By Julie Waters
BANGOR born Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody has voiced concerns about the ‘quite dire’ state of funding for the arts sector.
The lead singer was among a number of arts representatives, including officials from the Arts Council and Lyric Theatre, who met Minister for Communities Gordon Lyons to discuss how to strengthen the arts sector in Northern Ireland
Explaining that he felt it was his ‘responsibility to represent the artists and the musicians’, Mr Lightbody said he had concerns about the state of funding for the arts.
However he acknowledged there were ‘priorities above the arts in any society’ but added, ‘the arts bring us so much joy, we need to think about that’.
Mr Lightbody said Northern Ireland was operating on a ‘shoestring budget’ compared to the annual arts budget in the Republic of Ireland. The Irish government introduced a minimum basic income for about 2,000 artists, musicians and performers in 2022.
“We are lagging behind a little bit,” said Mr Lightbody who went on to say he would like to see ‘more funding and more initiatives for young people’.
He added: “The next generation of artists in Northern Ireland is extremely important, because we are on a shoestring budget, a lot of potential artists are going to fall through the cracks. That’s a great tragedy.”
Minister Lyons said it was a ‘very difficult time for the arts sector’ but that he was there to ‘listen to those that are involved in arts across Northern Ireland’.
The minister added that he wanted ‘to hear solutions they have on how we can strengthen the sector’ and what the government can do to ‘deliver the change we all need to see’.
He also heard about the ‘impact the arts have on wider society’ saying: “We know that investment in the arts can really help in terms of the health outcomes of our people, education, economy. That’s why I am here today, to listen to that.”
Describing it as a ‘very positive meeting’ he hoped that the takeaways from the meeting would allow him to ‘present to the executive and make the case for that additional funding’.
He said: “Not just for extra grants or add on or something that’s fluffy, but a real investment in our people, which will have a positive economic return.”
