Arts Matter NI has prepared a document in order for the sector to contribute to the online submission regarding the new Programme for Government.

The deadline for contributions to the online submission is: Monday November 4th at 11.59pm.

The submission process takes about 15 minutes and we have laid out answers to the questions as they appear in the online submission.

There are a couple of survey style questions asking how much agreement people have with the particular area being discussed and how much agreement with the actions being proposed. We have tended to agree with the key priorities but offer an alternative assessment taking into account the role of the arts sector in each priority. These answers can be cut and pasted into the space available for comments on each question. We have carefully considered the priorities particularly the priority regarding Reform of Public Services, where we give a careful response, but by and large each response shows how the arts sector must be included in the PfG.

Please feel free to use all or some of the material provided.

Please note: Arts Matter NI has an active change.org petition regarding the draft Programme for Government here: ‘WE DO MATTER, despite the NI Executive draft Programme for Government omitting our sectors’

Questions summary

The first set of 9 questions ask for responses to the priorities set out in the PfG.

1. Grow a Globally Competitive and Sustainable Economy
2. Deliver More Affordable Childcare
3. Cut Health Waiting Times
4. Ending Violence against Women and Girls
5. Support for Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs (SEN)
6. Provide More Social, Affordable, and Sustainable Housing
7. Safer Communities
8. Protecting Lough Neagh and the Environment
9. How much do you agree that the priority ‘Reform and Transformation of Public Services’ should be included in the Programme for Government?

There are 3 questions looking at what might be missing from the priorities and from there looking at infrastructure and the future.

10. Are there any other priorities that should be included in the Programme for Government?
11. Building New Foundations
12. Shaping a Better Tomorrow

There are a series of 4 questions which ask for responses to the Missions

13. People: Ensuring a Fair and Inclusive Society
14. Planet: Supporting Environmental Resilience and Climate Action
15. Prosperity: Strengthening Economic and Social Resilience
16. Peace: Promoting a Cohesive and Inclusive Society

And a final question on the Wellbeing Framework

17. Tracking Wellbeing through a Wellbeing Framework

1. Grow a Globally Competitive and Sustainable Economy

Arts Matter NI agrees with the priority of “Grow a Globally Competitive and Sustainable Economy” but must highlight a significant omission—the arts, culture, and heritage sectors are not represented in the draft PfG, despite their proven contributions to economic growth, tourism, health and well-being, education and a major contribution to maintaining the peace.

In the 2016–2021 PfG, the arts sector was recognised across several outcomes, emphasising its essential role in fostering innovation, creativity, and inclusivity. The arts were also included in the area of economic growth. However, in the current draft, this support is entirely absent, at a time when Northern Ireland’s creative ecosystem faces critical challenges due to sustained underfunding.

It is very worrying for a sector already experiencing difficulties maintaining a vibrant ecosystem, given the constant real terms reduction in funding over more than a decade, because this omission is a substantial digression from previous programmes for Government.

For example, the 2016 – 2021 Programme for Government profiled the arts sector in 4 of the key outcomes and the sector was present also in the indicators which offered measurement processes to assess the progress of activities designed to allow key outcomes to be met.

Arts Matter NI wishes to make a case for the inclusion of the sector in the new Programme for Government on the basis that in each of the key areas – People – Planet – Prosperity and Peace, the arts sector has played, and continues to play, a significant role.

With regards the priority, ‘Grow a Globally Competitive and Sustainable Economy’ there are key areas where the arts, culture, heritage and indeed the creative industries have made and continue to offer a determined contribution. Arts Matter NI, would broadly agree that sustainability and global competitiveness are reasonable starting points, but with the caveat that one does not preclude the other. Balancing global competitiveness with the sensitive stewardship of a sustainable economy is key and laudable.

We make the case below for the arts sector, the Creative Industries directly and the arts and community arts sector which provide the platform for the Creative Industries to prosper, as one of the key economic drivers, locally and internationally. We also point out that continued reduction in arts funding harms all of us, the economy generally and the sector specifically.

