Covid-19: Emergency fund for arts bodies 'is £16m short'

Many arts and entertainment venues do not know when they can reopen to audiences

There is £16m less in an emergency fund for arts and entertainment organisations and venues than is needed, it has been claimed.

The comment was made by Roisin McDonough, chief executive of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland (ACNI).

She told Stormont's Communities Committee that "exceedingly difficult choices" would have to be made if more money was not made available.

Many arts and entertainment venues have been closed since March.

They do not know when they can reopen to audiences.

That has left many venues and organisations facing substantial deficits and uncertainty.

Speaking on Friday morning, Communities Minster Deirdre Hargey, who has a responsibility for the sector, said her motivation was to "try and look at what additional funding [is available]".

"These people have been out of work, they haven't been able to perform, to do the thing that they love, really for much of this year," she said.

"We have tried to support arts organisations, coming into the new year, and I want to work with those stakeholders to see what we can do."

'Demand for help exceeds cash supply'

Emergency funding of £7.75m for arts organisations is available as part of a wider £29m package of support for the cultural sector agreed by the Stormont Executive.

But Ms McDonough said that demand for that fund was significantly higher than the money available.

Roisin McDonough says some arts organisations will not survive the pandemic

"The stability and renewal programme for organisations has a budget of £7.75m and we've received 185 eligible applications requesting over £24m," she told the committee.

"The footprint is wide and includes large, commercial organisations working in the live entertainment industry as well as cinema, for example, and they have significant needs."

Ms McDonagh said priority would be given to help clear Covid deficits in order to try to stabilize organisations where possible and help them survive beyond the pandemic.

Venues and organisations will find out if they have received funding at the end of January.

'Millions needed for live music'

Ms McDonough also said that she expected that a £3m fund for individuals working in the arts and entertainment would also be over-subscribed.

That is despite more than 1,000 people receiving up to £5,000 from a previous funding scheme also worth around £3m.

Snow Patrol have warned that urgent financial support is needed for the music industry

Ms McDonough said that many organisations and individuals faced a "crisis" due to loss of income during the pandemic, and highlighted serious problems facing live music and cinema.

"The future of the live music industry and cinema is really not a matter simply for the Arts Council to address," she said.

"I think it a much wider issue for the executive including for the Department for the Economy.

"We will need further help from across the executive to ensure that we still have a live music entertainment industry and indeed commercial cinema in Northern Ireland.

"I think that's going to be a very tough one ahead given the millions of pounds that are needed for those areas alone."

Sir Van Morrison, Snow Patrol and Ash were among almost 150 artists who had previously warned that "urgent financial support" was needed for Northern Ireland's music industry to survive the effect of the pandemic.

Cinemas have also frequently closed during lockdowns and have only been able to operate at limited capacity when open.

How have people in the arts been affected?

Steve Batts, Echo Echo Dance Company, Londonderry

Mr Batts said that while funding from the executive was welcome, a re-think of the sector was necessary.

"The furlough money that came was really important for us, without that we wouldn't have survived," he said.

He said the current pandemic should be used "as an opportunity to look at the structure of the arts sector", with a view to overhauling it.

Oliver Green, Studio 2, part of Greater Shantallow Community Arts, Derry

Mr Green said his organisation worked in one of the most deprived areas of Northern Ireland, in Galliagh.

He said the pandemic had seen his organisation increase its community engagement, specifically with older people.

"We were worried about them, how they were going to get fed and keep in contact," he said.

He said his organisation had opened a community cafe as part of creating "a support service for the rest of our community".

Cath McBride, In Your Space, Derry

Ms McBride from In Your Space, an arts comany focused on circus skills, said she had seen the "impacts on their physical and mental health" during the pandemic.

She said while funding had been a "massive help", it was "only touching the edges".

As part of the response from In Your Space, they will start having performances in people's front gardens as an initiative which will be introducing next year.