5 Best Performing Arts Venues in Northern Ireland

This world-class performance venue houses a 2,200-seat concert hall (for ballet and classical, rock, and Irish music) and a 500-seat studio space (for modern dance, jazz, and experimental theater). From the Waterfront bar you can have a pint and enjoy the river views before or after your culture fix. The main box office for booking events here is based at the Ulster Hall in Bedford Street.

This catchall venue hosts everything from boy bands and comedians to plays, musicals, tattoo conventions, and even weddings (invitations required). The Arbutus at the Forum restaurant on the ground floor offers discounts on show nights and snacks during the day from noon.

With its impressive auditorium and workshop spaces, the Playhouse stages traditional and contemporary plays and holds concerts.

The Belfast Giants hockey team is the main tenant of the 10,000-seat SSE Arena, but Northern Ireland's biggest indoor venue also hosts rock, pop, and classical concerts. The box office for tickets opens one hour before each event or you can book tickets online. The adjacent SSE Pavilion complex has bars, restaurants, shops, and nightclubs.

The historic Ulster Hall (it once hosted Rachmaninov) is the permanent home of the Ulster Orchestra. The classical music season runs here from September through April. Concerts are mostly held on Fridays, but you can call or check online ( www.ulsterorchestra.org.uk) to learn about other dates, free open rehearsals, and 50-minute lunchtime concerts. Apart from classical, the hall presents rock, folk, traditional Irish, blues, jazz, and other forms, along with comedy and cabaret acts. With its superb acoustics, Ulster Hall provides the perfect listening and foot-tapping experience.