Ambitions for the Arts: a Five Year Strategic Plan for the Arts in Northern Ireland

Transcription

1 CONSULTATION DRAFT Ambitins fr the Arts: a Five Year Strategic Plan fr the Arts in Nrthern Ireland P a g e

2 Preface This strategy builds n 2012 a year when the spirit f creativity and cnfidence is celebrated thrugh internatinal interest in the reputatin f ur artists, encuraged by the success f Our Time Our Place. It has been a milestne year where we have witnessed the fruitin f flagship prjects, prviding utstanding theatres and purpse-designed arts spaces and when we have experienced unparalleled grwth and cmmercial success in the creative industries. We stand at the threshld f 2013 when Derry ~Lndnderry takes centre stage as the first UK City f Culture; in the midst f a Decade f Anniversaries which have shaped the sense f British and Irish identity in Nrthern Ireland; and when artists will play a unique rle in helping us t better understand the cmplexities f their legacy, ur culture and ur identity. The Arts Cuncil has lng recgnised the imprtant rle that artists have played in ur recent trubled histry, making us questin ur precnceptins and assumptins and pening us up t pssibilities. It enables us t see things differently, reaching beynd plarised cultures and plitics. We are living in extrardinary times; ur sciety is changing, as are the issues it faces in terms f race, ethnicity, gender, demgraphy and class. The demgraphic cmpsitin f ur sciety is changing with advances in technlgy raising standard f living and quality f life, peple are living lnger. We are als entering a new age f innvatin with peple chsing hw they cnsume, share, access and create artistic cntent, ffering previusly unimagined pssibilities t cnnect with audiences. Within this brader cntext, the Arts Cuncil is fcusing n a new plicy apprach t creative cultural cntent generated fr digital platfrms redefining hw we engage with the public in a digital age. These are als times f austerity the uncertainties facing the ecnmy will have lngrunning cnsequences, with recvery unpredictable. Fr the arts sectr, these cnditins cntinue t impact upn cnsumer behaviur, audience spend, crprate spnsrship, as well as limiting access t private finance. Arts rganisatins cntinue t adjust their business mdels, seeking pprtunities in new markets but as always reminding us they prvide a very necessary spark f creativity in ur lives. We will champin the resilience, creativity and curage f artists and arts rganisatins, wh while they struggle t manage n ver-stretched budgets, ften demnstrate a capacity fr innvatin and resurcefulness. As we face seemingly intractable ecnmic challenges, there is a new reality: ne in which we may have t manage with less but be n less ambitius in ur thinking. We d nt knw hw lng this crisis will last and hw deep it will becme. But when it is ver, thse wh will have invested in creativity and innvatin will find themselves ahead f the pack. Ján Figel, EU Cmmissiner fr Educatin, Training, Culture and Multilingualism. 2 P a g e

3 In Nrthern Ireland a number f unique factrs als apply, nt least the legacy f the cnflict, the lw wage ecnmy, ur peripheral lcatin in Eurpe as well as issues surrunding deprivatin and rurality. Mrever, the administrative landscape will have altered with the current Lcal Gvernment Refrm. Whatever the utturn f the new administrative arrangements, the challenges fr the sectr remain the same: creating pprtunities fr all t participate in ur creative life: develping new frms f cnnectin bth here and abrad, raising awareness in lcal cmmunities, bringing artistic excellence within the reach f everyne and engaging with new audiences. In turn, this calls fr new frms f engagement, mving beynd cnventinal practice, having the curage t take risks, explre new territry; t embrace the changes brught abut by cmmunicatin technlgy and the radically new. 3 P a g e

4 Smething wrth remembering lking back ver the last five years As the utging five year strategy Creative Cnnectins draws t a clse, we reflect ver a perid in which, despite the wrld facing ne f the greatest recessins f all time, the Arts scaled new heights thrugh a series f majr develpments and internatinal events. Mst imprtantly during this perid the Arts became mre relevant and accessible t mre peple as public funding brught great art within the reach f everyne. Everyne has access t a dedicated arts facility as a result f Arts Cuncil investment with 99% f husehlds situated within a 20 mile radius f an arts venue. Arts facilities and cultural events have enhanced the cultural turism ffering in Nrthern Ireland and act as pwerful symbls f regeneratin acrss ur twns and cities. The Arts Cuncil has a lng and successful track recrd f wrking at the heart f ur cmmunities; ur investment supprts a wide range f cmmunity prgrammes with ver half f ur funding ging directly t the mst deprived areas f Nrthern Ireland. 82% f adults reprted attending an arts event in 2012, representing an 8 percentage pint increase frm 2009 Mre peple are getting invlved in the arts, especially the yung 88% f whm attended arts events during the year 30% f adults reprted participating in an arts event in 2012, representing a 4 percentage pint increase frm 2009 Our headline achievements 1. Arts infrastructure has enjyed unprecedented investment ver the past five years. The MAC, the Lyric Theatre, Grand Opera Huse and the Crescent Arts Centre in Belfast and Culturlann Ui Chanain, the Playhuse and Waterside Theatres in Derry have been key prjects enriching the cultural fabric f ur tw majr cities. Many have achieved distinctin fr their icnic buildings which have becme a fcal pint fr the perfrming and visual arts, winning prestigius awards fr their design and cnstructin. The Lyric Theatre, Nrthern Ireland s nly full-time prducing theatre re-pened fllwing an 18.1m rebuild in 2011 with a bang, winning 15 trphies including the Irish Times Theatre Awards fr its debut prductin f The Crucible and Outstanding Cntributin t Turism. It was als shrtlisted fr the prestigius architectural Stirling Prize and is cnsidered a prime example f hw buildings shuld be built 4 P a g e

