Every November the Belfast Festival offers hundreds of cultural events to the people of the city.
Among the events at the 21st festival is a visit from the Chilingirian String Quartet from England. The Belfast Festival is now the second biggest arts festival on the island of Ireland. Festival director Michael Barnes believes this year's event is the best ever. Many of the shows are sold out even before the festival begins. With a budget of just a third of a million pounds, ticket sales for performances are very important to the festival
Art critic Ann Davey Orr says that over the past ten years, the Belfast Festival has grown tenfold. Although still operating with the same number of staff there is no doubt the festival struggles to keep going financially. She says that a funding deficit means there is a lack of encouragement for new writing, music or drama within the festival programme.
One original talent at the festival is Hugh Dixon a building historian dressed as though he has stepped straight out of the Belfast of a century ago. His guided Victorian walks around the city have become one of the most popular attractions in recent years. Hugh Dixon hopes to get people interested in the architecture around them. He describes the Queens area as a rich mixture of Victorian and Georgian architecture.
One of the best Victorian suburbs in Ireland.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 21 November 1983. The reporter is Cathal Mac Coille.
