Speaking at the event, Minister Poots said: “Arts and culture have a critical role to play in rebuilding individuals and communities. Arts can help to strengthen the spirit and build pride in a place. It helps people to understand and move forward, to rebuild relationships and help to deliver positive change, like that occurring through Omagh’s regeneration plans.
“The Strule Arts Centre is an example of a regeneration initiative which places arts and culture at the centre of social, cultural and economic regeneration in Northern Ireland. Having a strong infrastructure in place, such as this facility, for our creative people to develop and grow is the first step in the process.
The Minister concluded: “In this regard, I am delighted to be able to announce the total resource spend available for arts for the incoming year will be in the region of £17million with further uplifts in years two and three, taking annual spending to almost £20million by 2010/11.”
The Strule Arts Centre is part of a major urban regeneration scheme to transform the riverbank and surrounding area, creating civic spaces, walkways and a pedestrian bridge across the river, to link up with the Further Education College on the other side.
Also speaking at the event, Minister Ritchie congratulated everyone involved, and said: “The opening up of backland sites and the assembly of land to provide new opportunities for development, is a prime objective of DSD to support town centre developments.
“DSD works with local councils and the private sector to help develop our towns and cities and to make them attractive places in which to live and invest. It prepares them to compete with towns elsewhere in Ireland or the rest of the UK, in a modern and fast changing world.”
The Minister went on to congratulate her colleagues in DCAL and the Arts Council for their support for the Arts Centre, and to commend Omagh District Council for its vision in bringing forward such a magnificent development.
Notes to Editors:
- The cost of the project is in excess of £11million which includes £4million from Arts Council NI and £3.1million from DSD.
- All media enquiries to DCAL Press Office on 028 9025 8901 or email press.office@dcalni.gov.uk.
