Devolution and evolution

When I became Chief Executive of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland (ACNI) in 2000, I initially found the arts sector more fractured than I had anticipated, but moving towards greater co-operation. As I had learned from my professional background in the voluntary sector, in a small place like Northern Ireland we cannot afford to ‘plough our own furrows’, and we are stronger when we come together. Over the past decade, we’ve established developmental umbrella organisations to stimulate greater connectivity and growth across the whole of the arts, including audience development, creative youth partnerships, business support and co-ordinated support for the emerging crafts sector. We’ve also conducted a root-and-branch restructuring of our own organisation and adapted our funding programmes to provide the best possible support for the emerging arts and cultural environment.
Coming together
The development of greater coalescence of artistic practice has contributed to the ability of the arts to respond very effectively to our society’s changing needs. Northern Ireland has undergone profound transformation in recent times, and the work of our artists and arts organisations reflects this. Artists have diversified to meet a range of challenges. We find them increasingly socially engaged, working in local communities with local residents; with teachers to develop arts activities for children within the curriculum; and in hospitals and health care settings, working with staff and helping to achieve good patient outcomes. The vision underpinning ACNI’s five-year plan for the development of the arts is to place the arts at the heart of our social, economic and creative life. This supports greater engagement across all areas of society, and into the funding criteria for our programmes, which encourage organisations to develop their education and outreach services, especially in areas of social deprivation.
We have introduced initiatives targeted directly at specific areas of social need. For example, an investment of £3m through our ‘Re-Imaging Communities Programme’ has made a big impact on tackling the visible signs of sectarianism and racism, and kick-starting sustainable regeneration in local communities. These arts-led community projects are helping to create the conditions for a healthy, civic society to flourish in Northern Ireland. Through such projects, we see the critical role the arts can play in how we, as a society, come to terms with the divisions of the past and build a shared vision for the future. They show us that our artists are making a unique contribution to building a better future for all of us. The link has clearly emerged between creativity and positive transformation of individuals and groups in Northern Ireland society.
 

Securing support
The first budget by the newly devolved Northern Ireland Assembly at the end of 2007 created the first real opportunity in over a decade for ACNI to make the case directly to local politicians to restore a level of cultural entitlement commensurate with the rest of the UK. Following a successful advocacy campaign by ACNI and the arts sector, during which we presented compelling evidence about the contribution of the arts to Government’s priorities, including employment, tourism, the creative industries, and the social and economic regeneration of our towns and cities, ACNI secured a modest increase in its budget for the coming three-year period. Although the final settlement fell short of our assessment of need for the sector (an additional £26m over the three-year period), and Northern Ireland remains at the bottom of the arts funding league for the UK and Republic of Ireland, the immediate uplift of £1.7m left us in a better position to stabilise core arts organisations. This was particularly important given the fragile nature of the arts ecosystem in a region of just 1.7 million people, where even moderate changes to one element will have a knock-on effect on the rest.
The greatest immediate challenges for the arts are the pressures of the economic downturn, the reality that longer-term budget commitments may no longer be guaranteed, and the continuing decline of income from the National Lottery. We are pursuing other opportunities for funding through sponsorship, philanthropic giving and private investment, but in truth, the pool of companies and businesses which could provide sizeable sponsorship deals in Northern Ireland is quite limited. Arts and cultural organisations have much to gain from building partnerships with business. There are also significant opportunities for businesses to invest in arts-based projects that will give a high level of visibility and corporate presence to their brand. The mutual benefits of such partnerships were clearly demonstrated at last year’s ‘Rediscover Northern Ireland’ programme, arranged as part of the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington. The participation of our artists at this event, which attracted over one million North American visitors, was assisted by corporate support from 26 of Northern Ireland’s top businesses. Many of those involved continue to reap the benefits through association with this cultural showcase. The presence of our artists and arts organisations at international showcase events such as the Folklife Festival, or the Venice Biennale of art (where our 2007 presentation attracted more than 45,000 visitors), offers more than just business opportunities and career-defining opportunities for our artists. We elevate the international image of Northern Ireland, promoting ourselves for all the right reasons, as a creative and competitive country, worth visiting and worth investing in.
Changes to come
Closer to home, approaching changes to local government in Northern Ireland will present one of the major challenges ahead for ACNI. The Government’s Review of Public Administration will lead to a dramatic reorganisation of the current 26 district councils into 11 ‘super councils’. As the regional, strategic body tasked with overseeing and co-ordinating those local dimensions, we look forward to working closely with our local government partners to ensure that arts provision at local level is strengthened as a consequence. Challenging times undoubtedly lie ahead. However, the significant ground that we have gained in recent years perhaps means that we find ourselves in a stronger, more secure position today than we were in ten years ago.
I have witnessed the sector put into practice the idea that arts and culture can be catalysts in transforming the cultural and economic regeneration of cities and regions. I have also seem a maturing of both artistic practice and administration, and the fulfilment of a long-term vision which will leave a lasting legacy: the provision of a dedicated arts facility within 20 miles of every person living in Northern Ireland. The part I have been able to play as Chief Executive of ACNI in helping to strengthen the contribution – and the wider recognition of that contribution – of the arts to our social, cultural and economic well-being, is one of my proudest achievements.