5 Yu have taken the Lyric frm a dream t a cncrete idea, t a physical manifestatin. Yu have made this building an actuality. May it be a living, breathing mnument t and fr the spirit f the peple f Nrthern Ireland. Liam Neesn, Actr and Patrn f Lyric Theatre After almst a decade in the making, the Metrplitan Arts Centre (the MAC) pened its drs in 2012 in the city s Cultural Quarter. Althugh in its infancy, the MAC has scped an impressive tally f prizes, including Best Creative Business and Best Belfast Brand. The MAC really is an amazing gift fr the peple f Nrthern Ireland - mre than a building; it's abut the art and the magic that happens inside Meryl Streep, Oscar Winning Actress 2. The Arts reach deep int cmmunities, tuching peple s lives. There is a thriving cmmunity arts sectr in Nrthern Ireland, widely recgnised as at the cutting edge f practice internatinally. We have been prud t supprt the sectr fr mre than 40 years. Given its flexibility in meeting cmmunity need and its ability t deliver imprtant scial utcmes by bringing peple tgether; by building netwrks f trust that develp scial capital, it helps tackle ecnmic, racial and ethnic divides; as well as engaging with the mst disenfranchised members f ur cmmunity. It als helps address issues f anti-scial behaviur and imprve the health and wellbeing f cmmunities and individuals. Between 2007 and 2012, 19.5m. was distributed in grant aid by the Arts Cuncil t rganisatins delivering cmmunity arts based wrk representing 22% f the ttal funding awarded t all Arts Cuncil clients ver this perid. Over 155 cmmunity regeneratin prjects tackling sectarianism and racism have been successfully delivered thrugh the Re-imaging Cmmunities Prgramme t encurage greater scial integratin, address the issues surrunding paramilitary murals and slgans in a pst cnflict sciety. 3. The Arts create jbs. Since its inceptin in 2008, the Creative Industries Innvatin Fund (CIIF) has supprted a prtfli f rganisatins in the develpment f prducts fr lcal and internatinal marketplaces. By awards, wrth ver 4.5m had been made. CIIF represents a significant cntributin twards the Prgramme fr Gvernment target f 200 prjects within the creative industries sectr. The creative industries can help t rebuild and rebalance ur ecnmy. The Executive realises the imprtance f prmting innvatin and creativity and aims t supprt 200 prjects ver Minister f Culture, Arts and Leisure Carál Ní Chuilín Thrugh its main grant prgrammes, Arts Cuncil investment supprts jbs in the vibrant cultural sectr. We believe that stimulating grwth and develpment f the creative sectr will ptimize ur ecnmic ptential, nw and fr future generatins, and play a significant rle in the lng-term aim f reinvigrating the Nrthern Ireland ecnmy. This is a view that is shared by many in the private sectr wh recgnise hw 5 P a g e

6 partnership with the arts is delivering creative business slutins t help businesses address many f the challenges they are facing arund retaining and mtivating staff, engaging with cmmunities and increasing their cmpetitiveness. It is becming increasingly acknwledged that creativity, which is at the heart f the artistic endeavur, is linked t ecnmic utcmes, particularly as a seedbed f innvatin, jb and wealth creatin. 4. The Arts d us prud abrad. Nrthern Ireland shwcased ver 40 arts and culture events, illustrating the calibre and vitality f the regin as a place t visit, invest study, wrk and live at the Smithsnian Flk Life Festival in Washingtn DC. Leading perfrmers, Snw Patrl played t thusands f Americans at the Bender Arena whilst Belfast brn pianist Barry Duglas perfrmed with his rchestra Camerata Ireland at the Library f Cngress. Artists frm Nrthern Ireland exhibited their wrk at the Venice Biennale, the largest and mst prestigius shwcase f cntemprary visual arts in 2005, 2007 and Visitr numbers t the Nrthern Ireland pavilin grew significantly, frm 18,500 in 2005 t 51,500 in 2009, alngside the reputatin f the Nrthern Ireland s visual arts talent. Brassneck, a small independent theatre cmpany based in West Belfast renwned fr its razr sharp black Belfast humur, cllected the award fr Best New Play with A Night with Gerge at the Irish Festival f Theatre, 2011 in New Yrk. The new reginal pera cmpany fr Nrthern Ireland, NI Opera has been hailed a triumphant success. Fllwing the award winning perfrmance f Tsca and a criticallyacclaimed run f eight shws in Belfast Z as part f the Lndn 2012 Festival, Benjamin Britten s much-lved children s pera, Nye s Fludde travelled t Beijing fr an exclusive perfrmance as part f the Beijing Music Festival. Yungest and feistiest f Britain s Reginal cmpanies The Independent n Sunday 5. Nearer hme the Arts helped us celebrate the Lndn 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Land f Giants was ne f nly fur utdr spectaculars t be funded as part f the Cultural Olympiad. An event billed as the biggest utdr arts celebratin ever staged in Nrthern Ireland it presented a unique tale inspired by icnic giants fund in the histry, sciety and landscape f Nrthern Ireland, t an audience f 18,000 n Belfast s newest events space, Titanic Slipways. Beautiful, prvcative, emtinal, artistic, sulful, & then sme. Minister f Culture, Arts and Leisure Carál Ní Chuilín 6 P a g e

7 Chregrapher, Carline Bwditch, highlighted the real ptential f peple with disabilities t dance in a prfessinal cmpany. The dance prject, Luminus Suls, was shwcased as part f the Legacy Trust UK s Cnnectins prgramme. Ulster Orchestra s The Pied Piper was the first Cultural Olympiad prject t receive the Lndn 2012 Inspire Mark, an award t utstanding cultural events helping t deliver the lasting legacy f the Olympic Games. 6. The Arts are changing the image f Nrthern Ireland. Exemplified in the richness and cultural strength f the events f Our Time, Our Place NI 2012 and in 2011 when Belfast hsted the MTV Eurpean Music Awards t a wrld audience, demnstrating a city f music steeped in rich musical heritage. Derry~Lndnderry made histry, pipping Birmingham, Nrwich and Sheffield t the pst t win the bid t becme the first UK City f Culture. The Arts Cuncil has invested 1m in the Derry~Lndnderry City f Culture 2013 events prgramme t supprt lcal arts rganisatins presenting wrld-class standard wrk t internatinal audiences. Leading travel guide, the Lnely Planet named Derry~Lndnderry the 4th best city t visit in 2013" based n its 2013 calendar f cultural events and impressive redevelpment. It s an incredible pprtunity which will bring new jbs and help transfrm the city." Martin McGuinness, deputy First Minister 7 P a g e

