Belfast City Council published their Cultural Framework for Belfast 2012-15 in June. A consultation process subsequently took place over the Summer where the Council sought views on the document and encouraged anyone interested in culture, arts and heritage in Belfast to share their views. This included workshops and feedback sessions and even a chance for organisations to provide feedback to Belfast City Councillors.
The vision of the new framework is:
By 2020, everyone in Belfast experiences and is inspired by our city’s vibrant and distinctive culture and arts. Arts and heritage are valued for enriching quality of life and creating wealth, and the city’s culture and creativity is renowned throughout the world.
The new cultural framework for Belfast builds on work started in 2003 and further developed under the Council’s Integrated Cultural Strategy 2007-10. The strategy sets out a framework for the next three years to help create a joined-up approach to the development of Belfast’s cultural sectors.
The strategy focuses on:
- strengthening cultural leadership
- profiling Belfast’s unique cultural assets
- providing stronger advocacy in support of culture
- encouraging a greater emphasis on social inclusion through audience development
- promoting an investment model of support for the sector to increase income generation and stability.
It demonstrates a commitment from the city’s major cultural organisations and public bodies to work towards a shared vision for the development of the cultural offer in the city. It also examines how this shared vision can best be achieved within the available structures and resources.
Belfast City Council are are now reviewing the results on the consultation and agreeing to the policy. They hope to publish copies of responses to the consultation and the final Cultural Framework on in October 2012.
read CAP Response to BCC Cultural Framework for Belfast 2012-15 (DOC)
