Tourism NI to fund “fantastic” festival set to generate £1 million for the local economy

The Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival (CQAF), which begins today and runs until May 10, is the first of this year’s International Tourism Events Fund (ITEF) recipients.

A total of 16 events have been approved for funding under ITEF 2026-27 across a host of themes including arts, music, sport and science.

The ITEF supports events that attract significantly high levels of visitors to Northern Ireland while also generating international media coverage, which helps to showcase the region as a must-see travel destination.

It is estimated that The Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival will generate just over £1 million in economic benefit, attracting 45,000 visitors – 12% of which will be from out-of-state - resulting in 5,500 bed nights booked across the region.

The festival programme includes performances by world-class international and homegrown artists while displaying a commitment to accessible, high-quality cultural experiences that celebrate Belfast's creative identity and architectural heritage.

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald welcomed the announcement and said: “The Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival is the first of a number of events being supported by Tourism NI.

“It highlights the cultural offering that the city and the wider region have to attract international visitors. The festival has grown over the last 25 years and has developed into a significant part of the local cultural calendar and plays a vital role in providing access to the creative arts for locals and visitors.”

Siobhan McGuigan, Head of Events at Tourism NI, said: “Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival is exactly the kind of event that makes the north such a compelling destination - world-class and local artists performing in some of the city's most iconic and distinctive venues, creating experiences that are uniquely and authentically Belfast.

“Whether discovering the city for the first time or returning to explore further, this festival gives visitors a fantastic reason to immerse themselves in Belfast's creative spirit and everything the city has to offer.”

Sean Duffy, Director of the Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival, said: ‘We’re incredibly grateful for this investment from Tourism NI this year which supports probably our most ambitious programme to date and will help us to develop new audiences for the festival including visitors from the Republic of Ireland and the rest of the UK".