8 Lking frward a new five year plan Intrductin The purpse f this plan is t prvide clear, strategic directin. A framewrk fr future develpment wrking frm a significant evidence base that helps us better understand the needs f artists, the sectr and thse wh attend and participate in the arts. Our apprach in develping it is t build upn what has already been achieved but als t identify what needs t be dne. In ding s we will wrk with Department f Culture, Arts and Leisure t ensure that its frthcming Arts Strategy fits with ur wn ambitins. This will cmplement the existing DCAL crprate strategy under its five strategic pillars, agreed by the NI Executive; we will bring lng-standing benefits fr cmmunities acrss Nrthern Ireland, unlcking the full ptential f culture and the arts. These pillars are: ECONOMY: enhancing the cntributin f the culture, arts and leisure sectrs in grwing and rebalancing the ecnmy; SOCIAL INCLUSION AND EQUALITY: enabling the ppulatin t enhance their quality f life thrugh participatin/engagement in culture, arts and leisure activities; HEALTH: Enable as many peple as pssible t achieve mental and physical wellbeing thrugh regular participatin in sprt and leisure activities; EDUCATION: Maximise the benefits f learning visits and experiences thrugh ur culture, arts and leisure infrastructure and ENVIRONMENT: Thrugh interventins in the culture, arts and leisure sectrs, we will prtect and enhance the quality f the envirnment. The Arts Cuncil is striving t deepen the value f arts t individuals and wider sciety, target resurces t meet scial and cmmunity challenges, deliver imprved access and reach new audiences and enhance cmmunity engagement. In ding s, we will wrk with ther members f the DCAL family t maximise the benefits f ur rich, cllective cultural resurces, especially libraries, museums, archives and film. The pprtunities presented by City f Culture, 2013 prvide a platfrm fr the arts t cntribute t the Legacy Framewrk, thus ensuring that the benefits f City f Culture d nt end with the cmpletin f the year-lng prgramme f events. Wrking with DCAL and the Implementatin Grup we will strive t maximise the legacy utcmes f City f Culture, nw and pst Our missin is t place the Arts at the heart f ur scial, ecnmic and creative life Mre than any ther activity, the Arts have the pwer t braden and enrich ur lives, t lk at the wrld differently, t transfrm the familiar, t deepen at every cntact. 8 P a g e

9 Never has there been a mre fitting time fr the arts t demnstrate hw they speak t us in myriad ways. Their rle in educatin and learning; their value t the ecnmy; their imprtance t the health and vitality f cmmunities; hw they are changing the image f Nrthern Ireland at hme and abrad; helping us t celebrate ur diversity and their rle in drawing us tgether. In ur rle as the lead agency fr the develpment f the cntemprary arts we have created strategies shaping and defining ur apprach t key areas f wrk such as: creating internatinal platfrms; prmting excellence and making sure the arts are accessible acrss sciety. We manage funding prgrammes that are flexible and respnsive; harness the transfrmative pwer f the arts and deliver benefits at lcal and cmmunity level: enhancing scial chesin; strengthening peace and building partnerships. This five year plan affirms ur visin t place the Arts at the heart f sciety, t champin their cause and express their value in a way that cnnects with practitiners, audiences, plicymakers, investrs and wider sciety. Our ambitins Our aim is t be a cnfident rganisatin cmmitted t the develpment f the cntemprary arts, accessible t all; ne that delivers effectively and gives the best pssible service. In this sectin, we set ut ur ambitins ver the next five years: T place high-quality arts prjects within the grasp f scially excluded grups Everyne has the right t access arts and culture f their wn chsing. That remains bth a cntinuing challenge and ambitin fr the Arts Cuncil. We want t ensure access fr all, especially thse wh feel marginalised, islated and viceless as many scially excluded grups d. T this end, we will develp the experience gleaned frm such initiatives as Test Drive the Arts which reached int ur mst disadvantaged cmmunities by ffering free tickets t thse wh therwise culd nt have affrded the cst f attending an event. We will devise a new prgramme, in cnjunctin with ur health and scial care partners, which will ffer every new brn an Arts Vucher that can be re-deemed fr arts experiences, thus giving them the best pssible start in life. Cmmunity arts are ften the cnduit thrugh which individuals and grups engage. Wrking with diverse cmmunities f interest - yung and ld peple, disabled peple and thse mst vulnerable wh feel excluded, we will supprt rganisatins wrking in the frntline f ur cmmunities. Our lng-term, expert partner invlved in supprting cmmunity based arts prjects is the Cmmunity Arts Partnership and we will cntinue t learn frm best practice in this area. T supprt individual artists Supprting prfessinal artists and helping them make a difference in sciety lies at the cre f ur endeavurs. In prviding supprt t artists, we aim t encurage engagement with 9 P a g e

