Architecture and Capital Projects

Artform News

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is the lead agency in the region for the promotion of design quality in the built environment.  At the heart of its Architecture and the Built Environment: Policies, Strategies and Actions document (published in 2003) is the belief that good buildings and public spaces enhance the quality of life for both citizens and visitors to Northern Ireland.
The Arts Council of Northern Ireland has a five year Corporate Plan which sets out its overall vision and aims.  Having achieved its objective of providing a dedicated arts facility within a 20 mile radius of every person in Northern Ireland, one aim of the Council over the next five years is to fill any gaps in provision at an appropriate scale, taking strategic account of demand within geographic areas and artform priorities.

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland is responsible for the distribution of public funding to arts projects in Northern Ireland and encourages the integration of public art in civic spaces, the urban and rural landscape and in public buildings, again supporting high quality projects through Lottery resources (see the Public Art Handbook for Northern Ireland, published 2005).

Current initiatives

The Arts Council is also actively engaged in making recommendations on raising design quality to government, is represented on the Architecture Policy for Northern Ireland Inter-departmental Steering Group and regularly participates in advisory panels to government agencies.

The Arts Council also works in partnership with other bodies, such as the two Universities and PLACE, to deliver wide-ranging architecture-related events, not least the Architecture Week programme which it funds in the province. The Arts Council also promotes and rewards excellence in professional practice by sponsoring the prestigious national Civic Trust Special Public Realm Award for Northern Ireland. Finally, the Arts Council welcomes applications from architects and design professionals seeking to develop their individual practice to its Support for the Individual Artist Programme.

Funding Policy	Artform Policy Document (PDF)
Architecture and Built Environment Policy	Policy (PDF) Press Release (Web Page)
	Consultation Document (PDF)
Guide to MacNeice House	History of the Arts Council Premises (PDF)
Public Art in Northern Ireland	Details of Public Art across Northern Ireland
Building for the Arts	10 Years of Lottery Funding (PDF)
Space for Learning	Handbook for Educational Spaces in Cultural Institutions (PDF)

 

 

 

 

 

Relevant Links

Arts Council useful links (Architecture)

Island Arts Centre