On 30 May, the Arts Council Northern Ireland will host a one-day event that will explore EU funding and partnership opportunities available for arts and cultural organisations in NI. New EU programmes for 2014-2020 will include €1.8billion for culture and media and €19 billion for education, training, youth and sport. Many opportunities still exist under the current EU programmes for Culture, Lifelong Learning and Youth in Action. The event on 30 May includes presentations from representatives of a number of EU programmes (Culture, Lifelong Learning, Youth in Action), discussion of local case studies to share learning and an opportunity to meet with the EU programme managing authorities for UK. Details from Debra Mulholland, Sector Business Development Manager. www.artscouncil-ni.org

The Arts Council NI will be hosting the 2012 Visual Arts sector meeting for visual artists on Wednesday 9th May, 10am-12noon at the Arts Council. This year we will focus on the new services available to visual artists in Northern Ireland. The session will feature talks from Visual Artists Ireland (Director, Noel Kelly and NI Manager, Feargal O’Malley) and Digital Arts Studios (Studios Manager, Angela Halliday) and it will be an opportunity for artists to hear more about the new visual arts resources available to them. Venue: Arts Council of Northern Ireland, 77 Malone Road, Belfast, BT9 6AQ

The Arts Council recently announced details of its annual funding allocation for arts organisations across Northern Ireland. The Arts Council is awarding £13.3 million to 93 core arts organisations to cover their year-round running and programming costs. For the first time, organisations have been able to apply in advance for up to three years of funding, following changes introduced by the Arts Council to their Annual Funding Programme. The move from one-year to three-year funding for the arts is in direct response to the wider economic climate, as it introduces a greater degree of stability and enables local venues, galleries, theatre companies, community arts and other front line arts organisations to plan ahead with greater confidence. The list of awardees can be found here: www.artscouncil-ni.org/news/2012/new20032012c.html

Visual Artists Ireland is pleased to announce the appointment of Feargal O’Malley as Northern Ireland Manager. Mr O’Malley will be responsible for the implementing and further development of Visual Artists Ireland’s Northern Ireland programme. Speaking on Mr O’Malley’s appointment to the position, Noel Kelly CEO of Visual Artists Ireland said, “We are delighted to have Feargal join the Visual Artists Ireland’s team. Building on the successes of our previous regional representative programme, Feargal joins us at an exciting time for Visual Artists Ireland as we grow and expand our levels of service for professional visual artists in Northern Ireland.”

Feargal O’Malley comes with a strong pedigree, commitment and engagement with the visual arts in Northern Ireland. Formerly, Mr O’Malley was Exhibitions Manager with the Ormeau Baths Gallery, where he delivered a programme that celebrated the wide diversity of contemporary practices both in Northern Ireland and abroad. He has also previously worked with the Millennium Court Art Centre, Portadown, and has been a regular contributor to both print and broadcast media. Mr O’Malley is a co-director of Platform Arts Belfast. He will take up the position with Visual Artists Ireland on Wednesday, 28 March 2012.

Visual Artists Ireland would like to acknowledge and thank the out-going Northern Ireland representatives, Laura Graham and Damien Duffy for the strength of their contribution during their terms of office.

Further announcement regarding the development of Visual Artists Ireland’s services in Northern Ireland will be made over the next weeks. In the meantime, keep Friday, 15th June 2012 free in your diary for the first All Ireland Visual Artists Ireland GET TOGETHER which will take place in Limerick College of Art & Design, with transportation from Belfast and Derry (subject to numbers).

Three Northern Ireland visual artists, Johanna Leech, Lesley Cherry and Sinead Breatnach-Cashel, were selected by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the Golden Thread Gallery to take part in a nine week long Artist in Residency Programme (ARCH) in Washington DC. Each participant will work alongside the prestigious Honfleur Gallery and the Gallery at Vivid Solutions and will be challenged to overcome diverse community interaction and cultural differences to create new work inspired by their own experiences and the locations they have encountered en route.

Commenting on the programme, Deirdre Robb, Visual Arts Development Officer, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, commented: “This is a unique opportunity for our artists not only to collaborate with other international artists, but also to travel to one of America’s most historic neighbourhoods to apply their cultural learning. The Arts Council recognises the significance of residencies as a way to support our artists by gaining inspiration and support, leading to innovative new work. We want the rest of the world to see what we in Northern Ireland already know – that our arts are every bit as innovative, challenging and inspiring, and capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with the best.” | www.artscouncil-ni.org

Do you Twitter? Seems everyone is these days. If you have a Twitter account, be sure to follow us #4VisArtsNI

We’ll be providing details of events and exhibitions across Northern Ireland,notices about our regular and on-going professional development workshops and briefing sessions, as well as providing details of jobs and opportunities open to professional visual artists. There will also be news of forthcoming projects and new services for professional visual artists.

Tell your family and friends to follow us, too. They will be able to keep up with what’s on in the visual arts – Remember that the more eyes watching the closer you are to win! Oh, yes, we didn’t mention it! When we reach our first target of 1000 followers, we will be placing all names into a draw. The winner of which will receive a year’s VAI membership, and will be eligible for a free place on a VAI professional development workshop of their choice.

