Open Doors to Culture

OPEN DOORS TO CULTURE CAUSEWAY COAST & GLENS BOROUGH COUNCIL CULTURE, ARTS AND HERITAGE STRATEGY 2016 – 2021 2 CONTENTS 3 Contents Executive Summary 4 Introduction 8 Culture, Arts and Heritage Matter 10 Strategic Context 12 The Causeway Coast & Glens Context 14 Methodology 16 Consultation Findings 18 SWOT Analysis 24 Mission, Themes, Aims & Outcomes 26 Guiding Principles 28 Provision 2014-15 30 Action Plan 2016-19 32 APPENDICES Appendix 1: Socio & Economic Overview 40 Appendix 2: Public Responses to Consultation 44 Appendix 3: Full Strategic Context 50 Appendix 4: Cultural Venues 58 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 5 Executive Summary ulture, Arts and Heritage is Mountsandel. Portstewart boasts Trust cares for a number of world in an unprecedented way. and affordable cultural services, what we do that differentiates Northern Ireland’s first Arts Centre, famous tourist attractions in the including arts, museums and Cus as human beings. It’s what Flowerfield, and Limavady is home area including the Giant’s Causeway, Across the Council area, we have heritage. gives us our sense of who we are and to one of the newest centres, the Roe Northern Ireland’s only World unique and distinctive identities in what we value and our co-ordinates Valley Arts and Cultural Centre. We Heritage Site. each village, town and townland, It is generated from a wide-ranging in a bigger world. have five well established museums but we are also connected by the and inclusive consultation process which attract widespread support The Ulster University campus at stones beneath our feet and by that takes in the views, ideas and Causeway Coast and Glens Borough from the local community as well as Coleraine hosts the University’s many interconnecting stories and aspirations of stakeholders from Council recognises the enormous international visitors. The Riverside humanities and languages, film identities. Through this strategy we community, cultural and related cultural, artistic and heritage assets Theatre, the first regional theatre and journalism, travel and tourism. celebrate our regional variations sectors. It also recognises the wider within its geographical area. In in Northern Ireland, is located in The School for Media, Film and and the unique aspects of each of policy environment, the full range August 2015 it commissioned Shona the borough as is Big Telly Theatre Journalism has an unrivalled our component parts, whilst seeking of cultural assets, existing and McCarthy Consulting to facilitate Company, the only professional reputation for innovation in new ways to create greater connection, possible partnerships, and specific the process of developing a 5 year regional theatre company in Northern technologies and processes. understanding and benefit for the stakeholder agencies. Integrated Culture, Arts & Heritage Ireland outside of Belfast. Ireland’s This resource, coupled with the whole region. Strategy to cover the period 2016 – oldest Fair (The Auld Lammas Fair) location of the Project Kelvin hub The desired outcomes for the 2021 and 3 year Action Plan 2016-19. is held annually in Ballycastle, and in the North Coast region, is a key WHERE WE ARE NOW strategy as identified by Causeway Ballymoney hosts the longest running asset for the Digital North Coast In recognition of the stringent Coast and Glens Borough Council are This strategy represents an drama festival in Ireland. There are a initiative and provides a resource economic environment, as well as as follows: opportunity to recognise, invest wide range of excellent community for innovation, skills development, the different levels of arts, culture • Strengthening of the culture, arts in and grow the cultural capital of led festivals including the Danny Boy student placements and profiling the and heritage service provision and heritage infrastructure the Causeway Coast and Glens for Jazz and Blues Festival, the Heart region as a centre of creative media available within its geographic area, across the Causeway Coast and the good of its citizens and those of the Glens Festival and Stendhal excellence. the Council sees the imperative Glens Borough Council area who visit. We have arts centres and Festival of Art. The area stages to innovate and bring new ways • Promotion of the cultural profile museums; festivals and artists; prestigious sporting events including The borough is also home to two of working that will have the dual of the Causeway Coast and Glens dancers and literature; heritage, the North West 200 Motorcycle Race, Further Education Colleges – the impact of making best possible use Borough Council area on a local, artefacts and stories; creative projects the Northern Ireland International North West Regional College in of resources whilst ensuring equality regional, national and and people; talent and traditions; Airshow and the NI Milk Cup, which is Limavady and the Northern Regional of access. international scale language and artistic and historic the most prestigious youth football College which has a campus in both • Identification of key strategic riches; writers and story-tellers; myths tournament worldwide. Ballymoney and Coleraine. The