The Arts Council of Northern Ireland has excluded the Grand Opera House in Belfast from its 2026-27 Annual Funding Programme. This marks the first time in over 30 years that the theatre has not received such support.

The Grand Opera House opened in December 1895. The Arts Council previously contributed to a £12.2 million refurbishment completed in 2021. Funding for the venue dropped from £675,000 annually over a decade ago to £156,880 in 2025.

Three years ago, the Arts Council stopped funding the theatre's performance programme. It continued support for some operational costs and a creative learning programme that reached over 5,000 people last year.

In the last financial year, the theatre hosted 355 performances with nearly 335,000 attendees. That achieved a record average attendance of 90% capacity. The venue marked its 130th anniversary last year.

A spokesperson for the Arts Council stated the organisation values its past support for the commercially successful theatre over more than 30 years. The spokesperson noted other funding opportunities remain available to the Grand Opera House Trust.

The Grand Opera House Trust plans to spend £1 million over the next 16 months on maintenance projects. These include cleaning auditorium features, redecorating the exterior, and upgrading technical infrastructure in the 123-seat Studio space.

A spokesperson for the Trust said the decision ends over 30 years of annual funding support since the Trust formed in 1994. The spokesperson indicated the change provides independence to maintain a broad programme for diverse audiences.