Inquiry into the funding of the Arts in Northern Ireland - Terms of reference

1. To compare the per capita spend on the arts in Northern Ireland with that of other European countries/regions, and to establish the rationale which other countries/regions have used in order to increase their spend on the arts.
2. To explore innovative approaches of sourcing additional funding across the arts sector, including reviewing models of best practice that exist elsewhere.
3. To carry out a stocktake of the research which has been carried out to date, regarding the measurement of the economic and social benefits of investing in the arts.
4. To examine how those organisations which provide public funding to the arts in Northern Ireland allocate their funding across the various art forms, and to consider whether the method of allocation sufficiently takes into account the need to:
   a) find a balance between the community and professional arts sectors;
   b) target social need;
   c) encourage community regeneration; and
   d) engage with communities which have historically found it difficult to develop an arts infrastructure and therefore access arts funding.
5. 5. To compare those organisations which provide public funding to the arts in Northern Ireland with similar organisations across these islands, in terms of how they allocate funding across the various art forms.
6. To consider whether there are any art forms which are currently not receiving adequate funding, given their levels of participation and/or impact with regards to targeting social need and regenerating communities.
7. To report to the Assembly making recommendations to the Department and/or others.