Thomas Wells is an independent artist and curator based in Belfast
Socially Engaged Projects
Flippin’over the Table [Belfast 2026]
A series of community led workshops and exhibition on the history of Belfast Pride, and the relevance of ‘pride’ for the LGBTQIA+ community in 2026
Partners: The MAC
Pack’d Lunch [Manchester 2025-6]
School-initiated Project connecting Food, Community and Storytelling over twelve months. Working with ninety year 4 school children in the development of a community picnic blanket.
Partners: Platt Hall, Manchester Art Gallery, Herald Place Primary and Manchester Urban Diggers CIC
A Queer Dander [Belfast 2025-2026]
A community based project based in Belfast looking at the history and legacy of Belfast Pride from 1991 to 2025, The focus was a documentary film and exhibition that looked at the experience of six individuals that delved into topics like safety, visibility, family, health, and community
Partners: The Metropolitan Arts Centre, Belfast and Belfast Pride, Credits Niamh McCann, Shaun Doogan
Dykesketball [Belfast 2024-2026]
Ongoing collaborative project between Array Collective and Northern Ireland premier queer (FLINTA) Basketball team, Dykesketball. The project looks at the concept of ‘the kit’ for the queer body.
Partners: Array Collective, Dykesketball, The Reporter Bar, ACNI
The House of Atreus [Belfast - Dublin 2025-2026]
Working with a collaborator, artist Emma Brennan, this new socially engaged performance practice considers labour, visibility, and survival within a system where artistic practice is increasingly positioned as both essential and unsustainable. Led by workshops with professionals and students, live performances are then devised.
Partners: Catalyst Arts, Belfast and Pallas Projects Dublin.
SAM’S EDEN [Belfast 2021 - 2023]
Working with The Rainbow Project NI, SAM’S EDEN was a twelve month workshop led project that looked at participants accessing new and unusual art forms. Workshops were delivered by local artists and ranged from performance art, architecture, cooking as practice and storytelling. All work was then developed into a publication as a document of the project.
Partners: Belfast City Council, The MAC and The Rainbow Project NI.
Independent Arts Practice
2024
Mantle - Catalyst Arts, Belfast, Northern Ireland
It’s Turned Out Nice Again - Outburst Queer Arts festival. Northern Ireland
Never Getting much use out of a chair - Catalyst Arts, Belfast, The MAC Belfast and Performance Art Bergen, Norway
Traveling the Road (Oyster Island) - PS2, Northern Ireland
Brian Desmond Hust (a portrait) - Ideal Development Opportunity, PS2 Gallery Northern Ireland
Chronicles - Templemore Public Baths, Belfast Northern Ireland
2023
An Evening Botanist and Many Scented Wreaths - Self Determination: A Global Perspective, IMMA Dublin, Ireland
Neverlandz - Outburst Queer Arts Festival, Northern Ireland
Buffet - Belfast International Festival of Performance Art 2023 Northern Ireland
2022
Chips with Everything - UPHOLD: New Collections at 35dp Belfast, Northern Ireland
Fáinne Ór - Aggregate at The Freelands Foundation Gallery, Northern Ireland
2021
CHIPS WITH EVERYTHING - The American Bar, Belfast Maritime Festival, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Collaborative Practice
2024
An Dún - IMMA (IE) - Array Collective as part of Self Determination: A Global Perspective
2023
The Night Draws Near w. Clodagh Lavelle and Array Collective Ulster Museum, Belfast
The Black Pig’s Dyke w. Laura O’Connor and Array Collective Cavan Arts Festival, Ireland
2021
The Druthaib’s Ball w. Array Collective - Ulster Museum (NOI), Galways Arts Centre (IE) and The Herbert Gallery and Museum (UK)
Curatorial Projects
2024 Root to Crown - Joseph Beuys Symposium Ulster Museum, Belfast
2023 Gintlíocht - An exhibition of heritage craft and contemporary art Ulster Folk Museum, Cultra, Northern Ireland
2023 SAM’S EDEN - An exhibition of three artists as part of the guest curator programme at CCA Derry-Londonderry, Derry
2022 Bona Palooza - A Queer micro festival at Ulster Folk Museum, Cultra. Northern Ireland
2021 The Sky Gives Way - A winter solstice live performance with Emma Brennan and Meabh Mier at the neolithic site, The Giants Ring, Co. Down. Northern Ireland
2021 SAM’S EDEN - An exhibition in printed matter (due to the global pandemic) new artist collaborations with Catalyst Arts.
Professional Experience
2025 Arts Council Ireland, consultant
2022-2024 Audience Development Curator, Creative Exchange Studios, Belfast
2022 (ongoing) Belfast International Festival of Performance Art committee member
2021- 2023 National Museum Northern Ireland Creative Programmer
2021-2022 Curatorial Assistant, The MAC Belfast
2018-2021 Catalyst Arts co-director
Education
2013-2014 MA Education in Arts and Cultural Settings. King’s College London
2006-2009 BA(hons) Fine Art: Sculpture and Environmental Art. The Glasgow School of Art
Teaching posts
2024 - 2026 Creative Careers and Sustainable Futures, University of Ulster
2023 - 2024 - Guest tutor SUNY Purchase, USA - Arts and Humanities undergraduate.
2022/2023 - Guest tutor ARTEZ Masters in ArtistEducator, University of the Arts, The Netherlands
2022 - Guest Tutor University of Ulster Masters of Fine Art
2022 - Guest Tutor The Glasgow School of Art