AQW 43159/11-15
Mr Robin Swann
Ulster Unionist Party
North Antrim
Tabled Date: 03/03/2015
Answered On Date: 20/03/2015
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister of Culture, Arts and Leisure for an update on her Department's support for MAGUS, given its current funding and remit comes to a conclusion on the 23 March 2015.
Answer:
My Department has provided £3.4 million to the Ministerial Advisory Group (MAG) Ulster-Scots Academy over the past four years. This has enabled a wide range of important achievements against the remit given to the MAG Academy: A development and research strategy for the Ulster-Scots sector was developed and published in July 2013 and this has been successfully implemented through the work of the MAG Academy and its work streams and subgroups for History, Heritage and Culture, Language and Literature and Education and Research. A comprehensive business case and a preferred option for establishment of a physical Ulster-Scots Academy and preparation of a draft consultation document on Academy options have been completed. The MAG Academy delivered the new Ulster-Scots Hub and Discover Ulster-Scots Centre at Corn Exchange, Cathedral Quarter, Belfast, which I opened in November 2014. The MAG Academy has been an effective catalyst for improved coherence and collaboration across the Ulster-Scots sector and; 76 projects have been funded by the MAG Ulster-Scots Academy across the three work streams. Key projects include a major programme of work to produce and digitise educational materials and publications to mainstream Ulster-Scots in education in conjunction with the Ulster University; a series of Plantation archaeological digs and supporting material for schools and the community covering early Scots settlements here; a conference on cultural, historical, economic, religious and community connections between the peoples of Scotland and Ireland, particularly Ulster; a survey and recommendations for development of Ulster-Scots musical traditions; research on Ulster-Scots contributions to political thought in Ireland with Queen’s University Belfast; a travelling exhibition to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Town Charters; research and development projects for a Bruce 700 exhibition, trail and website and a Belfast Scottish Connections trail and website; an Ulster-Scots Metrical Psalter; an Ulster-Scots Glossary and Spelling Guide; the poems of Robert Huddleston; and a biography of writer Richard Hayward. The MAG Academy also established an Ulster-Scots Orthography Panel to advise on language development and has made plans for a Dictionary Development Action Programme in association with lexicographical experts here and in Scotland. At my request, the MAG Academy has taken the lead in developing a language and culture development initiative for Ulster-Scots, for which draft proposals and business case will be prepared by end March this year. All this work is making a significant contribution to better public knowledge, understanding and appreciation of the importance and richness of the Ulster-Scots contribution to our shared inheritance and is also contributing towards the Executive’s Good Relations Strategy of building a united community. Taking account of the achievements of the MAG Ulster-Scots Academy to date and major opportunities and challenges to be addressed, I have decided to extend its remit for a further year to end March 2016. A key programme of work for the MAG Academy will be developed for 2015/16. This will include: Completion of a number of major existing projects Activity to disseminate and deliver impact and benefits from the research and development outputs of the work stream programmes and projects, particularly through the Online Academy Taking forward consultation on plans for a physical Ulster-Scots Academy; and; Developing and implementing the initial phase of an Ulster-Scots language and culture development initiative.
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