Our Social Space

Have you heard of social health?

Our CEO Carrie Montgomery recently chatted about social health, isolation and the importance of meaningful connection…including why loneliness can affect anyone and why Our Social Space was founded👇

Building social connections to reduce loneliness SOCIAL health is inextricably linked with physical and mental health, a charity chief executive has said.

🎬 Next up at The Flicks Hut… Brooklyn (2015)

𝗢𝗻 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟭𝟰 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿, join us for this beautifully told story of migration, belonging and finding where home truly lies.

Saoirse Ronan stars as Eilis, a young Irish woman who leaves home to build a new life in 1950s New York. When circumstances draw her back to Ireland, she finds herself torn between two countries—and two possible futures.

📅 Monday 14 September
🚪 Doors 7.00pm | Film 7.30pm
📍 The Flicks Hut at Our Social Space
🎟 Pay what you can | Suggested donation £3

Come on your own, bring a friend or join us for the first time. Tea and coffee will be available, with the option to stay for an informal chat after the film.

Book your place: https://buytickets.at/oursocialspace/2385651

Our Stories Rooted in Rhythm season explores music, identity, culture and community through eleven carefully selected films.

Supported by Film Hub N.I., part of the BFI Film Audience Network, awarding funds from the National Lottery.

🎸 𝗙𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗼 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗠𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹!

We’ll be opening the festival weekend on 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟮 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 with live music from the brilliant The Gareth Hughes Blues Band
Whether you’re joining us for a full weekend of Blues dance workshops or coming along for the evening parties, expect great live Blues, plenty of dancing and a warm Belfast welcome.

📍 Belmont Bowling Club Official
🎶 Friday: Gareth Hughes Blues Band
🎶 Saturday: Lee Hedley Blues Band
🎟️ Party Pass: £𝟮𝟬 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀

𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗠𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹
2–4 October 2026

🔗 https://buytickets.at/oursocialspace/2284614

⛰️ Just 𝗳𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 for the complete festival weekend
More info: https://www.oursocialspace.org.uk/black-mountain-blues-festival-belfast/

Studio 1 got a little bit of TLC this week. ❤️

With our regular community groups taking a well-earned break before the new term, we took the opportunity to get stuck in…a lick of paint, a good tidy-up and a bit of a reset.

There was a moment halfway through when it definitely looked worse before it looked better 😂

But we got there!

And it’s funny how different the space feels depending on the light…bright and airy by day, or a little more moody when the lights go down.

Now it’s ready for another term of classes, workshops and all the different groups who make the space their own.

And with some new classes joining the mix this term, we’re looking forward to seeing what happens in Studio 1 next. ❤️

𝗦𝗶𝘅 𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗠𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹...𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗶𝘅 𝗙𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻!

From 2–4 October, we’ll welcome the incredible Dexter Santos to Belfast for a weekend of blues dance workshops, live music and social dancing.

Alongside Dexter’s daytime Blues dance workshops, we’ll have:

🎸 Gareth Hughes Blues Band—Friday night
🎸 Lee Hedley Blues Band—Saturday night

If you’ve been thinking about travelling to Belfast for the festival, now is the time to make your plans. A Full Pass includes six hours of workshops across the weekend and entry to all evening events.

🎟 Full Pass: £105
📅 2–4 October 2026
📍 Belmont Bowling Club, East Belfast
🔥 Only six Full Passes available

Book here: https://forms.gle/mhyhBi378CgBta8k7

More info: https://www.oursocialspace.org.uk/black-mountain-blues-festival-belfast/

Party Passes for both evenings are also available for £20.

🎬 This Monday at The Flicks Hut

Join us for 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗼𝗿𝗲́𝗲 (𝟮𝟬𝟬𝟳), following Senegalese singer Youssou N’Dour on a moving musical journey connecting Africa, jazz and the wider world.

📅 Monday 24 August
🕖 Doors 7pm | Film 7.30pm
🎟 Pay what you can – suggested donation £3
☕ Tea, coffee and an optional chat afterwards

Everyone is welcome, whether you’re coming on your own, with friends or joining us for the first time.

👉 Book your place: https://buytickets.at/oursocialspace/2350352

🕺 Looking for something different to do during the week?

Our 𝗧𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗪𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 daytime classes are a chance to get moving, learn something new and enjoy some great music in good company.

𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 - 𝟭𝟭𝗮𝗺 + 𝟭𝟮.𝟯𝟬𝗽𝗺
Start the week with Blues music and movement — relaxed, social and beginner-friendly.

𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝗼 𝗝𝗮𝘇𝘇 – 𝟰𝗽𝗺
We’re starting a brand new routine next Wednesday, 19 August, making it a great time to jump in, whether you’re completely new or haven’t been along for a while.

You don’t need a partner, you don’t need any dance experience, and you definitely don’t need to think of yourself as a dancer.

Just come along, give it a go and see where the music takes you.

👉 Join Together We Dance: https://forms.gle/5KY8a423sR1cK4zz6

𝗧𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗪𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 | 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 & 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

🕺 Northern Soul is back!

Back by popular demand, Dapper D is running another Northern Soul dance workshop...two hours of brilliant music, movement and those unmistakable Northern Soul moves.

📅 Wednesday 19 August
⏰ 7.30–9.30pm
📍 Our Social Space | Dance Addiction Studios, East Belfast

Whether you joined us last time or you're completely new to Northern Soul, come along and give it a go. No partner needed and beginners are very welcome.

𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱, so grab your place while you can.

🎟️ 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://buytickets.at/oursocialspace/2350469

𝗕𝗹𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲! 🎶

And just like that… our Juke Joint mural at The Juke Yard is finished! 💙

Carla Hodgson Art was back with us today, adding the finishing touches and bringing everything together...although it was definitely a little quieter without her Refuge Language helpers and all their craic!

This mural has been a real collaborative effort. From the creativity and energy of everyone who took part in the Street Art workshop, to Carla’s talent in taking all those contributions and turning them into this brilliant finished piece, so many hands have helped bring our vision for The Juke Yard to life.

A huge thank you again to Carla Hodgson Art, everyone from Refuge Language who picked up a spray can and left their mark, and EastSide Arts for making the project possible through their Art Dayz programme, funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation.

We wanted The Juke Yard to have a little nod to the spirit of the Juke Joint...a place where music, culture, creativity and community come together.

Think we might just have nailed it. 🎶

Blues is Life!