Previous Festivals

The Belfast Children's Festival (formerly the Young at Art Festival) began life in 1998. Over the years the breadth, diversity and imagination of its programme has attracted praise and support from the general public, schools, and from artists and other festivals both locally and internationally.

Art Workshops, Festival 2008

Belfast Children's Festival from the beginning

The first Young at Art festival for children and young people took place in October 1998.

By 2003, the festival had grown to attract in excess of 10,000 people each year.

In 2005, the festival was relaunched as the Belfast Children's Festival, continuing to win admiration for its use of non-formal spaces and its very distinctive style.

In 2007, Young at Art celebrated the festival's tenth birthday  and in 2008 Young at Art's international children's festival continued to grow, becoming one of the largest in the UK.

The thirteenth Belfast Children's Festival in May 2010  was attended by over 25,000 people and retained its status as one of the largest international children's festival in the UK.

To view previous festival brochures please visit our downloads section by clicking here.