The strategy and action plan creates themes and legends. We need to further Limavady college has a reputation a clear road map for culture that is • Stronger partnership working to develop and promote their enormous The area has pristine Blue Flag for excellence in visual arts, whilst authentic to the unique nature of deliver on agreed objectives value. beaches, championship golf courses Ballymoney is equally strong in the Council area, that is real and • Increased participation in culture, and views of Donegal to the north- dramatic and performing arts and deliverable and that maximizes arts and heritage activity The new Council area has a population west and Scotland to the north-east. music. the area’s opportunity to deliver on • Increased footfall to culture, arts of over 140,000 people and comprises The dramatic coastline is considered wider local, regional and national and heritage facilities The world famous Irish Open the four legacy Council areas of one of the most scenic in Europe strategies, not only cultural but • Acknowledgement, tournament was held in the Royal Ballymoney, Coleraine, Limavady stretching from Lough Foyle to the social and economic. Its primary understanding and active Portrush Golf Course back in 2012. and Moyle. The starting point of Glens of Antrim and Rathlin Island objective is to ensure that both promotion of the wider An even bigger event, the British human settlement in Ireland is in in the north, and south as far as the local ratepayers and visitors to the contribution and benefits of Open, will now be hosted in the town the Causeway Coast and Glens at Sperrin Mountains. The National area have continuous access to culture, arts and heritage in 2019, giving us the opportunity to high quality, accessible, inclusive towards: open the doors to our cultural riches 5 6 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 7 o Promoting equality and opportunities to promote our cultural tackling social exclusion credentials as part of the long-term Theme 1: Enhancing our cultural venues & assets o Promoting good relations, identity and appeal of this area. developing social capital Our mission statement and the five Strategic Aim: We will use our landscape and our cultural assets and activities to enable opportunities for both and encouraging community overarching themes set out the vision local people and visitors to participate in the culture, arts and heritage of the area. development for the Culture, Arts and Heritage o Improving the health and Strategy and Action Plan. well-being of the local Theme 2: Investing in creative learning & skills development community These themes were derived from o Contributing positively to the consultation process as well Strategic Aim: We will support the creative development of our young people and our creative practitioners economic regeneration and as research into the needs of the through training, skills development and providing opportunities to showcase work. the tourism product area and fit with the wider strategic o Skills development, education context. and life-long learning Theme 3: History, heritage and cultural tourism o Promoting citizenship and MISSION civic pride Develop Culture, Arts and Heritage Strategic Aim: We will promote a sense of pride, identity and deeper understanding of our area by bringing o Maximising the unique selling to deliver health, wealth and together the many stories, histories, identities and languages. points of the Causeway Coast happiness. and Glens Borough Council This mission will deliver on the area Council’s corporate vision which is to Theme 4: Participation, inclusion and equality “maximise the benefits of our unique This work builds on the strong location and landscape by providing Strategic Aim: We will ensure increased access to and participation in culture, arts and heritage to marginalised foundations set in place by the former ambitious, accessible, innovative and and excluded groups (including section 75 groups). legacy councils and their arts and efficient services which fulfil customer heritage teams. It brings together expectations”. the potential of our cultural activities Theme 5: Communication and advocacy and assets across the borough. Our FIVE CORE THEMES new vision sets out a framework for 1. Enhancing our cultural venues & Strategic Aim: We will engage effectively with a wide range of stakeholders to both increase participation in cultural activity and development that assets cultural activity and to strengthen the cultural infrastructure within the area. We will raise greater awareness of will connect, galvanise, create shared 2. Investing in creative learning & culture, arts and heritage within the Causeway Coast and Glens area. goals and will be borough-wide. skills development 3. History, heritage and cultural MISSION, THEMES & STRATEGIC tourism HIGH LEVEL OUTCOMES AIMS 4. Participation, inclusion and 1. Our cultural life will reflect our world-class reputation as an area of natural beauty This is a time of great change across equality 2. Increased access to and participation in cultural activities and events public administration in Northern 5.

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