CAF was involved in a sector wide consultation in relation to the Review of Public Administration.

About the RPA

A public meeting, attended by around 25 arts groups, was held to discuss the suggested models for arts administration in NI.

At the meeting, there was no appetite for the suggested option of arts funding being administered through DCAL and the district councils; people at the meeting were very clear that they wanted an arms length agency to administer the arts in the region, free from government influence. Groups felt, however, that ACNI had failed to deliver on its advocacy and development roles and that a new agency or completely reformed Arts Council would be needed to develop, fund and administer the arts well in the region.

Following the public meeting a response document was drafted by CAF and circulated to the groups who attended and other interested parties.

46 individuals and groups signed up to the reponse document.

Click here to read the response

About the RPA and suggested models for arts administration in Northern Ireland

The RPA offers two alternative models for arts administration in Northern Ireland:

1. The status quo. The Arts Council is retained and things remain as they are.

2. Arts administration is split between the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure and new, beefed up local councils. DCAL would look after “regionally important organisations” (exactly what this means is not specified) with local authorities carrying out the Arts Council’s other funding functions. A separate Lottery distributor would allocate Lottery money to the arts.

Those who support keeping the Arts Council argue that:

• The Arts Council is necessary to maintain “arms length” management of the arts. This insulates the arts from political influence (vital in a society like Northern Ireland where politics is innately sectarian).
• An independent body is necessary in order to protect – and promote - artistic freedom.
• A single strong voice is vital to speak for the arts.
• One body is necessary to develop one region wide policy for the arts and will enable easier administration of Northern Ireland wide events and tours.
• ACNI staff and the Arts Council have the expertise to make informed decisions concerning the arts – something civil servants do not.
• The record of DCAL and local councils has been rather patchy in relation to the arts

However, those who advocate replacing ACNI with DCAL and councils say:

The Arts Council spends public money yet members of the Council are unelected.

• Accountability and transparency is weak.
• The Arts Council may be free to pursue its own agenda but does it reflect the views of the majority of taxpayers. For example, the majority of Arts Council funding goes to the “high arts” which are only attended by a minority of people in Northern Ireland allowing local bodies to administer the arts in their area would allow organisations outside of Belfast improved access to decision makers.
• It would remove a layer of bureaucracy in arts administration
  Giving politicians more authority over the arts may increase their knowledge of/ enthusiasm for arts in general.

The RPA consultation period ended on 30 September 2005.

Download this as a word doc here