The constant reduction in available financing for the arts sector goes against the evidence demonstrating how valuable the sector is to the economy. Given that the sector has experienced almost a generation of austerity in terms of grant aid, this year, the whole sector had to deal with an unprecedented 4 month delay in receiving confirmation of funding from its principal funder, The Arts Council of Northern Ireland. This was due to a failure to sign off the resources required from the sponsoring government department.

Aspirational phrases regarding growing a sustainable economy count for very little when a whole sector, completely dependent on core funding from the public purse, has to operate for over a quarter of a year without sufficient funds or even assurance that those funds will in fact ensue, undermining a workforce of many thousands, many of whom are freelance and depend on publicly funded organisations for their livelihoods. No sector can endure such uncertainty.

For contracted and employed staff, this placed a further burden on the operational capacity and sustainability of organisations and the risk that their boards, in the main volunteer trustees, all had to manage and contain shrinking budgets, at personal risk, due to the sector’s mostly charitable status. Such insufficiency of timely financial support only compounds the paucity of funding that is currently available.

As the Arts Council of Northern Ireland reports in its Working and Living Conditions of Artists in Northern Ireland (2024)

Many artists also regularly face unforeseen costs or delays in payments. However, this is also part of a challenging wider arts ecosystem where venues, spaces, and audiences are also coming under increasing financial pressures in relation to their running costs and income. The principle of the ‘multiplier effect’ applies to the arts sector in Northern Ireland. In short, where investment in the arts is increased, this can result in additional events and commissions, grow, and maintain venues, attract audiences, and help to secure greater income opportunities for all. However, the opposite also holds true. Where investment is reduced or audiences fall, this can lead to reduced income, closures of venues, and an effective ‘race to the bottom’ for artist pay.

Arts organisations are increasingly exposed to inflationary pressures, and this has had a direct impact upon programming costs and artist income – as shown in the ACNI Annual Funding Survey. There is a need to restore and reward confidence within the sector, to help support sustainable programming which will increase artist opportunities in turn. It is crucial to recognise the need for sustained investment in the arts to preserve, maintain and grow the sector. Policymakers should set out a clear strategy for measuring and increasing audiences, growing the sector, and recognising the relational and distributional impacts of supporting the whole arts ecosystem on a long-term basis.

To put forward just how crucial the arts sector is regarding the local economy, the economic impact of the arts can be summarised as follows

Economic Contribution of the arts sector

The arts sector is a crucial part of Northern Ireland’s economy, directly employing 33,000 people, representing 3.9% of NI employment. Digital creative roles are a considerable component of this, with 13,000 roles in IT and software, followed by 4,000 in film, TV, radio and photography, 4,000 in museums and galleries, 4,000 in advertising and marketing, 3,000 in music, performing arts, and visual arts, 3,000 in publishing, 1,000 in architecture, and 1,000 in design and fashion.
The arts sector covers a wide range of individuals and organisations. In Northern Ireland, it is estimated that the Creative Industries sector (based on the 2022 estimates covering up to 2019 (pre-COVID-19): generates over £1.3bn in Gross Value Added for the NI economy (3.1% of NI GVA)
The sector grew by 12% (GVA) between 2018 – 2019, outstripping NI GVA growth (2.7%) over four-fold.
There are 3,500 creative businesses in NI (3.8% of all businesses). The Creative Industries has also been selected as a government priority sector to drive growth to 2030 across the UK, in recognition of the potential and the positive spill-over effect across industries. However, this may still fail to capture a wide range of arts organisations that fall outside certain classifications, as well as the prevalence of charities and social enterprises all working in this area.
Key sectors for the Northern Ireland economy such as tourism and hospitality, creative industries, and digital and professional services are fundamentally underpinned by the arts. For example, research by UK Music indicates that music tourism brought £136 million to Northern Ireland in 2022, attracting an estimated 270,000 music tourists, including 20,000 foreign visitors.
Studies have shown that for every £1 invested in the arts, there is a £8 return in local economic benefits. Creative industries, public arts, and heritage tourism all boost both local economies and international competitiveness.

