Arts Council Northern Ireland Publishes Coronavirus Response

Arts Council Northern Ireland have stated that their priority is to support people who work in the arts through the challenges they may face over the coming months as a result of Coronavirus.

Published: 20 March 2020 | 12:00 AM Updated: 28 April 2021 | 4:30 PM

Belfast city hall in the evening — Arts organisations are asked to continue as far possible to honour agreed contracts with artists and freelancers. Photo credit: Shutterstock

The funding body has made the following promises for existing funding awards:

To honour all grants already made in 2019/20 and to work flexibly with rescheduling of events and/or tours.
Aim to ssue any remaining balance of payments for 2019/20 as a matter of urgency.
Work flexibly with on contracts for next year, 2020/21. This may include advancing grant payment to assist with cashflow.
Asking funded arts organisations, in exchange for Arts Council support, to continue as far as possible to honour agreed contracts with artists and freelancers.
Their Arts Officers and Assistants are currently talking to arts organisations to ascertain the impacts and cost implications for organisations.

They are in discussion with their parent department, the Department for Communities, and are assessing what additional support might be offered to the arts sector.

Read Arts Council Northern Ireland’s full information page on their website.

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