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The principle of Per Cent for Art is under review by Northern Ireland’s Department of Health. The scheme, well known across Europe, ring-fences up to one per cent of capital budgets to commission new integrated art in building and public projects, including hospitals.

Arts Council Northern Ireland (ACNI) has written to the Ministers for Health and Arts in support of the scheme, which it says is “a comparatively very small but crucial injection of funds to provide the opportunity for artists to work in our public buildings”. As well as improving the environment of public buildings, integrated art encourages creativity amongst patients and improves quality of life for staff. Treasury guidelines state that Per Cent for Art money can only be used for art and does not affect frontline services. ACNI is also currently engaged in separate campaign to safeguard overall levels of arts funding in Northern Ireland in the face of proposed cuts by the Assembly announced in its recent draft budget (see AP Issues 157 and 158).