Key Considerations from the Working and Living Conditions of Artists in Northern Ireland (2024)

Using the Annual Population Survey and the Arts Council’s own data, there are approximately 14,500 artists in Northern Ireland.
The mean total income reported by those that made some of their income from arts activities was £19,200 in 2023. The mean income directly related to their arts activities is £11,200 (or 54% of their total income).
Comparing total income to the 2010 research suggests that artists have faced a real-term reduction in overall income by 11% between 2010 and 2023. For the wider economy, mean wages increased by 1% in that same period.
Artists who spend more than 40 hours per week on arts-related work have the highest average income from their arts activities (£16,600 or 84% of their total income). This represents around £8 per hour, approximately 30% lower than the National Living Wage (from April 2024).
On average, artists in Northern Ireland possess three additional qualifications, certifications, or professional training beyond their primary education. This illustrates the depth of expertise and commitment to continuous learning within the artist community.
Artists in Northern Ireland derive a significant portion (around 40%) of their arts-related income from sources outside of Northern Ireland.
Most strikingly, the survey suggests that anxiety is more prevalent amongst artists than for the general population. On average, artists reported anxiety levels of 5.1, but for the whole of Northern Ireland this average was only 2.9.
Arts Council NI’s most recent Annual Funding Survey reports 95 funded arts organisations across Northern Ireland have a total workforce of c. 6,500 individuals. However, this consists of c. 900 permanent roles, and over 5,500 contractor roles.
Commensurate Investment: Northern Ireland must match the per capita levels of governmental subvention that other regions enjoy (Scotland, Wales, and the Republic of Ireland) and ensure that arts funding is embedded into the overall economic strategy The continual reduction in funding is unsustainable for the sector, which saw a 66% reduction in Arts Council core funding in real terms over the last decade and half.
Tourism and Investment: Internationally recognised cultural events and numerous arts organisations attract visitors, contributing to the creative, hospitality and evening economy and the broader tourism infrastructure.
Creative Industries: The creative industries, underpinned by the arts, serve as a driver for global competitiveness and innovation and their role and significance cannot be lost to any overarching governmental framework.
Community Support: Through programmes such as Community Arts, applied theatre projects, amongst a host of others, the arts engage not only with the wider public and community but also directly with welfare claimants, asylum seekers, and those in need of housing, contributing to both economic growth and social regeneration.

Goals for strategic investment in the arts, culture and heritage must be incorporated into the PfG to ensure the long-term sustainability of the sector. Where other sectors are offered such undertakings, the arts and cultural sector must be given this prioritisation as well. Nurturing creativity is vital for both a competitive economy and a shared sustainable future.

2. Deliver More Affordable Childcare

Arts Matter NI agrees with the priority of delivering more affordable childcare.

There are two elements to the question of childcare provision which the arts sector connects with.

Arts Matter NI agrees with the goal of delivering more affordable childcare because affordable childcare is crucial to the sustainability of the arts and creative industries workforce, many of whom are freelancers (80% within the arts sector alone) or employed in precarious positions with low levels of disposable income across creative enterprises.

The need for flexible and affordable childcare is essential because difficulty in accessing appropriate childcare is a significant barrier to many in the sector, especially those with young families and particularly young mothers.

A recent study conducted by the University of Western Scotland showed that many young mothers working in the arts and creative industries had substantial difficulties in accessing childcare because their working arrangements did not correspond with the typical operating hours of childcare provision.

Beyond that difficulty, the costs of accessing childcare outside of normal provision impacted these arts workers’ income substantially.

If we look at the local creative workforce, of the 7,600 individuals employed in the arts (as per Working and Living Conditions of Artists in Northern Ireland report (2024) we can see how precarious working lives are and that’s before we factor in often prohibitively expensive childcare costs.

Only 1,300 (17%) are estimated to be employed in an ‘employee job’
The remaining 6,100 (80%) are estimated to be self-employed or freelance.
The SOC estimates suggest that 57% of the arts workforce are male, and 43% are female. (This is higher than wider Arts Council NI Annual Funding estimates which suggest 50% male, 49% female, and 1% non-binary). The data also suggests that 84% work full-time, (91% male, and 76% female)

These figures suggest that childcare is a necessity in order to facilitate employment and organisations require their workforces to be appropriately enabled to work effectively in order to promote creative engagement. Parents in the creative industries must be enabled to participate in the economy while their children benefit from supportive care environments.

