Council launches new culture and arts plan

Belfast City Council is set to launch a new three year initiative which aims to stimulate the city's cultural sector.

Launched this Wednesday, 'Culture and Arts…The Spirit Of The City’ hopes to point the way toward for supporting Belfast's cultural sectors.

Councillor Eoin Ó Broin, Chairperson of the Development (Arts) Sub-Committee, said the hard lessons learned from the ‘oneBelfast’ City of Culture bid, together with the results of the year-long consultation process had resulted in what the Council hoped would stimulate the beginning of a new era for culture and arts in Belfast.

He added: “The Council has come a long way over the past couple of years in terms of understanding the needs of both the city and its diverse cultural sectors. We are ready to offer some very practical support in developing cultural product, which in turn, will help revitalize Belfast.

“Arts and heritage can contribute to a more vibrant social, economic and personal experience of Belfast: they stand alongside the many other important aspects of Belfast’s development – such as social inclusion, education, health, housing and employment.

"Neither the cultural sectors nor the Council can achieve positive change in isolation: to do so we need mutual support and that will require a great deal of listening, learning and working together. The Council believes that this new plan, which is the product of much thought, discussion and widespread consultation, is just the first step on that journey.”

The three year plan is the result of one of the widest cultural consultation exercises ever undertaken by any local council and draws upon the wealth of existing knowledge and expertise in the city’s cultural and community sectors, coupled with the experience of bidding for the European Capital of Culture title.

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