10 peple in Nrthern Ireland and elsewhere. We want t make Nrthern Ireland a place where artists can thrive and achieve the respect their talents deserve. In pursing this significant gal we will implement the recmmendatins arising frm the Living & Wrking Cnditins f Artists in Ireland, supprt artists career develpment thrugh the Artist Career Enhancement Scheme (ACES), encurage the cmmissining f new wrk, develp dedicated prgrammes that place artists at the heart f lcal, reginal and internatinal shwcases. T cre fund arts rganisatins We will sustain ur cmmitment t cre-fund arts rganisatins that demnstrate the impact their wrk is having in engaging new and mre diverse audiences, especially thse frm ur mst disadvantaged cmmunities. A resilient arts infrastructure prvides the strategic platfrm t deliver strengthened public and cmmunity engagement. The building blcks f that infrastructure cmprise: arts rganisatins f quality, strength and cnnectedness; resurceful artists f visin, engaging with audiences, learners and citizens. We will prtect the health and well-being f key arts rganisatins imprving their lng-term creative and financial future. This will invlve supprting them thrugh direct funding but als helping them develp a mix f different surces f incme and bringing new appraches t their wrk thrugh partnerships with thers and by prmting an entrepreneurial spirit in the sectr. T help arts rganisatins deliver benefits t ur cmmunity As a funder we will seek t increase the impact f public investment in the arts. We recgnise the need t have effective funding prgrammes in place but we als require thse wh we fund t be innvative and resurceful - t share, t cllabrate, t take advantage f ecnmies f scale, t encurage larger rganisatins t wrk with smaller nes, t maximise the investment and shwcase what they d. As a sectr we need t better articulate what has been achieved thrugh public investment in the arts, thrugh effective evaluatin and case study, capturing value and expressing that thrugh advcacy. We will wrk with arts rganisatins, develping delivery agreements based upn Business Plans that shw hw their prgrammes are reaching all sectins f sciety and delivering imprved access. In practice this means dedicated interventins t enhance cmmunity engagement, ut-reach prgrammes and cllabrative prjects that wrk beynd cnventinal arts spaces and activities that reach new audiences in fields such as Disability, Intercultural diversity, lder peple, marginalised children and yuth. We will require all funded rganisatins t place a strng fcus n cmmunity engagement thrugh new delivery agreements. We recgnise that the majr arts rganisatins are central plank t the delivery f this strategy. We will cntinue t invest in them as centres f excellence and will require them t practively engage with cmmunities beynd their traditinal catchment. We have invested in key prjects f significant scale. Facilities such as the Lyric and the MAC nw generate majr pprtunities fr artists and practitiners. While we will prtect 10 P a g e

11 the investment already made, we expect them t utilise the new asset-base fr the wider benefit f the citizen, building new audiences fr the arts, strengthening the cultural ffer and increasing diversity. T build partnerships The ambitin f placing the arts at the heart f ur scial, ecnmic and creative life can nly be achieved thrugh wrking with a brad range f partners acrss all sectrs, public, private and vluntary. Based n a brad platfrm, we will pen up hrizns thrugh new partnerships, in key areas such as cultural turism, educatin and learning, health and wellbeing, inclusin and cmmunity building and the ecnmy. It is thrugh such partnerships in these arenas that we will create a strnger, healthier creative sectr and fster pprtunities fr artists, arts rganisatins and the cmmunities which they serve. Such an apprach in the cntext f the City f Culture 2013 will deepen the impact and legacy f the year rund cultural prgramme. Apart frm current partnership arrangements which help deliver the Re-Imaging Cmmunities Prgramme, the Creative Industries Innvatin Fund, the Arts and Older Peple Prgramme, the Inter-cultural Arts Prgramme, we have strng practical wrking relatinships with the British Cuncil t frge internatinal cnnectins thrugh culture and with the Nrthern Ireland Turist Bard t strengthen cultural turism prduct. In the curse f this plan, we will develp new partnerships in educatin and thers in health and well-being t anchr ur wrk in the hardest t reach cmmunities. We will bring t fruitin prgrammes in after schl arts with ur partners in educatin and the cmmunity and with the Public Health Agency and lcal grups t imprve mental health in the cmmunity. The Arts Cuncils f these islands have a lng histry f c-peratin. We reaffirm ur cmmitment t wrk with the Arts Cuncil/An Chmhairle Ealaín: t share a cmmn strategic cmmitment t supprt artists and arts rganisatins jintly n the island and thrugh a jint wrking grup and annual plenary meetings t nurture and supprt key prjects f cmmn interest. Such a cllabrative apprach ensures value fr mney and greater impact. We will als actively fster strng east/west relatins with the ther Arts Cuncils f the UK, delivering benefits in key areas such as Crss Brder Turing, the exchange f ideas, values and practices. The frthcming Cmmnwealth Games in Glasgw in 2014 presents an pprtunity t shwcase the Arts and strengthen ur relatinship with Creative Sctland. T supprt skills develpment Wrking with a range f prviders, we will supprt learning and develpment fr arts rganisatins; develp leadership prgrammes t give senir executives the knwledge and skills t respnd t an ever-changing envirnment. Thrugh the interventins f the Arts Cuncil - and ur strategic delivery partner Arts & Business Nrthern Ireland (A&B NI) - we will supprt arts rganisatins t deliver their cre business activities thrugh tugh times. Recgnising the rle f nn-executive bard members f arts rganisatins, we will supprt A&B NI t deliver an expanded prgramme f tailred supprt using their skills and business netwrks t enhance training and specialist advice fr the arts sectr. Business leaders bring distinctive qualities fr the benefit f the cultural sectr: specialist knwledge, 11 P a g e

12 business acumen, energy and a passin fr the arts. Wrking thrugh A&B NI we will supprt them in their rle n cultural bards and helping t prepare cultural leaders f the future. With the Creative and Cultural Skills Cuncil we will make a lng-term cntributin t recruitment in the sectr, delivering Creative Apprenticeships and encuraging take up f paid internships. We believe in fair access t careers in the creative and cultural industries, especially fr ur mst talented peple living in disadvantaged cmmunities. Prviding accessible rutes int the sectr is imprtant if we are t avid lsing a generatin f creative talent. T encurage vluntary activities in the arts Many rganisatins wrking in the cultural sectr have effective vlunteering prgrammes. We are cmmitted t vlunteering in the arts and have teamed-up with Vluntary Arts Ireland and Vlunteer Nw t achieve a luder vice fr vlunteering and t prmte gd practice in recruiting, retaining and supprting vlunteers. We will supprt Vluntary Arts Ireland as the principal umbrella bdy fr vlunteering in the arts and encurage rganisatins we fund t adpt and apply the Vlunteering Tlkit. We will raise the prfile f vlunteering by spnsring an awards scheme recgnising thse wh chse t put their time, energy, skill and creativity int helping arts and cultural rganisatins which have established utstanding vlunteering prgrammes. The Themes T achieve ur ambitins fr the arts we have set ut a clear statement f pririties under three strategic themes that reflect the changed cntext and the need fr strng public engagement. Thse three themes are t: Champin the Arts Prmte Access Create a resilient sectr Theme One: Champin the Arts We encunter the arts in every aspect f ur lives. The arts are fundamental t humanity and have the pwer t transfrm lives, cnnect peple and are essential t a thriving cmmunity. They cntribute t creating a sense f place and have the pwer t fuel scial and ecnmic grwth. The arts can help us develp skills, build interpersnal ties, change attitudes t learning and fster educatinal develpment. The arts have significance and meaning f themselves but they als generate value directly and indirectly. The Arts Cuncil is a strng, independent and authritative champin f the arts in Nrthern Ireland - a surce f specialist expertise in and abut the arts. We will wrk hard t realize a visin fr the arts that is infrmed by ur belief that they lie at the heart f ur scial, 12 P a g e