It is important to add that the arts sector has consistently aimed to offer family-friendly solutions through cultural programmes and community-based childcare initiatives.

There is a second issue to consider. While Arts Matter NI agrees that providing more affordable childcare should be a priority, especially given the need for this service amongst the sector’s workforce, there is the question of what activity is provided when children are being looked after. In other words, when childcare is provided how do we ensure maximum benefit for child and parent. .

A study by Early Arts, and there are many similar studies, found that creative engagement is essential for the development and learning capacities of young children. Introducing arts and culture based activities allows for the enhanced development of cognitive processes as well as independent thinking. It is suggested that within childcare provision there should be included an arts and culture element to children’s activities. This would require both additional training for childcare staff but also the deployment of artists and art facilitators in childcare settings.

Key Considerations

Arts industry workers require flexible and affordable childcare .

Childcare provision needs to include creative activities for children to develop and flourish.

3. Cut Health Waiting Times

Arts Matter NI supports the reduction in waiting times for the treatment of NHS patients. At present more than a quarter of Northern Ireland’s population are on waiting lists for consultation.

Here again the art sector makes a significant contribution. We suggest that the role of the arts in improving mental health and well-being is well-documented and spans a wide range of health settings. Creative interventions contribute significantly to reducing pressure on healthcare services by offering non-clinical support through creative therapy and arts-based interventions.

Over the past two decades, there has been a major increase in research into the effects of the arts on health and well-being, alongside developments in practice and policy activities

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has produced a number of reports looking into the benefits of the arts for health. One meta-analysis report gathers evidence from over 3000 studies showing conclusively that the arts, and the arts sector, have a major role to play in the prevention of ill health, the promotion of good health, providing an avenue to address mental health difficulties, and management and treatment of illness across the lifespan.

The report concludes that the beneficial impact of the arts could be furthered through governmental acknowledgement and subsequent action on this growing evidence base; promoting arts engagement in the health sector at the individual, local and national levels; and supporting cross-sectoral collaboration.

Difficulties with Mental Health impacts the sector

However, this is set against the reality that Northern Ireland has the highest rates of poor mental health across the UK, with mental health problems experienced by 1/5 of adults and being the largest cause of ill health and disability in Northern Ireland. The mental health crisis has been particularly exacerbated in recent years due to Covid-19 pandemic, and the cost-of-living crisis. These crises impact artists’ lives considerably and disproportionately, given the precarity of creative livelihoods.

Artists’ life satisfaction scores are 1.7 points below the Northern Ireland average and their anxiety levels surpass the Northern Ireland average by 2.2 points, underscoring a critical area of concern regarding their mental well-being.

Addressing the mental health needs of this cohort of creatives, who in turn try to support so many in their own mental health challenges, points to a crisis in mental health in the arts and creative sector.

Key Considerations:

The arts have a crucial collaborative role in supporting health initiatives.
Health Trusts: programmes in hospitals, nursing homes, and outpatient care settings use creative therapy to support mental health recovery, providing essential complementary health services that alleviate pressure on traditional medical care.
The integration of creative health interventions should be a formalised part of the strategy to cut health waiting times. Expanding the use of social prescriptions and arts-based therapies can improve patient outcomes and reduce demand on overstretched healthcare services.

4. Ending Violence Against Women and Girls

Arts Matter NI supports ending violence against women and girls as a priority in the Programme for Government.

To put the present situation for women and girls into perspective, the World Health Organisation estimates that 1 in 3 women will experience intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence during their lifetime. Violence against women and girls, manifesting itself in physical, sexual and psychological forms, happens universally, at home, at work, in society generally. And more often than not it remains unreported.

Most recently 4 young women have been killed in Northern Ireland in a period of a few months at the time of writing and 24 women have been killed in just 4 years. Adding to that disturbing statistic is the recent report from the PSNI showing that there were more than 33,000 reports of domestic abuse over the last 12 months in Northern Ireland.

The arts sector has long been an ally in the fight against gender violence. Through performances, exhibitions, and public engagements, the arts sector supports awareness-raising efforts and provides a platform for advocacy and empowerment.

