Quire Belfast is an award winning LGBTQ+ community choir - the only of its kind in Northern Ireland. Formed in 2005 as a Rainbow Project idea with just 15 singers, we have a current membership of over 90 singers and our aim is to bring performance and entertainment through music and song and offer a social space to improve the mental and emotional health and wellbeing of our LGBTQ+  members. 

The choir's first Musical Director, Evan Ferrar, quickly established a strong foundation, leading to performances with Glória, Dublin's Lesbian & Gay Choir, at the Belfast Waterfront Hall and the National Concert Hall in Dublin.

Becoming an independent arts organisation in 2007, Quire Belfast continued to thrive under the direction of Ross Anderson and Jonny McMillen-Patterson (2006-2011), expanding its repertoire and performance opportunities, including appearances on BBC One NI's Art Space programme in 2010 and at the Outburst Queer Arts Festival.

In September 2011, Leanne Shields joined as Musical Director, bringing a wealth of experience and guiding Quire from strength to strength for over a decade. Under her leadership, the choir embraced new opportunities like the Rainbow Connection Concert in partnership with Newry Rainbow Community (2012), and participated in international events such as Various Voices in Dublin (2014), as well as regular performances at Hand in Hand events in London (2013) and Cardiff

(2019). Leanne also encouraged Quire to compete in music festivals at Holywood, Portadown and Foyle, achieving notable success with 1st prize at Holywood.

Our current Musical Director Niall O’Flaherty-Lynch joined Quire as a member in 2022. Niall took up the role of MD in 2024 and has since brought his extensive musical experience and passion to the choir. Previously serving as Musical Director for both Banbridge and Fortwilliam Musical Societies, he also helped establish the Irish language choir Na Béil Bhinne. Niall is a talented pianist as well as head of music at Hunterhouse College in Belfast. His support of Quire in developing a new repertoire has led to winning performances at many local musical festivals and feiseanna. 

Quire also returned to performing at the Outburst Queer Arts Festival and forged a new partnership with The Ulster Orchestra and Dumbworld on their How We Stand, How We Breathe art production.

In 2024 Quire performed at Hand in Hand in Bristol as well as being awarded Belfast Pride Entertainer of the Year 2024 and 2025. 

2025 culminated with an energetic summer concert celebrating 20 Years of Singing Queers - two decades of Quire Belfast. We are immensely proud of this milestone and all our success, achievements and wins. 

June 2026, Quire embarks on its first European adventure to the LGBTQ+ choir festival - Various Voices, where we intend to showcase our talents and to share this international stage with other queer choirs that celebrate diversity and belonging and who share a passion for music and song.