Community Arts Partnership (CAP) welcomes the opportunity to contribute to this consultation. As a leading community arts organisation in Northern Ireland, we operate across a wide range of communities of place and interest, with a long-standing commitment to inclusive, participatory, and socially engaged practice.
We conducted two open consultation sessions to consider the implications of the Draft Budget 2025–26 and looked at the newly published Heritage, Culture and Creativity (HCC) Framework for context and guidance.
The voices we heard — from both individuals and organisations working at all scales — confirmed that the sector is at a critical inflection point. The fragility of the community and participatory arts landscape has deepened, and urgent strategic clarity and meaningful investment are required to prevent irreversible damage.
See full response at the link below.
