Ulster University and Quilts for Care Leavers NI Collaborative Exhibition
This exhibition celebrates a unique collaboration between the BA(Hons) Textile Art, Design & Fashion programme at Belfast School of Art and Quilts for Care Leavers Northern Ireland (Q4CLNI), a voluntary organisation that creates handmade quilts for young people leaving the care system.
Over the summers of 2024 and 2025, Belfast School of Art hosted a series of community sewing weeks that brought together Q4CLNI volunteers, members of the public, students and staff to create a collection of contemporary patchwork quilts. Working collaboratively in the University’s embroidery workshops, participants contributed to the design, construction and finishing of twenty quilts.
Founded in 2021, Q4CLNI works with a network of volunteer makers to coordinate the making and distributing of ‘quilted hugs’ through social workers and partner organisations across Northern Ireland. Each quilt is made collectively from individual pieces of fabric, transformed through stitching into something entirely new. The process reflects the organisation’s belief that ‘you don’t need to know someone to care for them’.
The quilts on display reflect a collective approach to textile making, bringing together contributions from people of different ages, backgrounds and levels of experience. The project has created opportunities for community participation within the University while offering students experience of collaborative and socially engaged creative practice.
On display in Belfast School of Art in August, the exhibition celebrates the contribution of a diverse community of textile makers. Afterwards, the quilts will be distributed to care-experienced young people beginning independent lives.
This project was supported by Ulster University’s Access Ambassador Fund.
Image Gallery - Click to enlarge
Event Address: BA-01 (The Hub outside Textile Art, Design & Fashion - 1st floor), Ulster University, 2 - 24 York Street, Belfast, BT15 1AP
Suitable For: All Ages
Accessibility Information
There is wheelchair access & toilets and limited on street parking. 20 minute walk from Belfast Grand Central Station. The exhibition is open to the public 10am - 4pm, Monday - Saturday between 10th August and 3rd September 2026.
Organiser: : Ulster University & Quilts For Care Leavers NI
Event Email: : N/A
Event Contact Number: : N/A
Event Website: : https://q4clni.org.uk/?v=7885444af42e
Event Memberships
Craft NI Makers Directory
All August Craft Month events are run independently by the event organisers. For questions regarding this event please contact the event organiser directly.