The 48th annual exhibition took place during August and September 2025 at 2nd floor, Portview Trade Centre, 310 Newtownards Road, Belfast BT4 1HE Back

48th Annual Exhibition

The 48th annual exhibition took place from 29 August - 14 September 2025. The exhibition was the largest ever in the history of the society and had a full program of events during the two week run. Live watercolour demonstrations took place almost daily where the visitors could watch a painting being created from start to finish and members had studio sessions, reproducing what they do in their own studios.

48th Annual Exhibition - Program of Events 29 Aug 11am Exhibition opens 7.30pm Official opening with Lord Mayor 30 August 2pm Watercolour demo with Jeff Monaghan 31 August 2pm Studio artist Paul O’Kane 1 September 11am Studio artist Patricia McCormick 2 September 11 am Studio Artist Alison McQuade 2pm Watercolour demo with Jeff Monaghan 3 September 11am Studio artist Helen Sanlon 2pm Watercolour demo with Paul O’Kane 4 September 11am Studio artist Sarah Majury 2pm Watercolour demo with Jacque McNeill 5 September 11am Studio artist Patricia McCormick 2pm Watercolour demo with Jeff Monaghan 6 September 11am Studio artists Lawrence and Irene Rooney 2 pm Watercolour demo with Grahame Booth 7 September 2pm Studio artist Paul O’Kane 8 September 11am Studio artist Nicola Ann Gaffey 9 September 11am Art Alfresco plein air painters will be painting from the exhibition space 2pm Watercolour demo with Jeff Monaghan 10 September 11am Studio artist Tom Stevenson 2pm Watercolour demo with Adele Pound 11 September 11am Studio artist Helen Sanlon 2pm Studio artist Tracie Corrie 12 September 11am Watercolour demo with Paul Holmes 2pm Studio artist Tracie Corrie 13 September 11am Studio artist Margery Lavery 2pm Watercolour demo with Paul O’Kane 14 September 1 pm Exhibition closes. 3-4pm Buyers of paintings should collect their paintings Events can be subject to change. Up to date information is available on the Facebook and Instagram pages

Award Winners All awards were adjudicated independently by Gerard Gormley from Gormley Fine Art or by the independent sponsor Haughton Trophy and Carnathan Gallery Award Les Jones MBE - Island Paradise Mrs F B Steven Award Barbara Allen - The Summer of Sixty Nine Simon Essig Award Oonagh Catchpole - Two Jugs of Flowers Bradbury Art Award Barbara Ellison - Little Stream, Horn Head Forestside Veterinary Centre Award Sarah Majury - What to Look for in Winter Percy French Society Award Grahame Booth - Ballycastle Beach The ArtisAnn Award of an exhibition in the ArtisAnn gallery went to Tracie Corry and Rosalind McConaghy

Art and Home Award Sandra Maze - Loughside Morning, Greyabbey St Cuthberts Mill Award Libby Mulqueeny - Rock Pools Letitia Russell Award Victor Simpson - Owl be Seeing You Wallhangers Award Kasper Zier - Sunlight and Shavings Percy French Society Award Jeff Monaghan - Lake View

Maurice Shannon received his membership certificate from Grahame Booth, President of the UWS and Lord Mayor of Belfast, Tracy Kelly

Sarah Majury receiving the Forestside Veterinary Centre Award

New member Kasper Zier also won the Wallhangers Award

Les Jones MBE was judged Best in Show