Northern Ireland

Context

The creative and cultural industries have experienced rapid growth in the UK over the last ten years, which has begun to focus government's attention on the industries. In terms of policy development and action and on the role of creativity and innovation in business and the economy. In Northern Ireland a Creative Industries Strategy is underway, supported by a Creativity Seed fund of £5m to assist in the development of the creative industries.

If we are successful, by 2020 parents' faces will not fall when their little Shirley says she wants to go on the stage or their wee Liam declares he's going to be an artist. They'll know that there is a good pathway into self employment and paid work in the creative industries and that great systems exist to support and develop talent, continuously. Indeed, as regular volunteers with the local drama festival, the parents opened the door to the arts for their children, Shirley learning so much volunteering as stage manager and Liam building up his portfolio as set designer. This voluntary experience was captured in NVQ s and so laid a foundation for their future arts education and creative careers.
— Brenda Kent, Voluntary Arts Ireland

Key facts from Northern Ireland (pdf)

Creative & Cultural Skills: Working in Northern Ireland

Creative Apprenticeships
A new framework of apprenticeships will be designed, informed by industry, and submitted to the 'Training for Success' scheme in mid-2008. Working with employers, stakeholders and colleges we plan to launch the apprenticeships in April 2009 for September 2009 intake.

Creative and Cultural Leadership
Creative & Cultural Skills and employers/practitioners are currently designing a programme for our sectors with the Scottish Leadership Foundation to be launched in June 2008. We will explore the potential for this programme to be adapted and delivered in Northern Ireland. Arts Council NI has committed to support the programme with a bursary fund.

Creative Choices - Information, Advice and Guidance
Our website Creative Choices www.creative-choices.co.uk has an embedded course search for Northern Irish courses provided by Careers Service Northern Ireland and provides information from employers and practitioners about how to gain the skills you need to work in the creative and cultural industries. To support this in Northern Ireland, Creative & Cultural Skills is working with Careers Service NI to deliver a rolling programme of industry-led careers seminars to careers advisers. With our employers and the LSDA we are developing a Lecturers into Industry programme to allow lecturers to spend up to six months with an employer working on a significant project.

Creative Industries Strategy
Creative & Cultural Skills, Skillset and Skillfast have inputted to the strategy led by a working group created by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure. The Northern Ireland Employers Group also shared their ideas and experience with the Minister to illustrate the needs of the sector and how best to support their development. Creative & Cultural Skills and the other SSCs are members of the working group enacting the plan for developing the creative industries in Northern Ireland.

Other Projects
National Skills Academy links - We will undertake a consultation with industry in Northern Ireland in mid 2008 to explore potential links to the proposed NSA in Thurrock and to the proposed plans for the Kings Theatre in Edinburgh.

Arts Council supported companies - we are planning a skills audit of the funded companies to assist us as partners in establishing a joint skills strategy and action plan.