Stormont Ministers launch £3m Creativity Seed Fund

Four departmental ministers drawn from across Northern Ireland's political divide demonstrated their commitment to unlocking the province's hidden talent through the launch of the £3 million 'Creativity Seed Fund'.

At the presentation in Belfast's The Edge restaurant, Michael McGimpsey, Martin McGuinness, Carmel Hanna and Sir Reg Empey each presented examples of the way in which their executive departments, culture, education, employment, trade respectively, could co-operate to encourage the province's future entrepreneurs, artists and filmmakers.

The fund has £2.8 million available over three years to provide up to 50 per cent of a project's costs to a maximum of £50,000. Not-for-profit organisations, charities and education providers are asked to make applications as well as privately owned businesses.

Culture Minister Michael McGimpsey, whose department is leading the fund, said: “This initiative is intended to enable creative, imaginative and innovative sides to surface and to flourish. This is the opportunity to develop it, harness it and put it to work, not only for their own benefit but also for the benefit of the entire community."

Mr McGimpsey pointed out that this was not a nebulous initiative purely designed to introduce a feel good factor into our society and said: “Unlocking our latent creativity is an essential strand of our Programme For Government, one which aims to make Northern Ireland an even better place in which to grow up, to live and to do business."

Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister Sir Reg Empey said that the Information Age Initiative has been involved in partnering the Creativity Seed Fund and as such he would "encourage applications from the creative sector which demonstrate use and application of ICTs, and which contribute to the digital creativity element of the Fund".

Minister for Employment and Learning, Mrs Carmel Hanna, talked of the "need to establish Northern Ireland as a major centre for the creative industries that can impact internationally and provide competitive advantage".

Education Minister, Mr Martin McGuinness, believed the move would help "recognise the importance of creativity in education, not only in children but also in teachers".

Applications packs are available from the Creativity Unit, Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, 3rd Floor, Interpoint, 20-24 York Street, Belfast BT15 1AQ, or contact 028 9025 8949. They can also be downloaded from the department’s website: www.dcalni.gov.uk/publications.htm

The closing date for the first round of applications is 30 April 2002.

(GMcG)