Arts groups ‘wheeled out when it suits but disgracefully underfunded’
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Arts groups are “wheeled out” to project a positive image of Northern Ireland when needed despite being the “worst resourced arts community in Europe”. Ray Giffen, creative director at the Duncairn Arts Centre, described the funding of the sector in Northern Ireland as “disgraceful”.
He was speaking on the 10th anniversary of the transformation of the former Duncairn Presbyterian Church which reopened as an arts centre in 2014 with the parent organisation the 174 Trust. The formerly derelict church now hosts arts events which have been visited by political leaders, as well as artist residencies, writers groups, a boxing club, AA and Narcotics Anonymous and disability clubs.
Mr Giffen said it had been a “daunting challenge” to take on, with some referring to north Belfast at that time as a “cultural graveyard”. “This is something that I saw as a challenge being from here originally,” he said. “Some of the highlights and some of the game changers have been certainly when we brought Other Voices up to Belfast for the first time – one of the biggest music festivals, with an incredible international reputation.
“So, we managed to bring them up to the ‘cultural graveyard’ as north Belfast was known for a long time, and it was a roaring success. So much so that they came back two years later, and we still have a fantastic relationship. “Then we programmed St Patrick’s Day for Belfast City Council. We have taken part in the ground-breaking arts and business programme, Blueprint, which let us establish our own production team here, which is really, really successful and continuing to grow.
