Today, the Lyric is announcing a £194,006 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to support a three-year heritage project which will help share 75 years of remarkable history and secure it for the future.
The Lyric Heritage Project: Celebrating Culture, Community and Creativity is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we will be able to take important steps in safeguarding 75 years of the Lyric Theatre archives and open them up in new ways for audiences, researchers, and the wider community.
Preserving the Archive: What Will the Funding Support?
By securing this funding, we are now able to take forward an ambitious programme of work:
A newly appointed Heritage Manager will lead the work of surveying and cataloguing the theatre’s collections, from production records to costumes and archival materials. This work will ensure that the stories and creativity that have shaped the Lyric are carefully preserved for generations to come.
Collecting Stories and Memories
The programme will also capture the memories of those who have been part of the Lyric’s journey including artists, staff, and audiences alike. These stories will add a vital personal dimension to the history of the theatre, ensuring that the voices of the community are reflected alongside the archive.
New Ways to Engage
As part of the project, we plan to launch several exciting public initiatives:
1. A House of Play: 75 Years of the Lyric Theatre Belfast: A landmark exhibition celebrating our 75th anniversary in 2026.
A free public exhibition in partnership with National Museums NI, will celebrate the people and creativity that have defined the Lyric’s history. This major exhibition will open the doors to the Lyric's extraordinary archive, inviting you to explore the people, performances, and artistic movements that have shaped Northern Ireland's cultural landscape since Mary O'Malley founded the theatre in 1951.
Curated by Kim Mawhinney, A House of Play will showcase artworks by Jack B. Yeats, Alice Berger Hammerschlag, Basil Blackshaw and other artists associated with the Lyric’s New Gallery, as well as poetry and writing from Seamus Heaney, Brian Friel, Christina Reid and many more who were associated with the Lyric’s literary magazine, Threshold.
2. Threshold Literary Magazine (1957–1990)
The Lyric Theatre was once home to Threshold, Ireland’s longest-standing literary magazine, which played a pivotal role in nurturing generations of Irish writers and showcasing groundbreaking literary work. To mark the Lyric’s 75th anniversary, we plan to commission and publish a special edition of Threshold later in Autumn 2026.
3. Mary O’Malley’s living room studio theatre
To mark the exhibition launch, we will recreate the intimacy of Mary O’Malley’s living room studio theatre at her room at Derryvolgie Avenue with a life-size replica of this original theatre. During the opening week of celebrations from 30 Jan – 6 Feb 2026, we'll host a week-long festival of music, poetry readings, documentary screenings, and live performances on the stage, bringing the history of 75 years of the Lyric's creative community to life.
4. A new digital history website
Using advanced search features, this site will make the Lyric’s archive more accessible than ever, including the rebirth of our Threshold magazine digital collection in partnership with NUI Galway. We plan to launch this later in Autumn 2026.
Looking Ahead to The Next 75 Years
These initiatives will not only conserve the Lyric’s heritage but also make it a living resource bringing the stories, art, and people who have shaped the theatre over the past 75 years to new audiences across Belfast and beyond.
Claire Murray – Head of Development & Marketing at The Lyric said:
“ We are deeply grateful to The National Lottery Heritage Fund for this support, which will be a truly transformative project for the theatre, making it possible for us to conserve and protect the Lyric’s remarkable history and importantly bring it to life for everyone to enjoy. We have so many amazing stories to tell, and this project will help shine a light on the creativity and the people that built – and continue to shape - the Lyric. ”
Dr Paul Mullan, Northern Ireland Director at The National Lottery Heritage Fund said:
“ I'm delighted that The National Lottery Heritage Fund has been able to support this amazing project to uncover the 75-year-old history of the Lyric Theatre. The Lyric Theatre has been at the heart of Belfast’s cultural life, going back all those 75 years from the small beginnings of Derryvolgie Avenue in the O'Malley's living room to the two iterations of the theatre today. ”
This generous support marks the beginning of a new chapter in our story, one that celebrates and preserves the legacy of the original Lyric Players, while opening the door to creativity and community engagement and sustain it for the future.