The Arts Council will publish its new, 10-year strategy in September, and bring it into effect from 1 January 2016, the government agency for funding and developing the arts has said.
Speaking after the Council’s June plenary meeting, Arts Council Director Orlaith McBride said the publication would represent an overarching strategy for 2016 to 2025, and outline a structure made up of a one-year plan commencing January 2016 followed by a series of three-year plans.
“For organisations supported through our three main grants programmes -- RFO, AP, and APG -- the window for applications will open in September as usual, however it will be for a 'nine-month funding year’, that is, programmes will be funded from April 2016 to December 2016,” she said.
“The new strategy will not have a direct effect on the applications by organisations for funding for their programmes for this 'short year', but will inform the Council’s overall investment strategy and strategic priorities for 2016,” she added.
Following the publication of the strategy, there will be a period of dialogue with stakeholders in the autumn. The focus of this will be on cross-cutting issues and policies, but also on individual art forms.
“This will afford the Arts Council and its stakeholders the opportunity to discuss the detailed implications of the strategy for each art form and area of arts practice, and will inform the first of the three-year plans,” Ms McBride said.
Details of the stakeholder dialogue, which is likely to include discussion in both online and traditional fora, will be announced in the autumn.
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