Creative Exchange Artists Studios is proud to announce that 2 of its resident artists have been awarded international residencies and exhibitions, in America and Australia. Lesley Cherry, who has been a member of CEX since 2006, was awarded a place on the ARCH Artist in Residency Programme, in Washington DC and Deirdre Robb, a founding member of CEX, has been selected to show her sculptural work at the Blue Mountains World Heritage Site in Australia.

The ARCH Artist in Residency Program, which Lesley Cherry has been awarded, is an opportunity for the artist to pursue their creative practice amid Washington DC’s vibrant and diverse urban environment, for approximately 9 weeks. Lesley will be working closely the creative staff at the Honfleur Gallery and the Vivid Solutions Gallery, to determine the parameters of her residency. She will also be working alongside local residents, fostering dynamic interaction and developing exposure to the resources of the greater Washington DC cultural community. The ARCH residency is supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the Golden Thread Gallery.

Deirdre Robb’s installation titled, ‘Fight or Flight’ was selected for the Blue Mountains Sculptural Exhibition to be held in the World Heritage Area of the same name. This ancient rainforest is being transformed into an outdoor sculpture park for the project, with works from 26 other established and emerging artists vying for the Scenic World Acquisitive Award and Keith Rowe trophy. The selected sculptures will be displayed in the Jurassic Valley, from 16 February until 11 March 2012, and have been selected by prominent judges, Macquarie University Sculpture Park Curator, Leonard Janiszewski, and University of Western Sydney Collection Curator, Monica McMahon. http://www.creativeexchange.org.uk/

On Friday the 9th of December, the Lower Shankill Community Association formally welcomed the new landmark sculpture, ‘Remember, Respect, Resolution’, created by artist Lesley Cherry. The new 4.70m high, stainless steel triptych, is part of the second phase of the Lower Shankill’s successful Re-imaging project, funded by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, through the Shared Communities Consortium.

The sculpture replaces a contentious mural of Oliver Cromwell, which had been situated in the estate for several years. Artist Lesley Cherry said, I have built up a good working relationship with the community, having been involved in the first phase of Re-imaging in 2009. Following on from this, I worked on their previous artwork titled, Nothing About Us, Without Us, Is For Us, which was a direct comment on the community’s views regarding the regeneration of the area. With this sculpture, the feelings of the community are again transferred through an artwork, by using strong, positive text. The use of steel references the industrial heritage of the city, and the clean simple lines, add to the positive and clear message that the sculpture conveys. I also recognise the hard work and negotiation that goes on behind the scenes in securing the removal of contentious murals and how the LSCA and the Re-imaging Fund have played a major role in continuing to address the issues surrounding paramilitary murals and slogans in a post conflict society.

The Re-imaging Programme is funded by the Shared Communities Consortium, led by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, and comprising OFMDFM, DSD, DCAL, Community Relations Council, PSNI, SOLACE (Society of Local Authority and Chief Executives), The Department of Justice, International Fund for Ireland and NI Housing Executive. The project was also assisted by Springvale Learning.

Mr Bob Collins has been announced as the new Chair of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland. His appointment was effective from December 2011 and runs for four years. Collins replaces outgoing chairman Rosemary Kelly OBE, and with the new Board, will oversee the Arts Council as the lead development agency for the arts in Northern Ireland.

Mr. Collins has been Chief Commissioner of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland since August 2005. He is also Chair of the Broadcasting Authority Ireland and was previously employed as Director-General at RTE. He will join the Arts Council Board, along with five other newly appointed board members.

In addition, six new board members have been appointed to serve on the Board: Bob Collins (Chair), David Alderdice, Anna Carragher, Noelle McAlinden, Katherine McCloskey and Paul Mullan

They will be joined by reappointed members: : Damien Coyle, Vice-Chairman, Paul Seawright, Professor Ian Montgomery, David Irvine, Janine Walker and Brian Sore.

Council members have been appointed for four years to the end of November 2015.

Visual Artists Ireland today announced the expansion of support services for professional visual artists in Northern Ireland.  First established in 1980, Visual Artists Ireland is the representative and support body for professional visual artists in Ireland.  Building upon the support shown by The Arts Council of Northern Ireland, VAI has consistently looked at the needs of artists and delivers services to support art makers in their careers in a timely and efficient manner.

Under the title “for Visual Artists in Northern Ireland” the new services include a dedicated new website http://www.visualartists-ni.org which provides information on visual arts events and opportunities in Northern Ireland, other parts of the UK, and internationally.  The site also contains knowledge and support on a variety of legal, financial and career matters that have been developed in partnership with Artquest (London).  It is accompanied by a new Twitter service #4VisArtsNI so that the public can keep up to date on the visual arts.

Also announced today are a series of new initiatives such as affordable insurance for artists, an international studio exchange programme, as well as equipment hire facilities and a professional development programme platform. VAI is pleased to be working with Belfast Exposed and the Digital Artists Studios, Belfast on the project.  Further partner organisations and existing services are contained on the website.

To mark the occasion, Visual Artists Ireland in partnership with the Digital Artists Studios are happy to announce a New Media Residency for Northern Ireland Artists.  Further details of this will be released later in the year in the form of a call for applications.