Arts
Council Chief Executive, Roisin McDonough, has welcomed the
government’s commitment of an additional £337,000
to support the Council’s arts plan launched this morning.
"Our
plan involves a radical realignment of support. It has the
backing of government and it puts the arts at
the centre of the region’s life in an era of change
and growth".
Ms
McDonough went on to spell out the values which underlie
the role of the arts in society. "The arts enrich our
lives, they power creativity and self-fulfilment, building
confidence and inspiring hope in communities. We believe
the arts can fuel the regeneration of communities and of
society. In the Programme for Government, Unlocking Creativity,
DCAL’s own five-year strategy and the FutureSearch
symposium, the recognition of the power of the imagination
to transform environments, create employment and restore
confidence is clear and central. Our plan focuses that vision
squarely on the arts and places them at the heart of endeavours
to create a new Northern Ireland," she said.
After 18 months review
and consultation, The Arts: inspiring the imagination, building
the future details the values, priorities and objectives
agreed by the Arts Council with both the arts sector and
the Executive.
SEVEN OBJECTIVES FOR
THE NEXT FIVE YEARS
Increase opportunities
for artists
Strengthen the arts infrastructure
Engage with community
arts
Engage with voluntary
arts
Increase access for disabled
people
Enhance young people’s
access
Increase audiences for
the arts
Lending support to the
arts plans at the launch in the Lagan Look-out was Dr Aideen
McGinley, Permanent Secretary at the Department of Culture,
Arts & Leisure.
Dr McGinley said: "The
arts can make a major contribution to social inclusion, peace
and reconciliation, personal development, tourism and economic
regeneration as well as promoting cultural diversity and
mutual understanding."
Performers at the event
included: Philip Hession, Ciaran O’Doherty, Ridiculusmus,
Catalyst Arts, Ursula Burns and Susan Willis.
Click
Here for the Strategy in PDF format
Click Here for
more images from the launch
Click Here for
second page of images
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