Royal Ulster Academy of Arts: Meet the talent in the X Factor for artists

The line-up: Colin Murphy, Alice Wyatt, Thomas McNeill, Amy Louise Wyatt, documentary producer Hilary Fennell and Stephen Greer

What connects a lecturer, a caretaker, a farmer, a comedian and a former paramilitary?

It's the Royal Ulster Academy of Arts, of course.

They took part in a documentary called The Secret Artists whereby they submitted work in the hope of being selected for the academy's annual exhibition.

The open call aspect is a regular feature of Northern Ireland's biggest art exhibition - a kind of X Factor for artists if you like - and more than 2,000 pieces are submitted.

Only 200 will get the chance to have their work displayed alongside celebrated artists at the Ulster Museum.

BBC News NI spoke to four of the hopefuls about their lives and what art means to them.

A book could be written about Stephen Greer.

Here's the abridged version - the 42 year old from Bangor left school to become a pest controller.

He became addicted to drugs, joined a paramilitary group, served five and a half years in prison on drug and gun-related charges, nearly died of kidney failure, and then nearly died again when his first kidney transplant ruptured.

Stephen, who had his second kidney transplant a few weeks ago, credits art with saving his life.

"Everything happens for a reason. I took up art in prison. If I hadn't went to jail when I did, I probably wouldn't be here - my life was that far out of control."

Stephen Greer created a self-portrait in pencil

Prison was transformative for the father-of-two.

He found faith and a talent for art under the guidance of an art teacher at the prison - his "second mum".

He spent his time in prison painting and drawing, and got a job in the art department helping out.

"The afternoon class was full of the headers - the people who could not be controlled anywhere else in the jail, so they sent them down to the art department.

"Within 10 to 15 minutes, you'd have heard a pin drop. They really got into it.

"See the power of art in the prison for mental health, it saves people's lives. They might not get a career out of it but it gives them a hobby, takes their mind off things."

Stephen gained some qualifications at Maghaberry Prison and after his release, he took more courses and has exhibited in Belfast, Dublin and London.

He is now back in prison.... as an art teacher.

Next is Colin Murphy - the comedian, actor, writer and presenter is perhaps best known in Northern Ireland as a regular panellist on The Blame Game.

He is perhaps less well known as an artist - however he has a degree in design and started out as an illustrator.

He went down a different career path and for 25 years art took a back seat as comedy was "fun, easier and less effort".

A few years ago, Colin started going to art classes because he realised it was "stupid having a talent and not using it".

Colin Murphy painted a very domestic scene - a mirror in a bedroom

"Covid happened so I built a wee studio at the back of the garden and retreated in there," he said.

"It was perfect. No stress or guilt that I wasn't working because I couldn't."

Like his comedy, he zooms in on the banal, the everyday. Also, his shed in his Belfast garden is quite small, so he doesn't have room for panoramas.

He has applied to the RUA previously and been successful three of the four times.

"It is not the showing it off, it is the doing it," he said.

"It is different from my day job. I get up on stage and tell a joke and the minute I say it, it is gone.

"You have nothing to show for it at the end of the night, apart from hopefully a happy audience."

For Amy Louise Wyatt, art is a form of escapism from her anxiety.

The 41 year old is a lecturer at South Eastern Regional College in Bangor. She is also a mother and a poet.

Art has been a part of her life for as long as she can remember.

Amy Louise Wyatt submitted a series of ceramics

"I was diagnosed with general anxiety disorder and I have tried every medicine out there," she said.

"When I am not creating, I can feel my anxiety getting worse."

It was her first time applying to the RUA.

"You are fully aware of how subjective art is," she said.

"You don't always know what somebody else is looking for."

She hopes the programme will show people that art does not have to be high-brow, it does not have to be perfect and that it can really help your mental health.

Amy Louise and her mum Alice come as a pair.

The 62 year old, who raised Amy by herself, says art is a way of life.

She has worked for Bangor council for over 40 years as a caretaker in its community halls.

Her inspiration comes from the parks around these halls, walking to and from work, often on her own.

"If I am having a hard time or upset about something, you've always got art to fall back on and release the emotions," she said.

"A pouring out of things you cannot always talk about."

Alice was sexually abused by a family acquaintance in the 1960s and she kept it to herself until her mid-20s.

Art has been a release for her emotions, negative and positive.

"Everyone could benefit from art, you don't have to be an expert, you just need the ability to lift up a pencil or anything you can make a mark with."

She hopes the programme will show how accessible art is.

"I honestly didn't ever think the RUA would be for people like me with my background, I don't have a degree in art, I work as an ordinary caretaker," she said.

She also hopes people will connect with her work.

"Like other art forms, if you get an emotional response from it, you have to be doing something a bit right."

There have been no spoilers but BBC News NI can say that four of the five made the shortlist and two of the five made to the museum, but who was it?

The Secret Artists, made by 3 Rock Productions and Lennox Productions, is available on BBC iPlayer and will also be shown on BBC One Northern Ireland on Wednesday 8 February at 22:40 GMT.