Revitalizing Creative Workforce in Northern Ireland Through Location-Specific Employment Initiatives
In the heart of Belfast, a transformative initiative is taking shape, aimed at bolstering the city's burgeoning creative industries. The Art Work scheme, a developmental opportunity managed by Craft NI, is a testament to the region's commitment to nurturing local talent, particularly in the craft and design sectors.
At the helm of this venture is Professor Paul Moore, the Director of Future Screens NI and Co-Director of Ulster University's Creative Industries Institute. The Art Work scheme emerged as part of Belfast City Council’s Cultural Funding programs, designed to foster and develop local creative talent.
By offering selected practitioners bursaries of £2,000, the scheme facilitates skill development through one-to-one mentorship, enabling artists to enhance their practice and contribute to the growth and innovation within Northern Ireland’s creative industries.
The context of the scheme's creation aligns with broader governmental and cultural recognition of the creative industries as key economic and cultural drivers. Across the UK, since the late 1990s, the creative industries have gained formal policy focus, emphasizing artistic creativity's economic role. This recognition has encouraged schemes like Art Work to develop at local levels.
In Northern Ireland, such funding schemes are used to support artists and cultural organizations through multi-annual grants and targeted support for skills development, reflecting a broader trend in culture sector funding. The Art Work scheme, for instance, was developed based on an analysis of job creation in the creative industries by Professor Alex McDowell and his team at the World Building Institute.
The Art Work scheme is still in its early stages, but it is possible to identify developments which will provide important resources for future research. For instance, the interest in small creative organizations could pave the way for further support and development within this sector.
Unfortunately, the pandemic halted the Story Engine project, a component of the Art Work scheme aimed at providing disadvantaged youth with an opportunity to enter the creative industries without traditional educational routes. However, discussions are ongoing to take it online through a dedicated platform.
The Art Work scheme received a significant boost with the Department for Communities (DfC) awarding £4.7 million to Future Screens NI (FSNI) to create 72 three-year posts in arts organizations in Northern Ireland as part of the Art Work scheme. FSNI was partnered with Arts Council NI and, working with key sector representatives, the Art Work programme was created.
The outcome of the Art Work scheme development was a strategy called Story Engine, which allowed young people to tell their "future-self stories" and potentially find mentored employment. This approach aligns with the broader trend of cultural brokerage, allowing for direct and detailed negotiations with governmental departments, as argued for in a previous paper published by PEC.
The Art Work programme was created with a total of £20 million entering the sector to create new posts and build capacity. This investment, combined with the vibrancy of the Northern Ireland creative sector and region, has attracted a number of employers who have hired established artists and creatives who were working in other major cities but have opted to return to Northern Ireland.
The Art Work scheme is not just about bolstering the local creative sector, but also about creating opportunities for individuals. As Professor Nick Wilson wrote in his paper titled "The Equity Gap in Britain's Creative Industries," such initiatives are crucial in creating a more equitable landscape within the creative industries.
Looking ahead, the 2025 Spending Review is being discussed in relation to its impact on the creative industries, and the Art Work scheme is poised to play a significant role in shaping the future of Northern Ireland's creative sector. The scheme's success underscores the potential for similar initiatives to drive economic growth and cultural innovation in other regions as well.
In conclusion, the Art Work scheme is a targeted bursary program designed to grow Belfast’s craft and design practitioners’ skills via mentorship, arising from local cultural funding efforts that align with national recognition of creative industries’ economic and social importance. Its success serves as a beacon for other regions seeking to nurture and develop their creative industries.
- The Art Work scheme, a developmental opportunity in Belfast, is a testament to the region's strategy for nurturing local talent, particularly in the craft and design sectors.
- The context of the scheme's creation aligns with broader governmental and cultural recognition of the technology and innovation that the creative industries can bring to the economy.
- The Art Work scheme offers selected practitioners bursaries of £2,000 for research and education, enabling artists to develop their skills and contribute to the growth of the creative industries.
- The Art Work scheme's development was based on an analysis of job creation in the creative industries, revealing a need for skills development and support for small creative organizations.
- The Art Work scheme's success has attracted a number of employers who see the potential for growth and innovation in Northern Ireland's creative industries.
- The pandemic temporarily halted a component of the Art Work scheme, the Story Engine project, but discussions are ongoing to take it online, ensuring that access to creative industries is not hindered by circumstances.
- The Department for Communities (DfC) awarded £4.7 million to Future Screens NI (FSNI) to create 72 three-year posts in arts organizations in Northern Ireland as part of the Art Work scheme.
- The Art Work scheme's outcome is a strategy called Story Engine, which aims to create opportunities for young people to enter the creative industries without traditional educational routes.
- The success of the Art Work scheme underscores the importance of policy and legislation in creating a more equitable landscape within the creative industries, as argued by Professor Nick Wilson in his paper titled "The Equity Gap in Britain's Creative Industries."
- Looking forward, the Art Work scheme is expected to play a significant role in shaping the future of Northern Ireland's creative sector, serving as a model for other regions seeking to nurture and grow their creative industries.