13 ecnmic and creative life. By wrking cllabratively, the arts sectr can make a cmpelling case fr why the Arts matter. Empirical studies highlight hw the arts impact n lcal and natinal ecnmies thrugh attracting investment, generating taxes, creating jbs, prmting turism, fstering innvatin and nurturing cmmunity develpment. Research studies and evaluated prjects demnstrate the benefits f using arts in healthcare settings. We realise the imprtance f intrducing arts interventins that deliver benefits in the health sectr. We will wrk with partners t pilt initiatives specifically aimed at reducing the high levels f suicide and self-harming in Nrthern Ireland in line with the nging implementatin f the Prtect Life - A Shared Visin suicide preventin strategy. Overall the evidence is there, but we knw we have t make a mre persuasive and cmpelling case as t why public funding fr the arts is essential, especially in straightened times, and what impact it has n the life ur cmmunity and all individuals. We are heartened, hwever, that despite ecnmic stringency and cuts in public expenditure, in a survey f the general ppulatin, 75% f peple here supprt the principle that there shuld be public funding fr arts and culture prjects. Tgether with ur partners we will advcate the value f arts t Nrthern Ireland sciety, thrugh think pieces, articles, newsletters and briefings with plitical parties. We will capture the evidence f the value f ur investment in the arts, using quantitative research, prgramme evaluatin, case study and persnal testimny. We will gather strategic insights that can be used and acted upn by us and by thers and with ur partners. We will harvest views and pinins f a wide variety f peple acrss the arts sectr and the general public n the value f the Arts and why they are deserving f public funding. Apart frm ur prmise t advcate the value f the arts, we will als champin the rle that the arts and creativity play as a fundamental attribute f a cmpetitive ecnmy and highlight hw creativity is integral t achieving success in Science, Technlgy, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). A STEM-literate wrkfrce is essential t ecnmic prsperity, but withut creative designers and imagineers t challenge cnventinal thinking, we may fail t find thse unexpected new directins that add value thrugh the pursuit f creativity. Attracting and retaining extrardinary peple wh thrive in a creative culture is ne f the challenges we face as a regin. Wrking with ur strategic delivery partners, we will cntrite t the STEM thught leadership debate but expand hrizns t champining the idea that STEM expands int STEAM when art is part f the equatin. Arts Mark We will intrduce an ArtsMark award scheme in recgnitin f the utstanding achievements f schls and cmmunity arts prjects in delivering first class arts pprtunities t children and yung peple. Target: Intrduce an ArtsMark scheme in partnership with Educatin & Training Inspectrate by 2017/18 13 P a g e

14 A dedicated gallery fr Nrthern Ireland We will advcate the necessity f creating a new, dedicated gallery t huse the best twentieth century hldings in Nrthern Ireland and munt internatinal turing exhibitins. Such a prpsal fr a 21st Century art gallery seeks t change the way in which the visual arts are perceived and experienced. As a beacn, this initiative wuld celebrate ur unique indigenus cllectins f Irish and Nrthern Irish art, prvide a rich resurce fr all ur citizens and becme a driver fr turism revenues helping revitalize the regin s ecnmy. A capital prject f this scale ffers significant pprtunities t help regenerate ur mst disadvantaged cmmunities and prvides emplyment in a lcal area thrugh the adptin f a scial clause apprach t prcurement. Glasgw spearheaded its ecnmic regeneratin with a series f cultural develpments, cmmencing with its nw famus and ppular Burrell Cllectin. The Lwry, Manchester is an example f an architectural flagship building with a unique and dynamic identity, rising frm the regenerated dcklands f Salfrd Quays. Tate Mdern at Bankside, Lndn shws the transfrmatin f a landmark listed building. Wakefield s Hepwrth pened in 2011, establishing Yrkshire s credentials as a glbal centre fr sculpture. There are many mre such examples. Target: Undertake an ecnmic appraisal fr a Dedicated Gallery fr Nrthern Ireland The Trubles Archive We cntinue t live in a divided sciety fractured by multiple fault-lines. Our artists have been bserving and respnding t ur divisins fr many decades. This is a rich surce f material which shuld be publicly available. The Arts Cuncil has been cmpiling a cmpendium f artistic activity that tk place during thirty plus years f vilence in the belief that it allws us t give recgnitin t the cntributin the arts make t ur understanding f the legacy f the past. The archive is an imprtant cultural resurce cntaining many key artistic wrks and ne which helps us t understand mre clearly the cnnectin between the arts and the events which shaped them. We will make this pwer digital resurce accessible t audiences everywhere thrugh a dedicated nline gallery. Hnuring ur Artists A sciety that des nt sufficiently value its artists is a prer sciety. We believe it is timely t intrduce an hnurs system f awards t acknwledge the utstanding achievements f ur artists and practitiners and have with, ur partners in the Internatinal Federatin f Arts Cuncils and Cultural Agencies (IFACCA) undertaken an internatinal survey t ascertain the mst apprpriate mdel. During the curse f this plan we hpe t persuade thers f the merits f this cause. Target: Intrduce an hnurs system fr ur mst distinguished artists by P a g e

