A £5 million (€6.4 million) fund to stimulate creativity and innovation in Northern Ireland is to be unveiled today.
Around 35,000 people (4.7 per cent of the working population) are currently employed in a sector that is growing faster than any other in Northern Ireland.
The scope of their work ranges from movie production and book publishing to traditional craft and arts.
Culture, Arts and Leisure Minister Gregory Campbell will announce the fund at an event in Limavady to celebrate the work of craft artists who have benefited under a previous government-backed initiative run by Craft NI.
“The creative industries sector is a very important sector of the economy and has the potential to generate very significant and long lasting economic benefits for Northern Ireland,” said Mr Campbell.
“By investing in the development of talents and skills of our people we will improve our competitive position in national and international markets and reap the benefits in our communities."
He added that one of the goals of the Programme for Government is to grow the creative sector by up to 15 per cent by 2011.
PA