100 signatures reached
To: The Northern Ireland Assembly
Save the Arts: Letter of No Confidence in Communities Minister Gordon Lyons
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Letter of No Confidence in Minister for Communities Gordon Lyons
We, the undersigned, express our profound lack of confidence in Gordon Lyons MLA in his capacity as Minister for Communities, due to his continued failure to provide the leadership, strategic direction and sustainable investment required to protect and develop Northern Ireland’s arts and cultural sector.
The arts are a fundamental public good, making a significant contribution to education, health and wellbeing, community cohesion, tourism, employment and economic development – bringing national and international focus to Northern Ireland’s cultural identity and wealth of talent.
Despite these benefits, the sector has faced severe, financial instability leading to the loss of jobs, work, opportunities and access. This has also had, and continues to have, a huge impact on the ability to future-proof Northern Ireland arts provision for all members of our communities.
We therefore call upon the Northern Ireland Assembly to recognise the Minister’s failure to provide effective political leadership, to take steps to ensure the delivery of the long-promised Arts Policy and to provide sustainable investment to secure the future of Northern Ireland’s arts and cultural sector.
Signed:
Equity
Signed:
Equity
Irish Equity
Northern Ireland Committee - Irish Congress of Trade Unions
Northern Ireland Committee - Irish Congress of Trade Unions
Prime Cut Productions
The Belfast Ensemble
The Belfast Ensemble
Brassneck Theatre Productions
Kabosh Theatre Company
Bruiser Theatre Company
Dylan Quinn Dance Theatre
Dylan Quinn Dance Theatre
AND MORE...
Why is this important?
Gordon Lyons was appointed Communities Minister – a role which covers arts and culture – in February 2024.
The Arts Council Northern Ireland provided a 10-year plan for the arts between 2024-2034, which the Communities Minister chose not to sign off.
In 2025, the ACNI stated that “The arts budget continues to present significant challenges to the sector and to the Arts Council’s ability to meet the needs of artists, arts organisations and their audiences.”
In 2025, the Minister promised an Arts Policy. On 3 July 2025 the Committee for Communities also requested that the Minister create an arts and culture strategy and secure proper funding for the arts. This has not taken place.
A budget of £21.27 million for 2026/27 is the level identified by ACNI in February 2026 as necessary to stabilise core infrastructure, strengthen support for individual artists, improve regional distribution and enhance organisational capacity.
At just £5.07 per head in 2023/24, Northern Ireland Arts Council (ACNI) receives the lowest per capita arts council funding of anywhere in the UK - less than half that of the second-lowest, Wales.
A real-terms cut of almost 40% to Arts Council Northern Ireland funding over the past 10 years has deeply impacted artists, producers and communities.