Item/Min Ref: Title of Report: Officer presenting: Director of Health & Building Peace Through Community The Arts – Re-Imaging Communities Author: Community Services Manager

1. Purpose of Report / Recommendations

1.1 To inform members of the public art project previously managed by District Council with grant support from the Arts Council for Northern .

1.2 To confirm members’ support for the Building Through The Arts Re- Imaging Communities Project and seek members’ approval to submit a Stage 2 application to the Arts Council for .

2. Background

2.1 The Re-Imaging Communities Project is designed to use creative arts processes and the installation of public artworks to help create inclusive, safer neighbourhoods which are free from visible signs of sectarianism and racism. The themes within this programme are community cohesion, regeneration through the arts, positive relations at the local level, peace and reconciliation and connecting communities.

2.2 This project has been developed by Strabane District Council in partnership with the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and local community groups from , Donemana, and Strabane Town.

2.3 Strabane District Council was successful in securing Stage 1 funding under the Building Peace Through The Arts Re-Imaging Communities Programme for the first phase of the project which was to undertake a community consultation/ design process that will lead to the commissioning of public artworks in the target areas.

2.4 Expressions of Interest were sought from artists to deliver a piece of public art within the four locations identified within Castlederg, Donemana, Magheramason and Strabane Town.

2.5 Three shortlisted artists per each geographical area were invited to present their proposals to the selection panel, comprising officials from ACNI, Council, NIHE and community representatives. The proposals included sketch designs, illustrations and/or a maquette as well as an explanation of the concept for the artwork, how it relates to the themes and how the artist/artist team would approach its design, fabrication and installation.

2.6 As a result the following four art pieces are recommended:

LOCATION TITLE ARTIST Castlederg ‘Wavelength’ Compast Glass North & Ballinliss Forge Works Donemana ‘The Hooley’ Red Apple Arts Magheramason ‘Catch a Falling Star’ Michael Disley Strabane ‘The Long Boat’ Maurice Harron

3 Key Issues

3.1 Based on advice from The Arts Council for Northern Ireland an indicative budget for the artwork for the four locations is as follows:

Castlederg £25,000 Donemana £20,000 Magheramason £25,000 Strabane Town £50,000 TOTAL: £120,000

3.2 The Arts Council for Northern Ireland has confirmed that the next round of Public Arts Funding will not open until January 2016.

4 Financial and Other Implications

4.1 Based on the successful design concepts, attached as Appendix 1, a Stage 2 application will be submitted to the Arts Council for Northern Ireland for the total amount of the four public art pieces estimated at £120,000. In the interim if any other funding opportunities such as Neighbourhood Renewal, Rural Development, are identified these will be pursued accordingly.

5 Recommendations

5.1 To approve the four art pieces as recommended by the Selection Panel. 5.2 To approve the submission of a Stage 2 application from District Council to the Arts Council for Northern Ireland under the Building Through the Arts – Re-Imaging Communities Programme or alternative programmes for the production and installation of four pieces of artwork within identified locations within Castlederg, Donemana, Magheramason and Strabane Town.

6 Background Papers

Appendix 1: Successful Design Concepts