15 Theme Tw: Prmte Access During the life f this plan we will encurage mre peple and cmmunities t becme engaged and mre deeply invlved in the arts. Tackling barriers t engagement in the arts and encuraging develpment and diversificatin f audiences are key ways in which the Arts Cuncil will demnstrate its cmmitment t DCAL s expressed visin t target pverty and scial exclusin. T deliver this ambitin we will help funded rganisatins understand, retain, grw and diversify their audiences. We will cmmit t high impact prjects that lay the basis fr step change in the sectr, such as a dedicated, centralised ticketing agency fr the arts that links ticket sales with strategic marketing infrastructure. In practice, this means we wrk thrugh ur strategic delivery partner, Audiences NI and the Grand Opera Huse t set up a jint venture under the wrking title f BTtickets, thus creating a shared ticketing service and audience develpment prject t bring state-f-the-art ticketing services n a cst effective basis within the reach f arts rganisatins in Nrthern Ireland. It will build upn the current market intelligence cmpiled by Audiences NI thus enabling effective audience engagement by empwering mre arts rganisatins thrugh the prvisin f csteffective, shared services. This will help arts rganisatins understand wh their audiences are and, mst crucially, wh they are nt and why, as well as hw best t reach them. Target: Wrk with Audiences NI t develp a framewrk t map arts attendance and identify audience 'cld spts' We will encurage mre turing cmpanies t undertake audience develpment wrk. We will fund prjects that have the ptential t build strng cnnectins between cmmunities. We will supprt artists enrich and deepen engagement thrugh prgrammes such as the Reimaging Cmmunities. Target: Fund the delivery f at least 10 new public artwrks each year thrugh the Re- Imaging Cmmunities Prgramme Arts & Older Peple We will cntinue the rll-ut f the Arts and Older Peple strategy develped as a means f prmting scial inclusin fr lder peple, recgnising the barriers which prevent them frm participating in a wide range f activities. We will imprve access and participatin, using the arts as a creative vehicle t explre and highlight scial justice issues thrugh a series f artist-led interventins. The prgramme will cntinue thrughut the life f this plan as we are active in seeking new funding partners. Target: Increase the number f funded prjects aimed at lder peple Intercultural Arts The Intercultural Arts Strategy recgnises the changing face f sciety and its increasing cultural diversity. The strategy sets ut hw we will fster the expressin f cultural pluralism, build dialgue and prmte understanding thugh interchanges within and between cmmunities and their cultures, as well as supprting minrity ethnic artists 15 P a g e

16 develp their practices. We will shwcase practical appraches t prmting diversity and inclusin in a changing sciety, thrugh ur dedicated funding stream. Target: Increase the number f funded prjects targeted at ethnic minrity grups Disability We will maintain ur evidence-based apprach t plicy develpment, building n ur recent thematic strategies which examine the inequalities faced by sme sectins f sciety. One f the areas highlighted fr pririty actin is disability. Peple with a disability are much less likely t attend arts events than thse withut; participatin levels are als lwer. Given that ne in five peple in Nrthern Ireland has sme frm f disability, we will seek t pineer key interventins t enable mre peple with a disability t engage in the arts. This will build upn wrk already undertaken, such as the Disability Charter Mark, which recgnises the cncerted effrts arts rganisatins have undertaken t ensure that the arts are mre accessible t everyne. We will require ur funded rganisatins t demnstrate the practical measures they pursue t engage with disabled peple as members f the audience r as participants in their wrk. Target: Encurage mre disabled peple t becme engaged in the arts Arts & Educatin The arts are every child s entitlement. We want every yung persn t have the pprtunity t experience the arts; t fuel their curisity; t heighten their sense f creative discvery. We will build n the legacy f Creative Yuth Partnerships with new initiatives designed t supprt children engage with the arts early in their lives by ffering access t quality arts experience, investing in arts practice, strengthening prvisin in and utside schls and by ffering every new-brn an Arts Vucher that can be redeemed fr arts experiences thus giving them the best pssible start in life. Target: Intrduce an Arts Vucher Scheme fr every new-brn child t redeem fr arts experiences by 2014/15 The Arts Cuncil recgnises the effects f pverty and scial exclusin n hw peple are able t participate in the Arts and the vital rle that early expsure, particularly thrugh the educatin system, plays in addressing this. Wrking with ur partners in Educatin, we will maximise the pprtunities fr early engagement. We als want peple t experience high quality arts. Partnerships between the arts and educatin make a psitive difference t the learning experience. Hw yung peple engage with the arts is changing. Over the next five years we will wrk clsely with the Department f Culture, Arts and Leisure in building ur engagement with the Department f Educatin, the new Educatin and Skills Authrity and the Educatin and Training Inspectrate t develp quality arts-based prgrammes fr bth mainstream and special educatin. We will wrk with Creative and Cultural Skills t develp a creative apprenticeship pilt aimed at yung peple wishing t fulfil their creative ambitins. Target: Establish a Creative Apprenticeship Pilt in Nrthern Ireland by 2014/15 16 P a g e

17 Our universities and reginal clleges have been a pwerful frce underpinning the grwth f the creative ecnmy a cntributin that will becme increasingly imprtant t ecnmic recvery. The extent f their engagement is far reaching: helping t develp new mdels fr interacting with creative businesses; acting as hubs fr innvatin at the heart f reginal creative clusters; develping talent and skills fr the creative ecnmy; supprting activities that enhance the emplyability and enterprise skills f bth and prviding tailred cntinuing prfessinal develpment. Given the strategic imprtance f the highereducatin sectr we will fster partnerships t supprt their engagement with the creative and perfrming arts and the creative ecnmy. Vluntary Arts Thrughut Nrthern Ireland there is a very significant level f engagement in vluntary arts: frm amateur music grups, chirs and a yuth rchestra, t vide prductin; frm drama grups t salsa dancing and ballrm; frm flral art t craft-making. It is a hive f creative activity thrugh which peple participate in lcal arts and crafts grups in their wn cmmunities. The vluntary arts are imprtant t the vitality f lcal cmmunities. They encurage a culture f life-lng learning and prvide significant persnal benefits. We will supprt Vluntary Arts Ireland t fster a sustainable vluntary arts infrastructure in Nrthern Ireland, t make a real difference by supprting grups and by helping the vluntary sectr cntribute t strng chesive cmmunities. Target: Encurage 22% f funded arts rganisatins t adpt the Arts & Vlunteering Tlkit by 2018 Lcal Gvernment Lcal Gvernment is changing in Nrthern Ireland. The changes will see a reductin frm 26 cuncils t 11. This prcess will be cmpleted by April 2015 and has been devised t ensure that the new cuncils are citizen fcused and mre respnsive t the needs, aspiratins and cncerns f lcal cmmunities. It is als prpsed that cuncils will have a new statutry duty f Cmmunity Planning and a new Pwer f well-being and wrk in partnership with thers as they guide the future develpment f their areas. Lcal authrities are ne f ur lng standing partners - they cntinue t be imprtant players in supprting arts develpment and prvisin. Hwever, the emerging picture fr lcal authrity funding fr the arts is als a challenge, with the squeeze n lcal gvernment finance having its impact. We will cntinue t make the case fr the arts t lcal authrities acrss Nrthern Ireland and we will priritise wrking with the tw largest cuncils Belfast and Derry. We will establish bi-lateral agreements (memrandum f understanding) t cnslidate the cllabrative relatinship with each and as a means f achieving ur missin. This is particularly imperative in the case f the latter as we wrk tgether t maximise the legacy f the City f Culture, We see the ptential fr greater engagement, especially in the cntext f the new 11 cuncil cnfiguratin and we will lk at new ways in which the relatinship might be develped and re-articulated, fr example, thrugh a frmal Advisry Grup representing the new cuncils. Target: Establish MU with Belfast and Derry Target: Supprt the 11 new Cuncil Areas t develp dedicated Arts Strategies 17 P a g e

