The cuts to Arts Council Northern Ireland funding has put the jobs of hundreds of creative workers at risk.
The over 40% cut to Arts Council Northern Ireland funding over the past 10 years, including 5% imposed by the unelected Permanent Secretary at the Department for Communities last year, has impacted artists, producers and communities.
Prior to the most recent 2023 cuts, Arts Council Northern Ireland supported between 85-100 arts organisation through its annual funding programme. These organisations included venues, festivals, visual arts, music and community organisations. In 2023/4 11 were no longer funded and 74 were funded at a standstill, contributing further to that 40% cut in real terms over 10 years.
Now that power-sharing has been restored, we have a chance to persuade the newly appointed Minister for Communities, Gordon Lyons, that the arts is worth investing in – for NI artistic output, to generate income and for our communities.
Creative Workers Demand Better - Save the Arts, Resist the Cuts
Why is this important?
Arts and culture jobs in Northern Ireland are at risk. Arts Council NI now receives the equivalent of £5.07 per head of population. Our nearest comparator, Arts Council Wales, received £10.51 per head of population. The Irish Government invests £25.90 per capita in Eire. Northern Ireland arts receives less investment per capita than anywhere in England, Ireland, Wales and Scotland.
The evidence is clear that investing in the arts boosts the economy, supports mental health, physical health, social wellbeing, and community cohesion.
And in a cost of living crisis, this is a deep cut. We need more investment not less.
Write to Gordon Lyons MLA, Communities MinisterWhat we're doing
12,500 people sign our petition
April 2023 - 12,500 people signed our petition: Resist the cuts to arts funding in Northern Ireland | Megaphone UK. This was huge.
Rally
We had a rally in Black Box - standing room only. Coverage included Adrian Dunbar tells campaigners protesting against cuts to public services to ‘keep ‘er lit’ | BelfastTelegraph.co.uk and Equity: Actors union says it will fight cuts to NI arts - BBC News.
Submitting to consultations
We continued to campaign by submitting to the Depts consultation on funding throughout the Summer including on how communities may be affected in general.
Wrote to the Permanent Secretary
In October we wrote to the Permanent Secretary once a 5% cut was made.
Asked for MLA support
We asked for support from Members of the Legislative Assembly.
Went to local councils
We secured an endorsement from Belfast City Council on a motion supporting Equity NI campaign to reverse arts cuts. Since then - Mid-Ulster and Ards and Down have also voted to endorse our campaign.
Lobby a minister
Now we have a minister and are asking our members to lobby him directly.
What you can do now
Use our template to write to, or email, the Communities Minister to ask him to reverse the cuts to the arts in Northern Ireland.
Write to Gordon Lyons MLAUse our email template to write to your local councillor to ask them to commit to protecting arts funding near you.
Email your councillor