From top to bottom (west to east, on the street), the pieces are by Artz (ig) + EPOM (ig), Rob Hilken (web), Erin Bradley Scott (Glasgow) (ig), NOYS (ig), Noodle (ig), KVLR (web), JAM (ig).
Here is a gallery of the street art and writing produced for Hit The North 2026 on the northern side of Kent Street, below Union Street.
From top to bottom (Union Street towards Royal Avenue) the pieces are by Alana McDowell (ig), Nic Mac (London) (ig), Codo (ig), Friz (web), MASH + ?SPUD?, BEASER, EVOS (ig), CLUES (ig), SPUD, and RAYO (ig).
Here is a gallery of art in Union Street, south of Kent Street, produced for Hit The North 2026. From top to bottom on this page we see work by El Rughi from Puglia (ig) next to the Sunflower and (on the south side of the street) by Danni Simpson (web), Wee Nuls (web), Kerrie Hanna (web), Leo Boyd (web), Bláthnaıd Ní hAogáın (ig), Keyto (ig), K9 (ig), REAL1 (ig) + SKOPE (ig). The final piece, on shutters, is by Hysterious (ig); further towards North Street there is a pair of small pieces by headliner Silver Formz.
Here are the results of a recent paint-jam in the Project 24 space near Bangor Marina. From top to bottom (left to right on the wall):
Nozzle-headed cats by ?Imogen Donegan (ig) and Ana Fish (ig)?, a spooky sprayer by Critter (ig), a toothsome skull by ANCO and (A)SEK (ig) of TMN, a (painted and not in fact) sewn face by Codo (ig), a cigarette smoker by Féoıl (ig), a smiling shark by Keyto (ig), and writing by TORE
The campaign urging the GAA to sever its ties to sponsor Allianz (web) began in August 25th, after an update to a 2024 report by the UN urged businesses – including Allianz – to end their ties with Israel (UN | youtube). In response, a letter of protest, signed by 800 former and current players, was delivered to the GAA (RTÉ) but a vote in December retained the sponsorship (BBC | Irish Examiner). Protests have continued (e.g. at the GAA congress), among which is this message written in posters on the hoarding around Casement Park (for which, see Build Casement Now).
“‘Art serves to establish community. It links us with others and with the things around us in a shared vision and effort’ – Gerhard Richter”. The quote is collected in Richter’s ‘Notes 1962’ (Archive.org registration required), from the beginning of his career, in the year after he escaped from East to West Germany and the two murals he had produced for his diplomas were painted over.
Here is a gallery of pieces from Union Street, painted for 2025’s Hit The North street art festival (Seedhead Arts). From left to right (top to bottom in this entry), the works are by:
FESA (ig) from Munch SNAK (ig) Ona Salvador (web) ADW (ig) Molly Hankinson (web) Kerrie Hanna (web) (below Kent St) Shane Ha (web) Kayde (web) Alana McDowell (ig) Niall OL (ig) NRMN (ig) Keyto (ig) Codo (ig) Leo Boyd (web) Conor McClure (ig) KAYOS (ig) JunkGraff (ig) + Sinead Crumlish (ig) and, on the other side of the street, Sky High (ig)
Kneecap performed their Coachella sets in front of a large screen onto which messages were projected, including denunciation of the Israeli “genocide” of Palestinians “enabled” by the US (Rolling Stone).
Many cancelled gigs followed, as well as a call from Sharon Osbourne that the band’s work visas be revoked (BBC). In response, Kneecap insisted that their speech was not an incitement to violence (BBC).
The band’s visas might also be in jeopardy because the band has parted ways with booking agents IAG, which sponsored the band’s US tour (Hollywood Reporter).
Further, scrutiny of past performances revealed pro-Hamas and -Hizbollah chants, which have now led to an investigation by the UK’s anti-terror police (NME). The band also apologized for a 2023 remark that “the only good Tory [Conservative MP] is a dead Tory” (BBC).
Many artists and bands have come out in support of Kneecap – about 40 put their names to a statement posted to instagram. The band also has the support of the graffitist in the image above: “Free Palestine – silence = complicity. Seas le Kneecap [stand with Kneecap]”.
For Recycle Week 2021 (WRAP), Laura Nelson (ig) and Leo Boyd (web) installed a series of seven pieces (each a combination of sign-writing and paste-up) on the abandoned Fanum House, using CO2-absorbing paint (from Graphenstone) and a potato-based glue for the paste-ups. “A revolution in recycling!”