Arts excellence at every level in Northern Ireland

UUP MLA Danny Kinahan, speaking following the presentation of a report on the Inquiry into the Funding of the Arts in Northern Ireland, emphasised the important and "vital role" played in society by the arts, and called for innovation in funding.

"We must encourage everyone to get involved in the arts and to look at novel ways of helping, whether it be through European funding, tax breaks or other methods, and I thank the organisations that do that at the moment.

"We must ensure that funding for the arts is smooth, that it keeps going and that it can be relied on. However, more importantly, there must be a great deal of funding for all levels of the arts. Although we are in the middle of the credit crunch, we must try to hold on to funding and improve it where possible," the South Antrim MLA said.

"Excellence must be promoted at all levels of art, but there must be a system at every level to promote it throughout society.

"I will give two examples of excellence in the picture world. On entering the Senate Chamber, one sees the portrait by William Conor on the left. His master once caught him drawing on a wall, but, instead of punishing him, he sent him to have drawing lessons. His teacher realised how good an artist he was and promoted that.

"The second example is John Luke. Had it not been for shipbuilding and the other industries here, we might never have had John Luke, who was a painter at Harland and Wolff. He painted fantastic murals in the City Hall and other buildings.

"Every area of the arts needs finance. There needs to be excellence in the arts, and we need support from and for everybody."