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06 Sept 2025

Calls for Executive Office to reinstate funding to Greater Shantallow Community Arts organisation

'Decision impacts employment, access to arts and culture and makes absolutely no sense' - Cllr Shaun Harkin

Calls for Executive Office to reinstate funding to Greater Shantallow Community Arts organisation

Calls for Executive Office to reinstate funding to Greater Shantallow Community Arts organisation.

Reporter:

Staff Reporter

26 May 2025 8:00 PM

Email:

news@derrynow.com

Derry City and Strabane District councillor Shaun Harkin (People Before Profit) has called for the Executive Office (TEO) to reinstate funding cut from the Greater Shantallow Community Arts organisation.
Cllr Harkin added: "Stormont should properly fund Greater Shantallow Community Arts (GSCA) and arts organisations to help them flourish, instead of providing handouts to arms manufacturers complicit with genocide and corporations like BT Group who sack long-serving workers to drive up profits."
"TEO funding cut to Greater Shantallow Community Arts should be immediately reinstated. The decision impacts employment, access to arts and culture and makes absolutely no sense. 
"Together: Building United Communities" projects organised by GSCA have been praised as vital and hugely successful, including by Stormont Ministers. The Good Relations work GSCA does with young people is well documented. Cutting this programme, when we have witnessed recent sectarian violence among young people, is completely illogical. 
"Once again, all the talk about addressing regional disparity in funding for the Arts in Derry and the North West appears to be lip service. The funding cuts to GSCA, Echo Echo, the Northlands Centre and the closure of the British Telecom Derry office demonstrate decision makers at a government and corporate level are completely out of touch with communities and workers.  Existing Arts and Culture funding is unequally distributed, with Derry and the North West losing out," said Cllr Harkin.
Cllr Harkin added that the Stormont Executive talked about the importance of the Arts sector but did not  fund it properly.
"The Arts are always first in line for cuts, as if it's a luxury instead of a huge source of employment and vital contributor to every aspect of society," he said.
"We also have to contend with a political and economic system that facilitates the transfer of more and more wealth into the bank accounts of a few individuals.
"Stormont should properly fund GSCA and Arts organisations to help them flourish, instead of providing handouts to arms manufacturers complicit with genocide and corporations like BT Group who sack long-serving workers to drive up profits. 
"The funding cut to GSCA must be reversed and can be reversed."

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