COMMITTEE FOR CULTURE, ARTS AND LEISURE
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS
THURSDAY 26 MARCH 2009
ROOM 152, PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS
Present:
Mr Barry McElduff MLA (Chairperson)
Mr David McNarry (Deputy Chairperson)
Mr Francie Brolly MLA
Lord Browne MLA
Mr Kieran McCarthy MLA
Mr Raymond McCartney MLA
Mr Nelson McCausland MLA
Mr Pat Ramsey MLA
Mr Ken Robinson MLA
Mr Jim Shannon MLA
Apologies:
Mr Dominic Bradley MLA
In attendance:
Dr Kathryn Bell (Clerk)
Mrs Antonia Hoskins (Assistant Clerk)
Mrs Elaine Farrell (Assistant Clerk)
Miss Mairéad Higgins (Clerical Supervisor)
Miss Heather Galbraith (Clerical Officer)
The meeting opened in public session at 10.35 a.m.
1. Apologies
The apologies are detailed above.
2. Draft minutes of 19 March 2009
Agreed: The draft minutes of the meeting held on 19 March 2009 were agreed.
3. Matters arising
The Committee noted the response from the Arts Council on how it helps organizations to achieve the Inspire Mark as part of the Cultural Olympiad.
The Committee noted the response from the Arts Council advising how it assists organizations to access EU Culture Programme Funding.
The Committee noted the Research and Library Services paper on ‘Sport Related Employment in UK regions and the Republic of Ireland’.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to request a briefing from the Research Officer on the paper on ‘Sport Related Employment in UK regions and the Republic of Ireland’.
The Committee noted the response from the Department regarding responsibility for Lough Neagh, following a request from the Lough Neagh Partnership to meet the Committee.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to write to the Lough Neagh Partnership to advise that its letter had been forwarded to the Department, and to request that the Department copies its’ response to the Partnership to the Committee.
4. Inquiry into the funding of the arts in Northern Ireland
The Chairperson advised that the Arts Council has requested a list of all those organizations and individuals who had submitted written evidence to the inquiry.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to publish the list of organizations and individuals who submitted written evidence to the inquiry, on the Committee website.
10.37 a.m. Mr Robinson joined the meeting.
The Committee noted the additional information from the Department following the evidence session on 12 March 2009.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to ask the Department what actions were taken as a result of the research report “A Review of Community Arts in Northern Ireland”.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to write to the Arts Council to ask for an update on the feasibility study for a new art gallery, and to ask for its views on a recent media report concerning a new art gallery in Belfast.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to write to the Arts Council to request a copy of its organizational structure and details of its various funding streams.
The Committee noted the revised outline plan for the inquiry.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to consider at its next meeting additional community based organizations which could be invited to present oral evidence to the inquiry.
The Committee noted the summary of key issues raised in written submissions to the inquiry.
The Chairperson advised that the Clerk represented the Committee at the Belfast City Council conference on 25 March 2009 entitled “Participate – Harnessing Cultural Value in Tough Economic Times”. The Clerk provided a report to the Committee on the conference.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to ask Belfast City Council if it intends to make the speeches and presentations from the conference available on its website.
The Committee noted the summary of evidence to the inquiry given by the Ulster Orchestra.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to write to the Ulster Orchestra to request further information on its outreach/community based work and for an assessment of the number of performances it puts on per year as compared to other orchestras.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to write to the First Minister and deputy First Minister to ask them to consider hosting two events per year on behalf of the Ulster Orchestra.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to write to the Arts Council to ask for details of whether it has a service level agreement with the Ulster Orchestra, and how it evaluates the output of the Ulster Orchestra.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to write to the Department to seek its views on the outputs of the Ulster Orchestra.
11.35 a.m. Mr McNarry left the meeting .
Mr McElduff declared an interest as a member of Omagh District Council.
Lord Browne declared an interest as a member of Belfast City Council.
Mr McCarthy declared an interest as a member of Ards Borough Council.
Mr McCausland declared an interest as a member of Belfast City Council and Belfast Education and Library Board.
Mr Ramsey declared an interest as a member of Derry City Council and Director of Millennium Forum.
Mr Robinson declared an interest as a member of Newtownabbey Borough Council.
Mr Shannon declared an interest as a member of Ards Borough Council.
The following representative from Belfast Community Circus School joined the meeting:
Mr Will Chamberlain (Director)
Mr Chamberlain briefed the Committee. This was followed by a question and answer session.
11.55 a.m. Mr McNarry rejoined the meeting.
12.20 p.m. Mr Ramsey left the meeting.
12.20 p.m. Mr Robinson left the meeting.
The following representatives from Young at Art joined the meeting:
Mr Joe Kelly (Chairman)
Ms Ali Fitzgibbon (Director)
Mr Kelly and Ms Fitzgibbon briefed the Committee. This was followed by a question and answer session.
12.45 p.m. Mr Shannon left the meeting.
12.50 p.m. Mr Brolly left the meeting.
5. Chairperson’s business
The Chairperson advised that the Committee hosted the launch of Creative Youth Partnership’s document “Inspiring Creativity” in the Long Gallery on 25 March 2009.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to write to the Department to convey its support for Creative Youth Partnerships and to seek an imminent announcement on its funding for 2009/2010.
The Chairperson advised that he and the Deputy Chair are hosting a working lunch with the Convenor of the Scottish Committee for Education, Lifelong Learning and Culture on 30 March 2009, to discuss committee areas of mutual interest.
The Chairperson advised that he had received an invitation to a play entitled “The Boat Factory”. Lord Browne and Mr McCausland indicated that they would attend the play on behalf of the Committee.
6. Statutory Rule – Public Use of Records (Management and Fees) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2009 (SR 2009/69)
The Committee noted the revised letter from the Department regarding the Statutory Rule ‘Public Use of Records (Management and Fees) Rules (Northern Ireland) 2009’.
7. Correspondence
The Committee noted the correspondence from the Department on the forecast outturn for March 2009.
The Committee noted the correspondence from Antrim Borough Council on the promotion of townland names.
8. Forward Work Programme
The Committee noted the Forward Work Programme.
Agreed: The Committee agreed to request Hansard coverage for the case study session with the Arts Council on 31 March 2009 and the arts inquiry on 2 April 2009.
9. Any other business
Agreed: The Committee agreed to host cultural events in Parliament Buildings on a regular basis.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to host an event to celebrate the achievement of Waringstown Primary School in winning Songs of Praise Junior Choir of the Year.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to write to the Arts Council to request information on the allocation and amounts of funding for the Cultural Traditions Programme.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to write to the Minister for Education to ask for an update on the Review of the Community Relations Programme.
Agreed : The Committee agreed to write to the Minister to ask for details of timescales and targets for taking forward stadia development with the three sporting bodies, and what plans he has for the distribution of the monies which were originally allocated to the proposed Maze/Long Kesh Stadium.
10. Date and time of the next meeting
The next meeting of the Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure will be on Tuesday 31 March 2009 at 2.00 p.m. in Room 135, Parliament Buildings.
The Chairperson adjourned the meeting at 1.04 p.m.