18 Theme Three: Create a Resilient Sectr We invest in the arts by supprting artists and arts rganisatins and we als supprt a range f activities that help t bring art within reach f everyne. We will strengthen capacity within the sectr delivering business develpment supprt and rll ut supprt measures with Creative and Cultural Skills, Arts and Business NI and Audiences NI. We will strengthen the skills base within the sectr thrugh training, caching and wrkshps; ffer a range f practical supprts and help cultural rganisatins lever spnsrship and funding frm Eurpe. We will strengthen gvernance; imprve mechanisms fr incme-generatin and encurage funded rganisatins t be entrepreneurial and explit pprtunities. Realising the visin t create a stable and resilient arts sectr will require a new fcus n cllabrative enterprise by bth the Arts Cuncil and its partners. Up-skilling fr the sectr t address knwledge gaps and helping arts rganisatins cnnect with prspective dnrs is a pririty. We will help them engage with thught leaders, utilising netwrks t strengthen the arts and ffer peer-t-peer mentring. The arts sectr in Nrthern Ireland is cnstituted f a large number f small and micr businesses. Mst rganisatins have small numbers f emplyees delivering their bjectives. The Skills Audit carried ut by Creative and Cultural Skills (CCS), prvides evidence f the need t fcus n rganisatinal capacity building acrss a range f business areas such as: strategic thinking and planning, leadership, gd gvernance. We appreciate the value f well-planned creative apprenticeships wrking with learners, nurturing a new generatin f talented individuals and benefitting emplyers in the sectr. Recgnising the need t build capacity in key areas such as audience engagement, we will wrk with Audiences NI t rapidly expand a sectr apprach that utilises digital platfrms and web-based technlgies as a driver fr business. We will supprt arts rganisatins develp their marketing skills by establishing with Audiences NI a range f learning develpment ffers t strengthen their strategic marketing functin. Target: Deliver 10 prgrammes t address cld spts in audience attendance in Nrthern Ireland by 2018 Target: Grw the drawdwn in EU funds by 20% by 2018 The Creative Industries Increasingly artists and arts rganisatins are endeavuring t turn their prducts and services int a business ffering which will help them t earn a living r re-invest as part f a scial enterprise effrt in their rganisatin. Regardless f the particular business mdel deplyed by individual artists and arts rganisatins, the creative industries are increasingly seen as part f a mdern, knwledge-based ecnmy, generating wealth and jbs thrugh the develpment, prductin r explitatin f intellectual prperty. Wrking with ur partners: Department f Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Invest NI, Department f Culture, Arts & Leisure and NI Screen, we have shwn hw the Creative 18 P a g e

19 Industries Innvatin Fund (CIIF) has cntributed t the grwth f Nrthern Ireland s cultural capital by supprting creativity and creative talent in business activities. The Fund has driven risk-taking and innvatin and helped psitin the sectr fr a future ecnmic upturn. An independent evaluatin highlighted that CIIF has played a rle in building capacity fr exprt and external sales, internatinalising the utlk f participant cmpanies - prviding training and skills develpment. It has fstered a wide range f innvatin activity and facilitated Intellectual Prperty Rights prtectin. Grss Value Added fr the Creative Industries was 737 millin in This was equivalent t 4.2% f Nrthern Ireland s ttal GVA. The estimated number f business units in the Creative Industries sectr was 2,200 in This represented 3.2% f all business units in Nrthern Ireland. The number f peple in creative emplyment in 2009 was estimated at 31,000. This represented 4.1% f ttal emplyment in Nrthern Ireland. Target: Fund 50 prjects each year thrugh the Creative Industries Innvatin Fund (CIIF) t 2015 Artfrm Strategies The arts are, f curse, nt simply instrumental spheres f business activity. They have their wn intrinsic wrth. Fllwing the publicatin f the last strategy Creative Cnnectins, the Arts Cuncil embarked upn a prcess f cmmissining art frm reviews t cmplement the 5-year plan. In recent years this has resulted in a series f strategic actin plans fr ur wrk bth with individual art frms and in crss-art frm areas. The reviews drill dwn t the strategic issues facing the art frm areas, identify what needs t change and hw we will strengthen and develp each art frm area thrugh a series f interventins. We will cntinue t rllut the implementatin f these actins plans during the life f this strategy. Drama The Arts Cuncil encurages artistic excellence and innvative appraches in the creatin f drama; we supprt drama that reaches audiences thrughut the regin. We aim t make theatre and drama as accessible t audiences thrugh amateur and cmmunity drama, prfessinal theatre, yuth drama and turing. The drama strategy established a clear visin fr the develpment f drama within Nrthern Ireland, with pririties and key actins fr implementatin. Over the next five years we will cnslidate ur cmmitment t the Lyric Theatre as a fully-resurced prducing theatre in its new flagship facility. We will supprt majr independent theatre cmpanies which have flurished and diversified their practice as a result f the strategy, building the prfile f ur playwrights and enabling, where pssible, the internatinal shwcasing f the very best f ur theatre. We will seek t sustain the engagement these cmpanies enjy at grass-rts level with the wider cmmunity and acrss Nrthern Ireland. Target: Build upn exiting utreach initiatives t drive demand amng excluded audiences 19 P a g e

