Lisburn Arts Advisory Committee

Operating for over 30 years, Lisburn Arts Advisory Committee was created as a forum open to all people who understand the importance of the arts within a community and have a desire to further the advancement of the arts in Lisburn City.

Our mission is to provide support, leadership and advocacy that cultivates a vital and accessible arts environment in which creativity and excellence can flourish.  Lisburn Arts Advisory Committee encourages the broadest definition of the arts and great diversity of artistic styles and genres, bearing in mind their appropriateness for the community and seeks to expose the residents of Lisburn City to the arts and encourage their participation and/or audience in exhibitions and performances.

Formerly known as Lisburn Arts Advisory Council, a new name and constitution was adopted in October 1999 and whilst many LAAC core members (including founder members) were retained, additional members joined this new body bringing with them a wide range of expertise and knowledge.

LAAC membership is made up of not more than 20 citizen volunteers who act as a forum for local arts and to advise Lisburn City Council and who are elected at an Annual General Meeting from one of the 3 categories listed below.

The 3 categories are:    

(1) Practising Professional Artists
(2) Member from an Arts Organisations
(3) Proven Reputation in the Arts

All LAAC members have expertise in professional and community arts and reflect the full range and diversity of Lisburn's citizens.  The full Committee Membership consists of three Sub-Committees as follows:

• A Performing Arts Panel
• A Creative Arts Panel
• A Working Sub-Committee

Lisburn Arts Advisory Committee's core purpose is as follows:

• To act as an advisory panel of relevant and experienced local arts representatives to assist Lisburn City Council with the assessment of arts grant applications from its annual grant allocation.
• To act as a forum for local arts and to advise Lisburn City Council, through the Leisure Services Committee, of the collective opinions of local arts interest when required.
• To advise Lisburn City Council ways in which existing facilities in the City of Lisburn could be used more effectively and to publicise the arts in all ways possible in co-operation with Lisburn City Council and other interested bodies.

The committee is planning and coordinating another very successful year and all are most welcome to participate in LAAC events and activities and offer any communications to the Committee.  Full monthly meetings are held at Island Arts Centre the third Wednesday of the month, except July and August, from 7pm – 9.30pm.

Lisburn Arts Advisory Committee thanks Lisburn City Council for its continued support of the arts through its funding and administrative support of the Committee. Thanks also goes to the continued support and hard work provided by all Council staff involved with this committee.

Other activities of Lisburn Arts Advisory Committee include:

• Bi-annual Anna Cheyne Public Art Memorial Award

• Annual Schools Art Competition

For further information on becoming a part of the committee's activities, please contact Lynda McCord, Arts Administration Assistant, Island Arts Centre, T: 028 92 509509. 

We look forward to hearing from you.

Stephen McLoughlin, Chairman
Lisburn Arts Advisory Committee