On Thursday 05 November 2015 the Committee received a briefing from Arts Council of Northern Ireland on the further in-year budget cuts to arts organisations. Also at this meeting the DCAL Minister and officials briefed the Committee on these budgets cuts and festivals funding.… continue reading
by Ryan Smith. Belfast Live. Supporters of the arts were protesting against what they say are disproportionate cuts in the arts budget and a continued lack of investment in the sector. A protest opposing cuts to the arts sector in Northern Ireland has taken place at Stormont. Supporters of the arts today protested against what they say are disproportionate cuts in the arts budget and a continued lack of investment in the sector. Around 200 attended the protest. Cuts to the arts budget were announced earlier this year. Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure, Carál Ní Chuilín, has said… continue reading
by Claire Simpson. The Irish News. HUNDREDS of protesters opposed to cuts to the arts held a rally at Stormont yesterday. Artists, writers and musicians were among those who gathered outside Parliament Buildings. The latest budget cuts slashed arts funding for this financial year by 20 per cent - a move which protestors said put jobs at risk. Arts minister Carál Ní Chuilín, who was answering questions from assembly members yesterday, later agreed to meet the demonstrators. She told the assembly that more budget reductions are expected. "The British government have cut our block grant and have signalled that… continue reading
Culture, Arts and Leisure Minister, Caral ni Chuilin, discussed funding cuts made to the Arts Council during today’s Question Time. The Minister described the cuts to the block grant from the British Government and the resultant financial strain on the Department. Fearghal McKinney MLA highlighted the protest against the cuts which took place outside Parliament Buildings today and expressed concern about the loss of jobs and impact on communities that the cuts will have. He asked if funding would be restored but Ms Ni Chuilin affirmed that, while it was good to see such support for the arts, “in… continue reading
Dear Minister Hundreds of people have answered the call in person to rally for the arts in Northern Ireland here today. Many thousands more have expressed their support through social media. We are alarmed and disturbed that an in-year cut has been made to the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. This cut has been so large that it was inevitable the impact would land with the arts community supported by this Arms Length Body. It has resulted in loss of employment for some, job insecurity for many more and it has taken away programmes that were to be delivered working… continue reading
Conor Shields. CAPtain's Blog. Amid all the tumult and posturing and hand-wringing, the end is in sight. The Rugby World Cup Final is only a few weeks away. For sports fans, it must come as disappointment not to hear the chant of Come On You Boys In Green (COYBIG) gracing a semi-final or final. And the impact on Ulster Rugby will be deeply felt with players limping off the field, amid injuries that could see the team struggle to compete for the remainder of the year. I haven't been to Ravenhill (sorry Kingspan) for a while, but I know that… continue reading
Conor Shields. CAPtain's Blog. As this sector reels from more news about cuts now and potentially in the future, together with colleagues and friends in #ArtsMatterNI we're looking to get people onto the streets, well Prince of Wales Avenue up at Stormont at least, and register our insistence that government must invest in the arts in Northern Ireland. Do we need to spell it out again why the arts matter here? Here, of all places that has such limited manufacturing, and has seen our erstwhile heavy engineering disappear generations ago. As a post-industrial place we cannot rest on a history… continue reading
Joe Lindsay. Belfast Live When something is right, it shouldn’t have to be shouted. It can even be whispered I enjoy a noisy gathering as much as the next person, in fact I enjoy noisy gatherings more than most people if I’m honest, but there are times when it pains me that noisy gatherings have to happen to actually make people listen, when it is their job to listen and act upon what they hear. When something is right, it shouldn’t have to be shouted. It can even be whispered. Right is right, regardless of volume. Unfortunately… continue reading