20 Dance We will encurage a diverse range f dance prjects: frm direct assistance fr individual dancers with new wrk, t assistance fr prfessinal dance cmpanies t prduce and tur thrughut Nrthern Ireland. We will seek cllabrative partnerships t strengthen and develp the dance infrastructure and create pprtunities fr skills develpment. We will aim t make dance accessible t diverse audiences and participants in varied cntexts. The art frm actin plan frames ur prpsals fr Dance in Nrthern Ireland, laying emphasis upn develping the infrastructure fr prfessinal prductin and perfrmance, ensuring that peple have the pprtunity t experience and enjy dance. With the stabilisatin f the fur main dance cmpanies and the exciting pprtunity t build a legacy fr dance in Derry-Lndnderry and acrss the regin, the challenge ahead is t encurage artistic excellence and innvative appraches with the creatin f new wrk. Target: Anchr Dance initiatives within the Legacy Framewrk fr City f Culture Literature The Arts Cuncil supprts the develpment f writers, readers and publishers acrss a range f genres petry, nvels/nvellas, shrt stries, perfrmance-based wrk, scriptwriting, nn-fictin (including essays and criticism), strytelling, children s bks and graphic nvels. We als supprt reading platfrms where writers can shwcase their wrk t infrmed audiences. The Cuncil encurages new readerships and new audiences fr writing frm Nrthern Ireland by assisting literary festivals, readings and radshws. We als fund and administer schemes which enable lcal schls and cmmunity grups t experience writers first-hand in wrkshps and shrt-term residencies. The Cuncil als wrks with rganisatins in the Republic f Ireland t ensure pprtunities fr writers island-wide. Writers frm Nrthern Ireland have laid dwn an enviable legacy f excellence. A fcus n hw best t encurage lifelng familiarity with literary creativity and t identify and develp new writers is a vital way f ensuring that same quality is reflected in future generatins. We will cntinue t supprt yung and emerging writers f talent. We will seek t create pathways t publicatin n the full range f cntemprary platfrms fr writers f riginality and help build pprtunities fr them t articulate their wrk t a variety f audiences at hme and abrad. A review f Literature will be cmmissined during the first year f the life f this strategy t clarify these and identify ther strategic issues and drivers fr the sectr and create the cnditins in which Literature can flurish. Target: Undertake review f literature Visual Arts The Arts Cuncil s primary fcus is cntemprary visual arts, supprting wrk by living artists f quality - innvative, challenging and experimental. That supprt is chiefly delivered thrugh acquisitins and awards. The Cuncil helps sustain the infrastructure f galleries and rganisatins which cmmissin and present visual arts. 20 P a g e

21 Fllwing a cllabrative research prject undertaken by Audiences NI in 2011, we identified the need t fcus n building and diversifying audiences fr the visual arts. There is an imperative fr visual arts rganisatins t prvide an educatinal and utreach functin as part f their cre activities. That wrk will be taken frward by Audiences NI helping galleries build up a picture f their audience, identify gaps that exist in the market, shape the right interventins and reach ut beynd their current audiences. We are cmmitted t imprving facilities fr artists in Nrthern Ireland, particularly studi and resurce prvisin. Our interest in the applied art field is targeted at cntemprary wrks f design-led crafts that shw a high degree f creativity, innvatin, skilled wrkmanship and riginality. The Arts Cuncil encurages excellence in the design, prductin and exhibitin f crafts and applied arts. The Arts Cuncil is cmmitted t the develpment f Craft NI as the lead agency fr the develpment f the sectr in Nrthern Ireland. Public art is experiencing smething f a renaissance, with majr wrks like Rise and Mute Meadw setting a new standard f scale and ambitin. Over the life f this strategy the Arts Cuncil will develp a partnership apprach t the cmmissining f wrk n a city-wide basis, under the theme f One City. Large scale public art prjects will cnnect lcal cmmunities and assist in the regeneratin f neighburhds. Targets: Secure funding fr One City Prpsal Secure additinal studi and gallery prvisin fr Derry as part f City f Culture Music Music making cntinues t flurish and prvide a pwerful expressin f identity and imaginatin. The Music Review carried in 2011 has infrmed a cmprehensive strategy and actin plan that prvides a clear statement f what develpmental pririties, aims and bjectives we have set fr the next five years. We will wrk with the traditinal music sectr t facilitate crss-brder cntact leading t jint prjects and sharing f resurces with the Republic f Ireland, Sctland, the rest f the UK and ther relevant territries, as well as undertaking an audit and needs analysis f the sectr. We will be an advcate fr the entitlement f music in educatin and lifelng learning; we will supprt an ambitius, dynamic and chesive apprach t under-represented genres (jazz, wrld music and new music) and the develpment f year-rund prgramming acrss Nrthern Ireland fr the benefit f lcal artists and audiences alike. We will supprt the Ulster Orchestra thrugh its n-ging change-management prcess, engage with ther key funders and assisting it in seeking t braden its incme-base as well as engaging with ther stakehlders t advcate the benefits f a cllabrative apprach t Nrthern Ireland-wide rchestral prvisin; we will develp a mechanism fr a jint apprach t festivals, with ther agencies, such as lcal cuncils and Nrthern Ireland Turist Bard fr the funding and prmtin f festivals incrprating music; we imprve the mechanisms fr accessing resurces available t cmpsers/music creatrs/prducers and we will wrk with partners t supprt them in testing and imprving standards. We will cmmit, alng with Invest NI and ther stakehlders, t a lng-term jint strategic prgramme fr the music industry, and ensure 21 P a g e