14 local projects to spring to life thanks to Council's arts grants award

September 21, 2021

Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council has awarded arts funding to 14 local arts organisations, community groups and individual artists for support to develop and/or deliver creative activity.

The £29,732.76 investment provides exciting opportunities for the direct delivery of arts events, projects and activities, which will take place in the council area.

Hundreds of people will benefit from the scheme whether as creators, makers, audiences or as participants.

Councillor Sharon Skillen, Leisure and Community Development Chair, welcomed the latest round of awards.

“I am delighted the council’s arts funding schemes gives people who live, work in or visit our city, the opportunity to participate in its cultural life.

“The challenges of the last 18 months have demonstrated that the arts have a positive impact on people's health and wellbeing.

“The arts help communities to flourish and they create a social solidarity by bringing people and ideas together.

"Right now this is more important than ever. The council recognises the funding of cultural projects is vital to making this happen. Especially if our community is to emerge resilient and renewed from the difficulties of the pandemic.”

The investment covering three arts grants schemes are administered by ISLAND Arts and include the Individual Artists Grants: to support amateur and professional artists, Arts Organisations Grants: to support the formally governed amateur and professional arts sector and Making Art in Communities for formally governed community groups to support the direct delivery of arts events, projects or activities, which take place in the council area.

Arts Grants Scheme Arts Organisations Award Recipients:

Hillsborough Art Society 'Unlocking Creative Skills'.
Lagan Valley Patchwork Guild supporting its September 2021 - March 2022 programme
Rspace Gallery supporting its Gallery Community Engagement Programme 2021 - 2022

Arts Grants Scheme Individual Artists Award Recipients:

Ciaran Hanley 'Someone Else's Future Project
Grainne Kielty 'A Right Royal Pear'
Andrea McCullough-Alderdice 'A New Look at Neolithic'
Joe McStravick ' The Gathering Stitch'
Kate Newmann 'Finding Friends'
Anuishya Sandaralingam 'Re:wind'
P D Wilson 'All Their Secrets’ – The Definitive Biography of Robin Bryans

Making Art in Communities Award Recipients:

Annahilt and Magheraconluce Community Association 'Pots of Pleasure'
Ballyoran Community & Arts Group ' Flowers of the Season'
Hillhall Regeneration Group ' Community Mindset'
Moneyreagh & District Community Association 'Moneyreagh Community Weekly Arts Workshops & Monthly Craft Classes'