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20/09/2011
Calling all schools…
Poetry in Motion Schools is Community Arts Partnership’s innovative literary programme for primary, secondary and special schools.
The programme aims to develop the creative abilities of young people and enable their poetic voice through language and image. We achieve this through workshops conducted in schools by published/producing poets most of whom have a wealth of experience in working with young people, helping to foster creativity.

Schools across Northern Ireland are now invited to participate in the next programme by returning an application form.
Places are limited to twenty schools. In order to avail of this opportunity, we advise that you return the form as soon as possible.
Simply complete the short form available by clicking here and send back to us by:-

• Post to Community Arts Partnership, 3-5 Commercial Court, Belfast BT1 2NB; or

• Email to chelley@newbelfastarts.org

Closing date for application is Wednesday 28 September

08/08/2011
Community Arts Partnership – a new name, new office and a fresh start
Earlier this year the Community Arts Forum and New Belfast Community Arts Initiative announced they were to embark on a merger process.

The new name for the merged organisation will be Community Arts Partnership.

At the heart of the decision to merge was a passionate belief in community arts and commitment to supporting the sector and engaging with communities.

Consultation about the vision and future plans for the new organisation is ongoing. A full strategy, vision and programme of work will be announced as part of the official launch next month. Watch this space for more information.

We’ve moved!
Our new office is now based at 3-5 Commercial Court, Belfast, BT1 2NB. Contact numbers and email addresses remain the same.

21/06/2011
Countdown to CAF closure/merger with New Belfast - a thank you to the staff


As CAF moves towards a merger with New Belfast Community Arts Initiative, the CAW would like to acknowledge the work of the staff teams past and present.

Current staff (in order of time with the organisation) are:

Kate Muldoon (1993-2001) - Finance and administration manager
Kate has been involved with CAF since the beginning, first as a volunteer and subsequently as an employee. She was with the organisation when it was based in Hector Street and moved to the current premises in Church Street.

A community writer of considerable standing, Kate has written several community theatre pieces during her time at CAF including Time After Time, a story of women’s lives through Belfast’s troubled decades performed as part of Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival.

When not writing, Kate dealt with CAF figures, developing budgets and monitoring all the money which became increasingly complicated over the 18 year period.

Kate is planning to retire when the organisation closes. Her retirement will, however, be active as she is planning to deliver writing courses with community groups and keep the community arts flag flying.

Patricia McLaughlin (1993-2001) - Cleaner
Patricia has also worked at CAF since the beginning. Over the past 18 years, she has made sure that staff have a clean office to work in. Our favourite community arts cleaner, she is also employed by Belfast Community Circus.

Speaking of her time at CAF, Patricia said, “I’ve enjoyed my time at CAF and met some great people – even some celebrities! It’s always been a very friendly office to work in with some great parties! I’ll miss the people I’ve got to know over the years. I wish everyone all the best for the future.

Patricia is planning to continue working at Belfast Community Circus when CAF closes.

Heather Floyd (1999-2011) - Director
Heather came to CAF as training officer from Shankill Women’s Centre in 1999. As training officer, she delivered a full time community arts training programme. When Martin Lynch left CAF in 2001 to pursue his writing career, Heather was recruited for the post of director. During her time as director, Heather oversaw the 2005 and 2006 international conferences, the Peace 11 Active Citizenship programme, the all Ireland publication An Outburst of Frankness and the research project. She is working on a closing publication for the organisation.

When she leaves CAF, Heather is heading for a yoga retreat (from which she may never return) She says she needs respite after all those funding and monitoring forms she’s completed over the last 11 years! She hopes when she leaves CAF never have to look at another funding application again...

Caragh O’Donnell (2007-2011) - Information officer
Caragh came to CAF with a background in publications for Women’s Aid and freelance arts work. She started first as information assistant in 2007 and was recruited as information officer in 2008 when her predecessor Chris Ball left CAF to start a new life across the Atlantic Ocean. Caragh has worked on a dozen publications and produced weekly and monthly e-newsletters. She is currently working on a publication to mark the closing of the organisation.

Caragh will join the new organisation as information officer. CAF believes her high level of skills will greatly enhance the new organisation and bring continuity in terms of written material.

Ryan O’Reilly (2009-2011) - Information assistant
Ryan came to CAF from a graphic design background. He has work on the design of all CAF materials in the last 2 years, including 6 newsletters, the web site and promotional materials.

Ryan has several freelance projects planned for when he leaves CAF. CAF believes organisations he is moving onto will benefit greatly from his superb design skills.

