to 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 that document the cinema's rich history and its importance to the people of Belfast. 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 across nine decades. According to The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the project is a model for how heritage assets can be preserved and reimagined for future generations while remaining rooted in their communities.
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 restoration is a central part of Belfast City Council's strategy to enhance arts and cultural provision in East Belfast — an area that has historically had a relative lack of arts infrastructure compared to the city centre. The project is seen as a catalyst for regeneration in the area, with the refurbished arts centre expected to attract visitors, support local businesses, and provide new opportunities for residents of all ages and backgrounds. The Strand's survival and renewal is also a powerful symbol of Belfast's broader cultural renaissance, demonstrating that the city's communities are committed to investing in their shared heritage and creative future.
Local Impact
For the people of East Belfast, the Strand Cinema is far more than a building — it is a repository of shared memory and community identity. The restoration project has already generated significant local pride and engagement, with the heritage book and documentary drawing on the personal recollections of hundreds of community members who have their own stories of evenings spent at the Strand. The refurbished arts centre will offer state-of-the-art cinema screens, performance spaces, creative learning studios, and a community café, all designed to promote community cohesion and provide new opportunities for residents. The project also supports local employment during the construction phase and will create permanent jobs in the arts and hospitality sectors when it reopens. For Belfast as a whole, the Strand's revival adds another chapter to the city's remarkable cultural story.
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. The reopening is expected to be a major cultural event for Belfast, drawing visitors from across Northern Ireland and beyond. The Strand's story — from its opening night in 1935 to its 90th anniversary revival — is a reminder that the most enduring cultural institutions are those that remain genuinely connected to the communities they serve.
