Belfast's new community space aiming to Show Some Love

The Show Some Love Green House opens on Saturday 20 April

A former solicitors' office has been transformed into an artistic community hub with a simple message.

The Show Some Love Green House is an arts, activism and events space with a dedicated fashion swap shop.

Its founder, the not-for-profit organisation Another World, is hoping to spark artistic collaboration in a safe space.

The project has been partially funded by the Belfast 2024 cultural programme.

It is one of 17 projects to receive funding from Belfast City Council with an investment of almost £100,000 covering four living-wage salaries for one year.

Established in 2017, Another World Belfast CIC is led by Connor Kerr and Becky Bellamy, who describe themselves as queer activists.

The company's mission is to "create practical projects that help both people and planet".

The space incorporates a dedicated fashion swap shop

The project's founders said they wanted to create an affordable, artist-led creative space that could be used for sharing ideas and resources, particularly in the areas of textiles and sustainability.

"We are first and foremost a safe space and welcome people who are curious to connect and learn, exchange and create," Connor explained.

"We are known for building practical, inclusive, secular projects and events, and our new Green House space will not only be a house but a home to bring our diverse community together and provide aid for people experiencing hardship."

Connor Kerr and Becky Bellamy founded Another World Belfast in 2017

Speaking to BBC News NI, Becky Bellamy said there was "something for everybody" at the Green House.

• Belfast culture plans hailed as a 'game-changer'

"It means we can invite loads of members of the public in, whether they're coming in to experience an event, to come to a workshop or be creative, or come and use some of our equipment and machinery," they said.

"It might be a community group coming in to use the space for free... while they're here they'll meet other people."

The Green House has been partially funded by Belfast City Council

The pair come from "commercial, creative backgrounds", which should be to their benefit as the project progresses.

"We've got a lot of it in our locker already and we realise how privileged we are with that," Becky said.

"We aren't just about textiles, our core mission is to demonstrate that Another World is possible, by addressing both the symptoms and causes of inequality through community, creativity and collaboration."

It is hoped the space will encourage artistic collaboration

Connor and Becky faced "really fierce competition" as they bid for Belfast 2024 funding alongside 194 other entries, Becky added.

After setting up as a social enterprise, the pair are hoping to fund the project themselves by 2025.

• 'Ploughing everything' into art amid further cuts

• Belfast arts scene 'damaged' by lack of studios

• 'I can't make art now due to lack of funding'

"While funding is important and necessary, not all creativity is commercial," Becky said.

"You can get funding for a project but that's not what people need.

"People need staff, they need buildings and utility bills, things like that, the whole thing is a bit broken but we're very privileged because we come at it with a different way of looking at it."

The pair are hoping to fund the space themselves next year

For 2024, the project is part funded by Belfast City Council, who announced in October 2023 it would be investing £5.9m into the city's arts sector, with additional support provided by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Lord Mayor of Belfast Ryan Murphy said: "Both the venue and the programme that Another World have planned for it really embodies the spirit of Belfast 2024 - bringing people together through creativity.

"It also reflects many of the council's own goals - to reduce waste, encourage a more sustainable lifestyle, breathe new life into disused spaces and show how our city centre can become a home for a wide and diverse range of new uses."