Belfast and Lisburn Women’s Aid recently featured an art exhibition highlighting the work of women in their care. The Women’s Work Festival and other cultural projects highlight the intersection of arts and activism, ensuring that the arts are integral to addressing societal issues such as domestic violence and gender inequality.

A host of programmes across community arts and community based theatre have highlighted the issue and developed specific interventions to help educate and express concern. Community Arts Partnership has consistently worked with women’s groups dedicated to supporting those who have suffered domestic violence and abuse.

Key Considerations:

Creative engagement and arts-based advocacy should be recognised as key tools in ending violence against women and girls, providing both public awareness campaigns and therapeutic creative spaces for survivors.

5. Support for Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Arts Matter NI favours increasing support for children and young people with special educational needs and making this a priority in the new Programme for Government.

To this support we add, that the arts play a transformative role in the lives of children and young people with Special Educational Needs (SEN).

While there are many organisations which use the arts to aid this transformative process, initiatives like those programmed by the community arts organisation, Rogue Encounters (formerly Kids in Control,) where young people with disabilities and additional needs can access innovative arts-based education, fostering their development in a supportive environment are essential alongside their peers.

We could also look at the work of Replay Theatre offering bespoke theatre and dance for young people with diverse, complex and multiple disabilities and the work of Open Arts which employs multiple art forms for participants with varying disabilities and additional support needs. Open Arts’ activities engage people with physical and neurodiverse disabilities, sensory impairments and mental health distress..

Initiatives like these and many others, offer avenues for inclusion allowing social, economic and geographical accessibility, as well as improving the artistic and creative life of children and young people with special educational needs.

Key Considerations:

Expanding creative education programmes within SEN schools and community settings would ensure that young people receive the support they need to thrive. The arts provide tailored, inclusive learning opportunities that complement traditional educational methods.

6. Provide More Social, Affordable, and Sustainable Housing

Arts Matter NI supports the goal of providing more social, affordable and sustainable housing.

Creative community arts projects have long been at the forefront of social housing regeneration efforts. Arts-led projects in housing estates not only revitalise public spaces but also foster a sense of community ownership and engagement.

There is a growing body of literature examining the role of the arts and culture in urban regeneration. Arts Council England has suggested in their “Arts and Regeneration Creating VIbrant Communities” report, that there needs to be a reassessment of how the arts can play a role in urban regeneration particularly bringing new life to areas abandoned by governments and developers.They look at various examples of arts sector lead regeneration particularly the Pan Urban Extension Project which looked at the integration of 1000 new homes with existing houses and apartments.

Another Arts Council England report, “Artists and Places”, suggests that it is essential now to include artists in the process of urban regeneration, particularly the animation of places once the housing stock has been either built or refurbished.

In the last 25 years the arts have played a leading role in supporting the physical regeneration of areas from Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter, Duncairn and Sailortown in the north of the city to the huge socio-economic benefits derived from Feile in the west. When one looks at similar interventions in terms of the establishment of creative centres and interventions like street spectacle events in Belfast. Derry/Londonderry etc, it is clear that the arts have been called upon to animate and ameliorate our living and working environments. Often, it is an arts organisation which offers the very first glimpses of how an area or district can be physically enhanced and redeveloped as a destination for citizens and visitors.

Locally, many organisations have led initiatives that provide social housing residents with access to creative spaces and public art projects, contributing to broader community development goals and enhancing local areas across rural and metropolitan settings.

Key Considerations:

Incorporating arts-based regeneration into housing policy will ensure that public spaces in social housing estates are vibrant, inclusive, and foster greater community pride.
Recognising that creative engagement around place-making plays a crucial role in addressing a range of issues within the regeneration of our community spaces.

7. Safer Communities

Arts Matter NI agrees that “Safer Communities” should be a priority in the new Programme for Government.

The arts have always played an essential role in peacebuilding and conflict resolution, particularly in divided or at-risk communities. Since 1998, a host of arts organisations have grown from the central determination that arts and creativity create safe spaces for the advancement of reconciliation and interdependence.

At present the University of Liverpool along with supporting institutions in N Ireland, is compiling an accessible database to show not just how many arts organisations have rolled out programmes and initiatives in the area of Peacebuilding in Northern Ireland, but the wealth of perspectives and creativity in those interventions.

