Artists 'let down and left behind' as funding reaches 'crisis point'

Representatives from the arts sector said they feel "let down and left behind", warning that arts funding has "reached a crisis point".

Members of a performing arts trade union have signed a letter of no confidence over what they believe is a "failure" of Communities Minister Gordon Lyons to produce an arts policy and the under investments in the arts across Northern Ireland.

Actor, writer and comedian Alan McKee was one of those who signed the letter and said "we have no confidence at the moment in how the minister is doing his job".

The communities minister said the executive is in "a really tight challenging financial environment".

Lyons also said his department has "come really far" on developing an arts policy and are "making good progress".

The trade union Equity NI said Northern Ireland receives the lowest per capita investment of any nation in the UK.

"We're lagging well behind the other nations and regions," McKee said.

Northern Ireland receives £5.07 per person, per capita, according to the Arts Council of Northern Ireland (ACNI).

This contrasts to the £10.51 per person in Wales, and also with Scotland which is roughly double the per capital investment of Northern Ireland.

The Republic of Ireland is up to five times higher than Northern Ireland. It is £21.58 to £25.90 per capita.

"There's a massive gap there in terms of what the experts in the field [and] the arts council are suggesting," McKee said, "and what is coming from the department of communities."

He claimed that government spending on arts is around one percent.

"The arts makes a contribution to very many areas of people's lives. It makes a contribution in terms of education, in terms of health , in terms of economic growth, we have an impact on tourism," he told BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster.

"We punch very much above our weight in Northern Ireland... The arts is an economic driver."

McKee said the Art Council had come up with a 10-year plan and claimed the minister chose not to sign off on it.

"We feel that the minister is really dragging his feet on this issue of an arts policy."

"The difference an arts policy would make is that it would provide leadership and strategic direction and let us see the sustainable investment that there could be in the arts."

Actor Don Wycherley said that if any government does not support artists, this is "awful really" and a "travesty".

"Arts reflect a nation, it reflects you as a society," he said.

"It's very important in here, in Ireland, we are a nation of artists. It's what we're good at, we've great actors, great writers, great artists and they need to be supported and encouraged."

Lyons said since he became communities minister he has "increased arts funding" but knows that "doesn't go as far as some people would like".

"However, I'm doing what I can with what I have."

He said it will be "going out to consultation soon and the policy will be in place at the start of next year".