Catalyst Arts was formed quite some time ago now, in response to what was then seen as a cultural vacuum. It is Belfast's primary artist-led organisation. In accordance with its constitution it is run by unpaid volunteers, and seeks to adopt a poly-vocal (yes, we own a thesaurus) strategy towards the promotion of contemporary art practices by large selection of artists and projects from the widest possible range of disciplines.

Catalyst Arts is always a gallery, but has also been a 24 hour cinema, a recording studio, a publishing house, a skip, a radio station, a jumble sale, a wrestling ring, a mess, a sauna, a distillery, an agnostic chapel, a banquet hall, a darts team, a leisure centre and a night club.