Previous CAF staff (in date order)
Martin Lynch – director/previously co-ordinator & development worker (1993-2001)
Sandy Hutchinson – development worker (1993-1994)
Patrick McCooey – development worker (1994-1997)
Ali Fitzgibbon – 1994
Damina Mills – admin assistant (1995-1997)
Maureen Harkins – development officer/ formerly
assistant development officer, receptionist (1995-2008)
Joan Reid – information officer (1998-2002)
Pauline Hadaway – development officer (1998-2000)
Cathy Gallagher - (2000-2001)
Chris Ball – information officer (2002-2008)
Patricia Freedman – conference co-ordinator (2005-2006)
Niamh Flanaghan – acting development officer/formerly conference assistant (2006-2008)
Nick Mack - researcher (2009-2011)

Many, many thanks to all these staff and all the staff who have been involved in CAF since the beginning. All have contributed to the work of the organisation and the community arts sector. Special mention must also be given to the first director Martin Lynch who put the organisation on the map and raised awareness about community arts across the region.

14/06/2011
Countdown to CAF closure/merger
In March of this year the Community Arts Forum (CAF) and New Belfast Community Arts Initiative announced they would be merging to form a new organisation.

This process is now underway. After 18 years of operation, CAF will formally close at the end of this month.

Over the coming weeks, we'll be taking a look back at CAF's work, achievements and saying goodbye to valued staff members.



CAF and lobbying: A voice for community arts
One of the key reasons for the formation of CAF was to advocate for community arts, lobbying government and funders to support this work and encourage debate and sharing about the importance of allowing all sections of society to access the arts.

A passion for making it possible for people of all sections of society to become involved in the arts, and for this access to recognised as a right, was the driving force for establishing CAF.

CAF wanted government support, and crucially funding, to address socio-economic, cultural and other barriers to accessing and most importantly actively participating in the arts.

CAF’s lobbying work and achievements over the years has included:

• Tirelessly lobbying the Arts Council of Northern Ireland throughout the early years of CAF to increase the amount allocated to community arts.

• Organising a rally in 2000 through Belfast City Centre to the newly created Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure offices for increased support of community arts.

• By 2001 – when a new chief executive to ACNI was appointed – communities and community arts were high up on the agenda and a commitment was made to support access and participation.

• As Northern Ireland moved to a devolved assembly, continuously meeting with and lobbying local MLAs and councilors to raise awareness of community arts and the need for support.

• In 2007, CAF was central to the coordination of a campaign to increase the allocation to the arts. The Invest in Inspiration campaign culminated in a rally to Stormont and resulted in acknowledgement of the strength of the campaign by first minister Peter Robinson and promise to increase funding for the arts for the next three years.

• In 2009, the assembly announced an enquiry into funding the arts locally looking at a number of factors, including support for work in areas of social disadvantage. CAF made written and verbal submissions. The final report made a series of recommendations including one to increase funding support to arts work in communities.

Since the early 1990s when CAF was formed, the language of community arts – access, authorship, participation and ownership – has become much more widely used throughout the arts. Many local councils now employ community arts officers and key funders incorporate community arts into their strategy and funding programmes.

The need for community arts lobbying is perennial, and will continue to be vital as the impact of the global recession is felt at a regional and local level.

More information on the merger will be available over the coming months. A publication is also being compiled and will be launched later in the year.

07/06/2011
CAF AND NEW BELFAST TO MERGE
When The Arts Council of Northern Ireland's (ACNI) ASOP programme (annual core funding) opened last year, ACNI made clear that it would be prioritising service delivery organisations over umbrella groups.

The threat of a complete loss of funding and subsequent closure of the Community Arts Forum (CAF) was a real and imminent possibility. At that point, the board of the CAF decided to explore the possibility of saving services through a merger.

New Belfast Community Arts Initiative, an organisation that initially developed from CAF 11 years ago, agreed to partner this development and co-operatively develop a merger process. The maintenance of services to the community arts sector was the primary objective of both organisations.

The resulting merger-plan aims to combine the strengths of CAF’s advocacy, lobbying, training and information services with New Belfast’s multi-disciplinary workshop programmes and build on the legacy of both.

This plan was applied for through the ASOP programme and ACNI have indicated their support through this week’s funding announcement.

This newly merged organisation will maintain and strengthen community arts provision across Northern Ireland and explore and forge new partnerships locally, nationally and internationally.

But unfortunately there is a price to be paid. Valued members of staff will now face redundancy. This has been unavoidable and is a deeply regretted consequence of this process. The stark alternative was the loss of all services and staff.

In light of the difficulties and challenges of this transition, CAF and New Belfast will be sharing this learning through a series of seminars and publications later in the year.

Further information about the merger process will be released in the coming months.

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