Towards a New Framework For The Arts, a Review of Arts Legislation comes at an appropriate time. During 2000, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland has also been engaged in an independent process, reviewing all of its functions, its relations with its new parent department in government and its evolution into a development agency.

The two arts councils have a very long joint history of co-operation and consultation on arts matters, a relationship which can serve as a template for co-operation in other sectors and which has great potential for development. One of the several key areas in the document which relate directly to both Councils is the need to support the arts produced by Irish language communities and also the responsibility to ensure that those communities have access to the same arts as other parts of society.

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland has, in partnership with Irish language agencies, explored the fine line between support for Irish language arts and for the arts in those language communities. It seems clear that support for Irish language arts is also, at the same time, support for the language.

In the area of traditional arts the Arts Council of Northern Ireland has had a member of staff dedicated to the traditional arts and resources made available to that sector for more than 20 years. There is not, therefore, in Northern Ireland the sense that "traditional art" is coupled with "Irish language art", because artists who operate through Irish and the demand for the arts within Irish language communities are spread right across the spectrum of arts provision.

Whether or not there is a decision to opt for a separate "traditional arts council", the Arts Council of Northern Ireland is keen to ensure that the development needs of the sector are met.