Mr. John D. TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the present level of co-operation between the Northern Ireland Arts Council and the equivalent bodies in(a) Scotland and (b) the Republic of Ireland; and what proposals there are to improve co-operation with these two bodies.
§ Mr. AncramThe chairman and chief executive of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland usually meet their counterparts from the Scottish Arts Council and the other two arts councils in the United Kingdom twice a year to discuss matters of common interest. The chief executives of the arts councils in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales also meet annually.
Officers of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the Scottish Arts Council are in frequent contact and co-operate on projects which extend to both territories.
The arts councils of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland hold annual meetings and have appointed a joint committee to explore cross-border initiatives. The two councils fund the Tyrone Guthrie centre and a European affairs officer and plan to appoint an arts co-operation officer.