10 July 2006
£3.3M RE-IMAGING COMMUNITIES PROGRAMME LAUNCHED
A new £3.3 million arts programme aimed at tackling visible signs of sectarianism and racism has been launched by Ministers David Hanson and Maria Eagle.
Speaking at the Belfast Wheel in King William Park at the junction of the Lisburn Road and University Road, Social Development Minister, David Hanson said: "The Re-Imaging Communities Programme is one of 62 actions included in the Renewing Communities Action Plan. I believe that each of these, in its on way, will contribute to a better future for Northern Ireland - a shared future.
"Renewing Communities sets a challenging agenda for change for all of us. We want to improve life prospects, build community capacity, improve public service and ultimately to free communities from paramilitary influence. This will require a genuinely joined up approach from Government, a good example of this we can see in this announcement today."
Culture Minister, Maria Eagle said: "The purpose of the 'Re-Imaging Communities Programme' will be to engage local people and their communities in finding ways of replacing divisive murals and emblems with more positive imagery.
"New murals and public art will transform parks, housing estates and built-up areas across Northern Ireland, celebrating the aspirations of the whole community and helping people feel part of their own local community."
The new programme will support a wide range of community led projects with grants of up to £5,000 for small projects and up to £50,000 for larger projects. It builds on the success of the Arts Council's previous 'Art of Regeneration' programme.
Maria Eagle continued: "Investment in the arts makes a very positive impact on building bridges across the community divide. The arts bring people with shared and different ideas and aspirations together on common ground in a way which will contribute to a shared future. Government is creating the right conditions to make this happen through schemes like the one we are launching today.
"The Belfast Wheel is an example of the type of community project that the 'Re-imaging Communities' programme can achieve. Public art of this kind has a key role to play in raising aspirations and in promoting positive community identity and cohesion. This is important for the regeneration of our communities both urban and rural, bringing hope, pride and economic prosperity.
"As a result of today's announcement I am confident that we can look forward to many more creative and interesting projects across Northern Ireland," Maria Eagle added.
The Minister also announced a new £100,000 'Place, Identity and Arts' small grants programme, aimed at fostering arts projects promoted by groups which have difficulties on religious and moral grounds with accessing funding from the National Lottery. This programme is also one of the actions in the Renewing Communities Action Plan.
Arts Council Chairman, Rosemary Kelly paid tribute to the partners in the initiative and added: "The Arts Council is delighted to be taking the lead role in delivering this important programme which places creative regeneration at the heart of work in local community neighbourhoods. The Re-Imaging Communities Programme will help all communities in both urban and rural areas of Northern Ireland to focus on broader expressions of civic and cultural identity and to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone."
Further details of both the 'Re-Imaging Communities Programme' and 'Place, Identity and Arts' programme can be obtained from the Arts Council for Northern Ireland (ACNI) on Tel: 028 90 385200.
NOTE TO EDITORS:
The Arts Council of Northern Ireland (ACNI) leads in the project and other partners include the Office of the First and Deputy First Ministers (OFMDFM); the Department for Social Development (DSD and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE).
The Re-Imaging Communities Programme will be managed by a Shared Communities Consortium made up of the Office of the First and Deputy First Ministers (OFMDFM); the Department for Social Development (DSD); the Arts Council of Northern Ireland (ACNI); the Community Relations Council (CRC); the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) and; the International Fund for Ireland (IFI).
Media enquiries to:
DCAL Press Office on 028 90 258902
email: press.office@dcalni.gov.ukor DSD Press Office on 028 90 829493
email: press.office@dsdni.gov.ukor ACNI Communications on 028 90385210
email: mhendry@artscuncil-ni.org
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