Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure
Budget Report
Stakeholder Engagement
Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure,
Room 344
Parliament Buildings
Telephone: 028 90521841
Fax: + 44 028 90521335
To: Committee Members
From: Committee Secretariat
Date: 6 December 2010
Subject: Informal Meeting of the Committee with Interest Groups 30 November 2010
Community Arts Forum
Representatives
Heather Floyd, Director
Cara Dunne
Main Points Discussed
The Community Arts Forum is the umbrella body for community arts in Northern Ireland and works across Northern Ireland. The Arts Council is the lead funder for the Community Arts Forum
The representatives provided an overview of their work and presented information on a community arts survey across the 18 Westminster constituencies. The survey provides a snapshot of community arts provision and provided examples of how community arts address 4 areas.
- Health
- Education
- Social Inclusion
- Economy
Members had a discussion with Community Arts Forum on issues such as funding, opportunities for synergies, how the survey was conducted and how the survey can be taken forward.
Outburst Festival and Belfast Pride
Representatives
Ruth McCarthy – Festival Director – Outburst
Niall Gillespie – Belfast Pride
Main Points Discussed
Outburst Festival has now been running for 4 years and is primarily for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community and is completely voluntary run, with funding from Belfast City Council.
Belfast Pride is now in its twentieth year and the last Belfast Pride parade attracted 10,000 participants with a further 20,000 watching. Belfast Pride is a festival week of events and is run voluntary with funding from the Arts Council.
Members had a discussion with representatives concerning outreach into areas outside Belfast, dealing with issues relevant to the LGBT community through the arts and the need for funding for full-time workers.
Action for Children
Representatives
Dawn Shaw – Operational Director Child Services
Ross McCrea – Policy and Public Affairs Manager
Main Points Discussed
Representatives provided an overview of the work of Action for Children in Northern Ireland. Action for Children is a children’s charity which provides over 18 services across Northern Ireland and employs over 200 staff in services such as Sure Start. Action for Children highlighted some of the arts programmes they are undertaking in disadvantaged communities to improve participation and improve wellbeing.
Members had a discussion with representatives concerning how services are provided to children and young people, how the organisations link with local government and how the organisation links strategically with the arts community.
Partisan Productions
Representatives
Fintan Brady – Partisan Productions
Aidan Campbell – Rural Community Network
Main Points Discussed
Representatives provided an overview of the planned Rural Touring Show and how Partisan Productions in close partnership with the Rural Community Network and the Young Farmers’ Clubs will create a touring theatre production to be presented to audiences attending agricultural shows during the summer of 2011. They advised how an initial script will be developed from research material drawing on experiences of the rural community and therefore reflect issues and concerns within the rural community. The Arts Council has indicated its support for the project and there is a funding application with the Arts Council.
Members had a discussion with representatives on how audiences will be drawn in, how the idea can be developed beyond agricultural shows and how this could be used as a tool for engagement with communities.
Cinemagic
Representatives
Mike Smyth – Chairman
Joan Burney-Keatings – Chief Executive
Main Points Discussed
Representatives provided an overview of the work of the Cinemagic International Film and Television Festival and how it engages with children and young people through the medium of film and television and aims to give confidence to young people. Cinemagic was established in 1989 and over the years has engaged with over 500,000 children and young people. It is currently the largest Children’s Film Festival in the United Kingdom and Ireland and it aims to be the largest in the world in 5 years time. Cinemagic as part of its 20 th anniversary will be delivering events in Belfast, Dublin, Lisburn, Donegal, Enniskillen, Nottingham, New York, Los Angeles, Boston and San Francisco. Cinemagic employs 7 staff and most of its funding comes from NI Screen and Belfast City Council.
Members discussed with representatives the programmes carried out such as after school film clubs and international film camps and the work of Cinemagic in disadvantaged communities.
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