Arts programmes engage the broadest cross-section of our local communities and offer safe engagement in creative projects that promote social inclusion, civic pride and a marked reduction in anti-social behaviour.

Key Considerations:

Expanding arts programmes focused on peacebuilding and community engagement will contribute to the creation of safer, more cohesive communities.
Offering enhanced roles for the creative transformation of civic space through animation and engagement, offer a high value, low cost intervention.

8. Protecting Lough Neagh and the Environment

Arts Matter NI supports and campaigns for protecting Lough Neagh specifically and more generally the environment especially through the reduction of carbon emissions.

Environmental conservation is an area where the arts can and do play a significant role. Creative interventions raise awareness of environmental issues and promote sustainable practices.

Just recently the Save Lough Neagh Campaign presented “Nature’s Revolt”, an art exhibition in Lurgan which brought the shore communities together for an exhibition of artistic expression. The aim of the exhibition was to demand better care of the Lough particularly regarding the infestation of blue-green algae.The exhibition utilised painting, poetry, pottery, photography,and other art forms to add to the campaign to save the Lough.

Key Considerations:

Supporting environmental art projects, such as the Green Arts Initiative and CAP’s TRASH Fashion project of over 25 years standing can mobilise public engagement around issues such as Lough Neagh’s conservation and demonstrate broader sustainability goals and practices.

9. How much do you agree that the priority ‘Reform and Transformation of Public Services’ should be included in the Programme for Government?

Arts Matter NI notes that in the report by the House of Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Committee it was documented how seriously the committee deemed the situation regarding the financing and delivery of public services in Northern Ireland to be.

The report outlined the depth of the crisis in health, with over 26% of the local population on waiting lists; in schools and education more generally; in the justice system and in policing. The report suggested that serious reforms were needed immediately or alternatively public services would meet an abrupt cliff-edge sooner rather than later.

Arts Matter NI would agree that something needs to be done and that the scale of the crisis is disturbing, and it is likely supporters of the Arts Matter NI campaign would agree with the priority regarding the “Reform and Transformation of Public Services”. However, the proposed reforms would require further investigation on our part.

Clearly something has to be done, but the recommendations from the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee generally cover the introduction of charges; particularly for water and for other services. Arts Matter NI reserves judgement on the manner in which such reform might take place and what the corollary of such considerations as “delivering efficiencies” might actually mean regarding jobs, funding, charges and service provision.

As we have suggested elsewhere, the severe and unbroken series of actual and real terms cuts to arts funding stretching back almost a generation, more than decimating the grant aid provision of the principal funder of the sector, the arms length body the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, has weakened the sector substantially. Corresponding cuts to the public sector might in turn be equally problematic for workforces and the services they provide, beyond those in the arts and creative industries. The transformation of public services must not see the diminution of public benefit or indeed, herald the aggrandisement of private services that become increasingly unaffordable for a population that enjoys the worst socio-economic position in these islands.

On that basis Arts Matter NI would consider, while agreeing with the thrust to see improvement in our public finances and services within this particular priority, we also reserve judgement and await further policy consultation on the express means through which such improvement will actually take place.

10. Are there any other priorities that should be included in the Programme for Government?

Arts,Culture and Heritage must be reinstated as a key priority for the Programme for Government.

Goals for strategic investment in the arts, culture and heritage must be incorporated into the PfG to ensure the long-term sustainability of the sector.

Where other sectors are offered such undertakings, the arts and cultural sector must be given this prioritisation as well. Nurturing creativity is vital for both a competitive economy and a shared sustainable future.

11. Building New Foundations

We have outlined how increasingly the arts sector is part of the process of urban regeneration, part of the process of creating a sense of place, of building a sense of civic pride and of ensuring that our built environments are welcoming, stimulating and connected with local communities.

We would suggest that in this section as part of the key tasks along with improving infrastructure, transport, planning procedures etc, that, as part of the process of reinstating Arts,Culture and Heritage as a key priority for the Programme for Government, that creating a culturally rich and creative society is one of the key tasks in terms of building new foundations.

This would assume also that infrastructure development for the arts, culture and heritage sector and creative industries was part of that task.

