Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister for Communities to detail any steps his Department is taking to support creative industries.
Minister for Communities: My Department delivers its support to the creative industries primarily through its sponsorship and funding of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
The Arts Council’s role in supporting the creative and cultural infrastructure in Northern Ireland goes beyond long-standing and well-established creative enterprises across the arts. In recent years it has played an increasing role in the development of digital and screen arts, including through interventions like the Digital Evolution Awards, Northern Ireland-based industry showcases and festivals and UK-wide programmes.
The Department also provides support to Future Screens NI, which offers grant-funding, skills development, and networking opportunities to businesses operating within the creative industries sector.
In partnership with the Department for the Economy, which has responsibility for the industry and commercial aspects of the creative industries, and particularly the screen industries, my Department provides funding to Northern Ireland Screen. This funding supports a range of film archive, exhibition and cultural programmes together with an extensive and ground-breaking screen and digital education programme delivered in schools and youth settings along with career focussed, work experience opportunities.
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