AQW 19653/17-22

Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 28/05/2021
Answered On Date: 11/06/2021
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities for her assessment of the impact the withdrawal of Stability and Renewal funding has had on the organisations asked to repay the funding; and whether her Department has agreed any arrangements to allow organisations to repay when they can afford to, given their sector is still not allowed to fully open.

Answer:

My Department distributed just under £36 million in 2020/2021 to support the culture, languages, arts and heritage organisations and individuals impacted by the pandemic.

No funding has been withdrawn; however, some awards were adjusted to take account of the presence of double funding. One organisation has been asked to repay a small amount of duplicate grant funding.

Given the ongoing challenges, I am happy to confirm that the Arts Council

will facilitate an extended repayment period, should this be needed.