Drawing Support: Murals, Memory and Identity

The tradition of political mural painting here began in 1908, making it the longest, continuous example in the world. 

Murals can be found all over Northern Ireland, in both cities and small towns. They have been part of the Ulster Museum collection for over two decades. Like murals do, this exhibition explores themes of identity, cultural expression and conflict legacy. 

Bill Rolston has been photographing political murals in Northern Ireland since 1981 and has become a leading authority on the subject. This exhibition will be based on his photographs, many of which have been published through five volumes entitled Drawing Support between 1991 and 2022 and on his website.

What to know

• This exhibition will be open from Saturday 13th April and run until December 2024. 
• We recommend this exhibition for ages 14+. 
• It's free to visit and no booking is needed. 
• Our museum is a shared space, and at times, private events take place in the room where this exhibition is on display, which means there will be days when the exhibition will not be accessible to the public. If you are coming to the museum specifically to see this exhibition, we advise contacting the museum in advance to check if the exhibition is going to be open.

Photographs in exhibition copyright of Bill Rolston.