12. Shaping a Better Tomorrow

When the new Programme for Government 2024-27 was released the arts sector was astonished to see that the sector was excluded entirely from the main body of the PfG, a sector which has substantial, identifiable contributions to the key missions, People, Planet, Prosperity and beyond that, Peace.

We have shown in our responses to the submission questions that the arts and creative industries, and the people who populate the sector, contribute with some significance to economic growth, even to the question of childcare. There are reports now available looking at necessary inclusion of arts based activities in state based childcare provision, arts and culture now known to be essential to the healthy development of children. The arts is involved in the struggle to reduce violence against women and girls and the arts can contribute significantly to reducing hospital waiting times, is part of the campaign to reduce carbon emissions and essential to the health and well-being and increasing peace and safety in our society generally. All the various elements of the sector are engaged in shaping a better tomorrow.

In order for the creative workforce to deliver effectively, we have also put forward that affordable and flexible childcare and access to housing are crucial to sustain those, many freelancers without a guaranteed fixed income, whose sectoral needs are at variance with the rest of the workforce.

Beyond that we have made some suggestions, offered actions, and ask also that two reports, “Culture, Arts and Heritage: A Way Forward” and “The Art of Recovery Survive: Stabilise: Strengthen” which outline how the sector might move forward, how a better tomorrow might be shaped, for the art sector specifically, and society more generally,might be consulted as part of the consultation process.

Finally we reiterate that Arts, Culture and Heritage, incorporating the Creative Industries, and the arts and community arts platforms which allows those industries to flourish, be included as one of the key priorities in a redrafted PfG.

The arts sector is essential to shaping lives today just as much as it provides the platform for shaping a culturally diverse, creatively engaged, peaceful and welcoming society of the future.

13. People: Ensuring a Fair and Inclusive Society

Integration, Social Inclusion, and Tackling Racism
1. Arts and culture have a proven track record in fostering social inclusion, reducing prejudice, and bringing communities together. Cross-cultural and community arts initiatives have shown how music, visual arts, and storytelling can break down racial and cultural barriers, fostering understanding and connection across different groups.
2. Supportive Action: The arts sector has indicated time and again a willingness to partner with government departments to deliver programmes and projects that can support anti-racism and integration. By offering community-led arts projects and cultural exchanges, the arts are key transformational agents of change that engage people in joint activities, promoting mutual respect and reducing racial discrimination.
Social Care Reform and Children’s Services
1. The therapeutic role of the arts and the provision of themed creative workshops are valuable resources in social care, especially for children. Through projects children affected by trauma or instability can express emotions and heal in supportive and nurturing environments. Creative engagement builds self-esteem and confidence.
2. Supportive Action: Arts Matter NI believes in extending and embedding collaboration with social services to integrate arts-based therapeutic activity in children’s social care, creating therapeutic programmes that support emotional development and resilience.
Justice for Victims of Historical Abuses
1. The arts provide unique ways to process trauma, offer closure, and share experiences in respectful, empathetic ways. Programmes in Northern Ireland, including theatre and community-based interventionist projects explore the nature of conflicts and the outworking of reconciliation processes. No other sector is better equipped to explore and address past injustices and contemporaneous social division and injury.
2. Supportive Action: The arts sector has well evidenced and highly developed processes to help participants in truth recovery and reconciliation processes, assisting in finding a voice, promoting healing through shared experience and creative advocacy.
Reducing Poverty and Promoting Social Mobility
1. Response: Community arts projects often reach the most disadvantaged areas, offering free or low-cost access to creative programmes that can transform lives. By empowering individuals through skill-building, confidence, and community engagement, these projects break cycles of poverty and build pathways to employment and economic opportunity..
2. Supportive Action: The arts sector is a highly skilled partner in collaborating with social inclusion strategies to provide creative projects that enhance employability, skills, and social cohesion not only in impoverished areas, that directly help to address socio-economic and educational inequalities.
Increasing Skills through Apprenticeships and Vocational Routes
1. Response: The arts and creative industries are significant employers and offer a crucial role in developing talent escalators through apprenticeships and dedicated mentorship programmes. Creative industry skills—such as graphic design, digital media, and set production—align well with vocational training initiatives.
2. Supportive Action: Arts Matter NI advocates for dedicated apprenticeship programmes in the arts to strengthen that skills pipeline, offering young people from diverse backgrounds entry into a range of creative fields, from digital arts through to street spectacle, film set design and build, game development, ecological sustainable permaculture initiatives.

