Just received a press release from those fine folks at the Community Art Forum. It turns out the level of funding for the Arts in Northern Ireland is the lowest in all of the United Kingdom and Ireland. To raise awareness of this and agitate for increased funding the CAF is holding a rally this Wednesday at 10:30am, Writer's Square in Belfast. Long time listeners to the Show know that I believe passionately in the power of Art to do good - if you're in Belfast this Wednesday why not make the time to come down?
For more information go to:
or call:
07764182966
(Photograph above: Woman seen through a window at the CAF)
(Original Press Release from the CAF is below)
RALLY to LAUNCH - the campaign for increased arts funding
10.30am - 11.30am Wed 25 April
Writer’s Square, Belfast (opposite St Anne’s Cathedral)
Community Arts Forum if inclement
Every voice is vital
Be there- act now!
In December an open meeting of artists and arts organisations agreed to campaign for increased
government arts funding. The meeting appointed a Steering Group to devise plans to get the attention of the arts Minister and local politicians in time to influence the Comprehensive Spending Review.
Invest in Inspiration is the result. We hope you will throw your weight behind it. This is our one big chance to work together to make a difference.
The call is for an arts budget of £10 per person per year. This would bring Northern Ireland closer to the level of expenditure in GB and the Republic and is in line with the figures behind the Arts Council’s Five Year Plan.
The Rally to launch the campaign is vital to show the extent and strength of feeling behind the call. Following this everyone is being asked to contact the arts Minister by emailing direct from the campaign website, and by signing campaign postcards available from arts venues from May.
- HOW YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE -
POST CARDS
• Get your friends, audiences and participants to sign and return postcards to arts venues
DIRECT ACTION
• Go to the website and send the campaign email to the arts Minister and MLA’s
• Send info and a link to everyone you can and put it on your own website and email signature
THE MEDIA
• Get together with other local arts groups / artists to run a media event to grab local paper coverage, showing what your work contributes and what more you could do with proper investment.
See www.investininspiration.com for more or call one of the Steering Group via 07764182966
At just £6.13 per person a year, government arts spending in
Northern Ireland is the lowest in the UK & Ireland. (av. £10)
For 6 pounds, 13 pence, that ought to be enough to buy everyone a nice 'Thomas Kincaid' portrait.
That should satisfy everyone's arts requirements and then some.
Posted by: Phil | April 23, 2007 at 05:34 PM