WEDNESDAY 13th MAY 2026
Stand Up For Mental Health: A Comedy Workshop with Tory Gillespe
13th May 2026, 11.00am - 14.00pm
Book Bar, Accidental Theatre, 12-13 Shaftesbury Square, Belfast BT2 7DB
Tory Gillespie encourages adults to explore storytelling and silliness to promote positive mental health within comedy.
Tory Gillespie fell in love with Stand-up Comedy after her first gig in 2006. Since then she has performed at venues and festivals all over the UK and Ireland and even got her PhD in Stand-up Comedy in 2020, which explored how comedians make us laugh at the trickiest topics and why we might want to explore our most difficult experiences through comedy. Now back home to stay, she runs workshops in Stand-up Comedy, Storytelling and silliness for children and adults who have something to say. Accessible, open and freeing, her workshops allow participants the opportunity to express themselves in the funniest way possible. Tory has a real gift for bringing a group together, putting everyone at ease, and teaching the key principles of comedy in a warm and enjoyable environment.
ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION: There is a lift from the ground floor to the Club space that has accessible bathrooms. Everyone attending the event must take part.
TICKETS: Pay what you can
New Works Commission Showcase
13th May 2026, 14.00pm - 17.00pm
The Lab, The MAC, 10 Exchange Street West, Belfast, BT1 2NJ
Join the Mental Health Arts Festival NI for an afternoon to showcase the artworks created for our New Works Commission.
This project was developed to address the barriers faced by artists who have lived experience of mental health challenges by awarding £2000 to invest in their own practice and wellbeing. It is supported by the National Lottery through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
This will be an exciting event featuring everything from visual art, spoken word, to musical engagements. The artists who will be presenting during this day include Keith McAlister, Rozzi Kennedy, Maeve McGreevy, Justine Scoltock, Gráinne Farrell with New Crush, and Cat Brogan.
More information on our New Works Commission can be found here.
ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION: There is step-free access on the ground floor and a lift that opens to all levels. There is an accessible toilet on each floor of the building.
TICKETS: Pay what you can
MHANI x CCA DLD Seed Library
13th May 2026, 14.00pm - 17.00pm
Centre for Contemporary Art Derry-Londonderry, 10–12 Artillery Street, Derry-Londonderry, BT48 6RG, Northern Ireland
You are invited to join this free workshop led by Conor O’Kane from Seed It Union. You will have the opportunity to learn more about the seeds in the CCA DLD Seed Library, mix up soil and plant seed trays and meet like-minded individuals. Everyone can pot Sunflower seeds from the library and take them home.
Seeds are adaptive, no matter where they come from in the world they can adjust to the circumstances and place in which they grow. The plants' offspring grow in ways suited to their habitat; seeds are a model of adaptability and being part of the environment to which they belong.
This event is free, informal, accessible and booking is essential. It is suitable for all ages and abilities. All materials will be provided. We look forward to seeing you there!
ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION: The gallery space is fully accessible for wheelchair users and there is a wheelchair accessible toilet in our venue. Assistance dogs and their owners are welcome to CCA. CCA's staff have Autism Awareness training and all our staff are JAM trained. For accessibility questions, please email our team at info@ccadld.org.
TICKETS: Free
Sea of Glass— Film Screening and Q&A
13th May 2026, 15.30pm
Screen 2, Queen’s Film Theatre, 20 University Square, Belfast BT7 1PA
Sea of Glass is a short film exploring themes of adult loneliness, lost connections and fragmented families. Shot over 9 months, the film follows Julia (Rose Henderson), a retired nurse, who spends her days combing the sands at Hazelbank beach for curiosities and finds for her collection. While we watch her undertake this routine day-in and day-out, we listen to her attempts at reconnection with her granddaughter through a series of unreturned voice messages, revealing the depths of her inner anguish and sense of increasing isolation.
Whilst dealing with heavy topics, this is ultimately a very human story – finding the sublime in the little things, such as the idiosyncratic nature of our routines, habits and hobbies. There is of course an undercurrent of human consumption and climate impact embedded here as well. As a nation, our beaches are a truly an important part of identity and I wanted to depict them as they really are by looking down and looking inward, fostering a sense of shared connection and responsibility.
ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION: The venue is accessible via an access ramp. The film will take place in a film theatre, however there are no flashing lights or loud noises in the film.
TICKETS: Free
Unsafe Adventures
13th May 2026, 19.30pm - 20.30pm
Accidental Theatre, 12-13 Shaftesbury Square, Belfast, BT2 7DB
Poets Geraldine O’Kane and Colin Dardis are happily married – even if their brains don’t always get the memo. Navigating life with autism, ADHD, anxiety and a host of neurological quirks, they bring you an evening of poetry and prose about love, misfires, hyperfocus, sensitivity, brain fog and spectacular misunderstandings. From sensory overload to intense interests, they explore how neurodivergent minds collide, connect and occasionally short-circuit. Honest, funny and gently chaotic, this is a celebration of mental health, difference, and the small, practical ways two people learn to support each other.
ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION: Building has level access via automatic doors. Lift available.
TICKETS: Pay what you can
Open Mic Night
13th May 2026, 19.30pm
Accidental Theatre, 12-13 Shaftesbury Square, Belfast, BT2 7DB
The Black Box Open Mic is back for its (mostly) monthly outing featuring musicians, poets and comedians.
A place for performers new and old, somewhere newer performers are allowed to feel a bit more comfortable in their discomfort and more experienced hands to push themselves outside of their comfort. It’s quite good fun too.
ACCESSIBILITY INFORMATION: Step-free access throughout the whole building and push-button automatic doors. There are two accessible toilets at the venue. Earplugs are available upon request. Assistance dogs are welcome, just contact the venue ahead of time.