Agenda item

            The Members of the Committee considered the following report:

“1.0     Purpose of Report or Summary of Main Issues

1.1            The purpose of this report is to update Members on the current Decade of Centenaries programme and to seek approval from Members to apply for additional funding that has become available from the Northern Ireland Office.

2.0       Recommendations

2.1       The Members of the Committee are asked to recommend that, in accordance with the Council decision of 4th May, the Chief Executive exercise her delegated authority to:

                                         i        note the contents of this report and progress in the delivery of this year’s Decade of Centenaries programme; and

                                       ii        agree the proposal to apply to the NIO’s Centenary Programme for £4,000 to deliver an Arts project, as part of marking the centenary of Northern Ireland, ‘Our Story in the Making: NI Beyond 100’.

3.0       Main Report

3.1       Members will be aware that there are a number of projects being delivered as part of the Decade of Centenaries Programme this year. In addition to a range of Council funded activities, the Council has received funding from the Shared History Fund (administered by Heritage Lottery on behalf of the NIO) to deliver a number of projects.  These projects are:

-       Drama and animation programme on 22 June 2021 and live performances in the Autumn to schools and youth groups

-       The restoration of the chairs in the Council Chamber, used by the King and Queen on the occasion of the inauguration of the NI Parliament in 1921

-       A digitised artefacts and stories projects related to 1921 to be launched at a live event in Autumn 2021

-       A time capsule project with young people

-       End of Decade of Centenaries Conference in March 2022

3.2       In addition to these events, others have also already been delivered or being planned, which are funded or supported by the Council, including:

-       A programme of 37 online events for the Civic Weekend 1-3 May

-       Illumination of the façade of City Hall on 22 June 2021

-       An online conference on Violence, Conflict, Militarisation and Displacement; Belfast in 1920

-       An online panel discussion on ‘100 years of Northern Ireland; how has it gone?’

-       Cycle 100 events

-       Discussion events in the autumn

3.3       An additional opportunity has now become available. The NIO is offering funding of up to £4,000 for each council to commission an artist, community group, or group of young artists local to the area, to create and develop a cultural piece of work - be that a piece of art or the development of a community space - that reflects the unique community of each council area.

3.4       The project is not required to have a centenary narrative, but instead should capture a moment in time for the community. Proposals are required to be submitted by councils to NIO by 1st June 2021 and the cultural piece is to be completed by 31st August 2021.

3.5       In order to ensure an open and transparent process within the timescale, the Council’s Tourism Culture Heritage and Arts Unit will oversee a short competitive process and invite local street artists to respond with suitable proposals incorporating a co-creation process.  Criteria will be aligned to the themes of the A City Imagining cultural strategy and the process will be guided by the Decade of Centenaries principles.

            Financial and Resource Implications

3.6       There are no new financial implications. Should Members be in agreement and the application is successful, this project will be fully funded at £4,000.

            Equality or Good Relations Implications/Rural Needs Assessment

3.7       The Decade of Centenaries Programme is part of the District Council’s Good Relations Programme, which was screened for equality, good relations and rural needs and was screened out.”

            The Members of the Committee agreed to recommend that, in accordance with the Council decision of 4th May, the Chief Executive exercise her delegated authority to adopt the recommendations contained within the report.