Arts Council welcomes plans for Urban regeneration in Derry city

24/11/2006

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland met with Derry representatives recently and welcomed current plans for arts and culture-led urban regeneration in the city. The Council, as the lead development agency for the arts in Northern Ireland, brought its November board meeting to Derry city as part of its regional outreach programme.

Photograph showing the Mayor of Derry with the Chair and Chief Executive of the Arts Council

The Mayor of Derry, Councillor Helen Quigley (left) discusses arts-led urban regeneration plans with Rosemary Kelly, (middle) Chair, Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Roisin McDonough, (right) Chief Executive, as part of a recent Arts Council Board meeting held in Derry City to learn about new developments in the North West.

Rosemary Kelly, Chair, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland said,
“It is important to the Arts Council that we bring our Board meeting to Derry and that we take the opportunity to meet city leaders. Our members were impressed with the exciting urban regeneration plans for the city; plans built on arts and culture initiatives. The Arts Council supports the vision for Derry presented by Derry City Council and ILEX and we are committed to working with them in achieving their plans for arts and culture-led regeneration”.

It is the Arts Council aim to put art and creativity at the heart of our society – an essential ingredient if we are to make a meaningful place for ourselves in the global economy.”

Photograph: Representatives of the Classical Music Society, University of Ulster and Maydown Youth Training Project with the Chair of the Arts Council

(L-R) Kevin Murphy, Classical Music Society, Rosemary Kelly, Chair, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Professor Desmond Hunter, Head of Creative Arts, University of Ulster and Iain Barr, General Manager, Maydown Youth Training Project Ltd

In the year to date (2006/07), the Arts Council of Northern Ireland has made a total investment of £1,619,363 in arts development within Derry.

Roisin McDonough, Chief Executive, Arts Council of Northern Ireland commented,
“The Council was excited by the concepts and ideas presented to it by Derry City Council and partners, and we look forward to seeing them implemented. In particular the £4m Challenge Fund for arts and culture projects in the city, of which £800,000 will go towards developing public art, are very welcome.

In the meantime the Council will continue to help develop the arts infrastructure in Derry and to invest in its artists and arts organizations. To date, our funding support has helped complete projects such as the Millennium Forum, one of the busiest arts and community venues in Northern Ireland. But there’s more to be done to help realize the real wealth of creative talent in Derry City, and the Council has currently committed £1m to the refurbishment of The Playhouse among other projects”.

Photograph: Deputy Town Clerk for Derry City Council, Chief Executive of the Arts Council, Chair of the Arts Council and Chief Executive of ILEX

John Meehan, Deputy Town Clerk, Derry City Council (left) and Bill Kirk, (right) Chief Executive, ILEX, with Rosemary Kelly, (second right) Chair, Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Roisin McDonough, Chief Executive, Arts Council

Representatives from Derry City Council, from arts and from education who attended a reception hosted by the Arts Council included; the Mayor of Derry, Mrs Helen Quigley, Pearse Moore, Chief Executive of The Nerve Centre and Iain Barr, General Manager, Maydown Youth Training Project, Waterside Theatre, among others.