The Arts Council has released a statement on the Northern Ireland Budget 2008-2011 and the outcome for the Arts.
Responding to the announcement of an additional £7.55 million over the coming three years, on top of its current annual budget of £10.5 million, Roisín McDonough Chief Executive of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland said:
“We have been pressing hard for increased public funding for the arts to bring us into line with the United Kingdom and Ireland. We are now one small step closer to the additional £26 million requested by the Arts Council over the three-year period. We would like to thank Minister Poots for his strong support as Council articulated its case. The money allocated today means that we are now in a better position to look after the needs of our core arts organisations. However, the Council still faces difficult decisions; the funds allocated simply do not meet the needs of the sector given its chronic under funding over the past decade and the imminent loss of a chunk of its annual Lottery funding.”
“The additional £1.7 million budget for the Arts Council for 2008/09 is certainly an improvement on the pre-consultation allocation of £500,000 and will help on a number of fronts, not least in saving jobs. It won’t be enough, however, to sustain all of our clients and falls well short of the extra £9m per annum needed for us to develop a truly healthy and vibrant arts sector.”
The full statement can be viewed via the link below.