A substantial refurbishment project was undertaken to refurbish the main church and halls in order to adapt the facilities to their use as a centre for culture and arts. The Duncairn was awarded almost a million pounds by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. In total, the refurbishment project received £3.5 million in funding; This provided art studios, an exhibition area, a community meeting room and a 170 seater theatre/performance area, a café, and conference rooms. The project won a Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Building Conservation award. It was also shortlisted in the Regeneration and Community Benefit categories and gained a "special commendation" in the Royal Society of Ulster Architects Building Conservation category.
