Protesters tell Gordon Lyons arts sector ‘not being heard’ at Stormont

Actress and playwright Roisin Gallagher has spoken of “frustration” in the arts sector as she joined demonstrators outside Stormont in an exchange with Communities minister Gordon Lyons.Ms Gallagher was among the creatives that marched to Parliament buildings to deliver a letter of no confidence in the minister who insisted he has “protected” arts funding and highlighted a “difficult financial situation” in his department.Amongst those represented at the demonstrations were dancers, visual artists, actors, theatre producers, stage managers, musicians, directors, writers, and circus practitioners, including a stilt walker.Organising union Equity said the arts sector has faced “severe financial instability” due to funding cuts and called for an arts policy to be signed on by the Stormont executive.Their letter called for the Assembly to “recognise the Minister’s failure to provide effective political leadership” and “to provide sustainable investment to secure the future of Northern Ireland’s arts and cultural sector”.Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said he has ‘protected’ arts funding and highlighted a ‘difficult financial situation’ in his department (Liam McBurney/PA)PA WireMarina Hampton, from the Equity Union, carried the letter up to Parliament buildings, and met Mr Lyons as he walked down the steps and remarked: “I believe you’re calling for my resignation”.Ms Hampton told the minister that people in the arts sector feel “they’re not being heard”.“They’re not getting funding, there’s a lot of people not employed because we’re just not getting funding out there,” she said.“I know what you’re saying, but it’s not happening, and we need it now, we don’t need it next year.”The minister replied: “I have actually increased the arts budget because I understand how important it is for other issues like health and for education as well.“So there’s been an above inflation increase since I’ve came into post, and I know that that’s not enough, I know we all want to see more money for the arts, more money across all parts of my department and other departments as well.Read More“But when I’ve had to take some really tough choices and cut back on some essential services, I have protected the arts funding, and it has increased now.”He later added: “We have a really difficult financial situation, and despite all of that, we have had above inflation increases and significant increases in the capital arts budget, but I understand there is much more to do.“But you don’t need to fight with me on this. We don’t need to argue on this because we’re on the same page. We want the same thing.”When members of the crowd said “we’re not on the same page”, Mr Lyons said: “If you’re saying that you want an arts policy, we’re on the same page.“If you’re saying that you want more funding for arts, we are on the same page.“Let’s not try and find reasons to argue.“Let’s work together to see what actually can be done.“That’s why I wanted to come down here today, that’s why I haven’t signed off on an arts policy because we don’t have it yet, but I will do that as soon as we have it, and that is my commitment to you today.”Marina Hampton (centre) from the Equity Union delivers a letter of No Confidence to Communities Minister Gordon Lyons, watched by actress and playwright Roisin Gallagher (right) (Liam McBurney/PA)PA WireMs Gallagher, who also spoke to the minister telling him she “doesn’t understand” the delay in the strategy, said his comments were not “a defence”.“While I really respect the minister for coming out and speaking to us and and and hearing some of our questions, it doesn’t answer why a policy hasn’t already been signed,” she said.“So he has promised that this policy will be put in place early next year, but unfortunately, we’ve heard that promise before, and it hasn’t happened yet.“So I think it’s safe to say that there’s quite a bit of frustration today.“I also feel really, really strongly that we can’t pit sectors against each other.“This isn’t a case of we can’t fund the arts because we have to fund health, we can’t fund the arts or communities because we have to fund education.“In my mind, that’s not an argument. It’s not a reason.“There’s a space for everyone, and we all know how arts and communities help education and health thrive.”Actors, playwrights and members of the creative industry take part in a protest outside the Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont (Liam McBurney/PA)PA WireAlice Adams Lemon, Equity Northern Ireland official, said the union does not believe Mr Lyons can produce “a sustainable policy for the arts in Northern Ireland”.“The arts budget is around 1% of the entire Communities budget.“So, if he were to provide more funding and more investment in the arts, not only would he be able to sustain the arts here in Northern Ireland, but he’d actually be able to make money back into Stormont,” she said.“So, the idea that there is a lack of funding available for the arts is nonsensical.“At a time when Stormont’s budget was in play, we were still getting the least per capita funding for the arts of all of these islands, so what was the excuse then?“What he can do is create a policy.“Stormont doesn’t have to have a budget in place to have a policy in place, and that policy might give us an understanding of the direction of travel for the arts here in Northern Ireland, as far as Stormont goes, and it might give us some hope that there is value that is being placed in the arts, arts workers, and arts provision.”Following the demonstration some of the artists went for meetings with local MLAs, with over 400 meetings requested with 75 out of the 90 MLAs.