With the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) asking organisations that are funded through Northern Ireland Screen to prepare for a 50% cut in funding as part of the 2015/16 Northern Ireland Executive Draft Budget, IFTN spoke to several of the potentially affected companies about the proposed cuts.
Northern Ireland Screen supports many of Northern Ireland's best known Film Exhibition and Film Education organisations including Belfast Film Festival, Queen's Film Theatre, Foyle Film Festival, Nerve Centre, Cinemagic, and INTO Film Club.
The Nerve Centre in Derry~Londonderry is a leading creative media arts centre in Northern Ireland and runs the annual Oscar-affiliated Foyle Film Festival. Pearse Moore, Nerve Centre chief executive said: ‘The Nerve Centre’s work in the area of creative learning and film education impacted on over 30,000 last year, including teachers, youth leaders and young people, 80% of whom are from disadvantaged communities in Northern Ireland. The proposed 50% cuts will have a devastating impact on these ground breaking programmes including the Nerve Centre’s hugely popular Foyle Film Festival, Northern Ireland’s only Oscar-affiliated film festival.’
He continued: ‘The campaign has been widely supported by major names in film, such as Paul Greengrass, Danny Boyle and Ray Winstone but we're asking everyone to get behind it now and have their say, before it's too late.’
Another company staunchly opposed to the proposed cuts is Cinemagic, an award winning festival that embraces film, television and digital technologies to educate and motivate young people through film screenings, industry workshops, practical masterclasses, filmmaking projects and outreach activities.
Joan Burney Keatings, Cinemagic Chief Executive said: ‘The impact of the proposed 50% funding cuts will be far reaching with a minimum of 20,000-40,000 young people being affected. Cinemagic would have to dramatically reduce the scope and scale of its work including its exhibition activity, education, outreach and community programmes, events for young filmmakers, After School Film Clubs, masterclasses and workshops all of which are an invaluable resource to young people and educators and target social need.’
She continued: ‘The creative industries in Northern Ireland are currently being celebrated on a world stage and the proposed funding cuts will threaten Cinemagic’s role in enabling young people to engage with and experience film and film culture. Cinemagic is a key vehicle in educating, inspiring and motivating young people, providing skills-based opportunities that are transferrable in the classroom and the future workplace, and providing specific opportunities for those wishing to learn about or forge a career in the film and television industry.’
The announcement of the Draft Budget marked the commencement of a public consultation period, the closing date for which is 29 December 2014.
To object to the planned cuts or to submit your comments, click here.