14. Planet: Supporting Environmental Resilience and Climate Action

Environmental Awareness and Education
1. Artists and arts organisations already offer leadership in areas of environmental education, creatively supporting and engaging communities on a range of sustainability topics and concerns. Exhibitions, performances, and public art can bring attention to pressing issues like biodiversity, climate change, and conservation.
2. Supportive Action: Establishing partnerships between environmental agencies and arts organisations will create community-led arts initiatives that educate and inspire action, through the development of public art installations and incredibly climate-focused festivals and event presentations.
Water Quality, Flood Risk, and Climate Resilience
1. Arts projects already bring communities together to better understand environmental challenges specific to Northern Ireland. Enhancing their ability to explore issues such as flood risks and water pollution can only enhance our society’s consideration and response to this emergency, to generate solutions, raise awareness about climate resilience and catalyse activism and action.
Affordable Renewable Energy and Net Zero Infrastructure
1. The arts sector itself is at the forefront of embracing sustainability practices, including green building standards, energy efficiency, and the use of sustainable materials. The sector should be afforded greater opportunity to help showcase these transitions and raise awareness through educational and creative initiatives.

15. Prosperity: Strengthening Economic and Social Resilience

Developing Social Enterprises and Business Capacity
1. Most arts organisations in Northern Ireland operate as social enterprises already, utilising their charitable missions to reinvest and expand access to cultural activities. The arts can support local economic development if offered sufficient seed funding to help create jobs and careers.
Attracting Foreign Direct Investment and Trade
1. Northern Ireland’s creative industries have global appeal, and high-profile events and productions draw international attention and investment. The arts consistently add value to Northern Ireland’s global image, making it attractive for investment and tourism.
Supporting Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Creative Industries
1. The creative industries in Northern Ireland, including digital media, film, and music, are driven by SMEs. By promoting innovation in the arts, such SMEs enhance their productivity and actively contribute to the economy’s transition to net zero.

16. Peace: Promoting a Cohesive and Inclusive Society

Commitment to Safer Communities and Good Relations
1. Community arts projects, such as those led by Community Arts Partnership, have shown success in fostering understanding across divided communities, developing new models of intercultural engagement and integrations and helping to create safer spaces. By encouraging cultural expression, the arts build bridges between diverse groups.Arts-led peacebuilding projects, particularly in areas affected by sectarian division, promote dialogue and unity and are still trusted intermediaries where many governmental initiatives have stalled or failed.
Developing Trauma-Informed Public Services
1. There are few areas of engagement that have such a unique ability to support trauma recovery, with therapeutic art projects provide safe avenues for expression. Whilst there are formal arts therapy programmes available, many areas of creative engagement hold therapeutic value in addressing mental health challenges, particularly for those impacted by the transgenerational impact of our conflict.
Promoting Racial Equality and Inclusion
1. The arts continue to provide leadership and support platforms for diverse cultural expression, racial equality and social inclusion. Events, festivals and exhibitions spotlight cultural heritage from ethnic minorities, fostering deeper appreciation and mutual respect.

17. Tracking Wellbeing through a Wellbeing Framework

Measuring the Impact of Arts on Wellbeing
The arts directly contribute to wellbeing by supporting mental health, social inclusion, and community cohesion. Including arts engagement as an indicator in the Wellbeing Framework will help provide measurable, more nuanced data on its impact across demographics and regions, beyond just calculating participation.
Promoting Equal Access to Arts and Culture
Equal access to the arts is essential for promoting wellbeing across all demographics and is indeed an inalienable human right. By ensuring that arts funding is equitably distributed, across more regions and more people, will see more benefit derived from cultural participation. However, the government must ensure that wellbeing metrics include access to the arts as only a basic indicator and seek to gain deeper insights into how cultural engagement affects various communities and contributes to wellbeing.

The deadline for contributions to the online submission is: Monday November 4th at 11.59pm.