10th June 1998

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Details have been announced of an ambitious project, involving Co-operation North and the Arts Councils in Belfast and Dublin which could shortly become one of the most comprehensive banks of cultural information anywhere in the world.

Organizers of the mammoth project, which also involves staff at the University of Ulster, say it aims to provide in one location information about all cultural and artistic events taking place in Ireland at any given time.

Those who have been working on a pilot' project for the last nine months have put their efforts on show for the first time today.

Called ArtsPark, the project has used the Internet to provide an island-wide directory of cultural and artistic events.

Project Director, Lynda Henderson, says that at the moment it has centres in Northern Ireland and the six border counties in the Republic: Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Louth, Monaghan and Sligo.

"The project has involved forging alliances between groups for very different areas and with varying interests. So far more than 30 organizations have been involved, from Fermanagh Womens' Network to Cavan Museum," she said.

It is hoped that ArtsPark will play an important role in marketing a variety of projects and in offering a new service to the public:

"In some ways it will act as an information desk which will be open 24 hours a day. It means people do not have to queue for information and run the risk of having to rely on brochures which are out of date.

"ArtsPark will provide information that is not easily available elsewhere. If you want to check out samba dance in Drogheda or the cult music scene in Belfast, we have the information," explained Ms Henderson.

ArtsPark may well also help those directly involved in the creative aspect of cultural life:

"If writers want to talk to writers' organizations or if people organising shows want to discuss problems with those who have specialist knowledge, then ArtsPark is the place to do it," suggested Ms Henderson.

At present the system has established sixteen specially equipped centres where staff can give training to various arts and cultural groups on communicating through information technology.

"This is only the start. We have a long way to go," she said.

And speaking at the launch of the project, its Chairman, Sir George Quigley, has called for the arts sector to be properly integrated into a comprehensive economic development strategy. He said many people regard the contribution of the arts to the economy as residual:

"Broadly defined, they have a gross value or turnover in Northern Ireland of over £15 million and provide direct employment for more than 5,000 people and indirect jobs for almost 4,000.

"Greater awareness of the Arts' economic potential is needed not only at the level of central Government and the key agencies but at local level, where district councils are devising local economic development strategies," he said.

For further information, please contact:

Press Office Department of Communication and Development
Telephone: 028 9036 6178
Email: pressoffice@ulster.ac.uk