Are You Ready for 2012
The Arts Council of Northern Ireland and Audiences NI are hosting a master class February 10th at the Ulster Hall, Belfast.
The master class aims to inspire arts organisations to take advantage of the benefits that cultural tourism can offer in the busy year ahead. With arts and culture events at the heart of so many of the planned celebrations and anniversary projects in Northern Ireland this year, the master class is designed to help participants grasp the unprecedented opportunities and be ready to make the most of 2012.
With recent good news such as the National Geographic Travel magazine voting Belfast as one of the world’s top destinations for 2012, it becomes more evident that a strong, vibrant arts sector is crucial to Northern Ireland’s success as a travel destination. Other market research * suggests that it is Northern Ireland’s cultural attractions and big events such as the Titanic Belfast Festival, Land of Giants, the opening of The MAC and the 50th anniversary of the Ulster Bank Belfast Festival at Queen’s, that will help attract an additional 150,000 visitors, up to 600 new employment opportunities and £24m of additional revenue injected into the local economy.
Nick Livingston, Director of Strategic Development, Arts Council of Northern Ireland, said, “These are defining times for the arts during what we anticipate will be a golden opportunity closely tied to ‘Our Place, Our Time’: a programme of outstanding cultural events that will put Northern Ireland firmly on the world tourism map. This master class is vital for cultural organisations - it will signpost how to get involved, provide tools and practical advice to help make 2012 unforgettable, while at the same time boosting the local economy.”
This is the first time that Northern Ireland’s arts organisations will have had access to a high calibre master class, delivered by Amanda Shepherd and Lorna Easton from marketing consultancy firm Blue Sail. Blue Sail specialise in tourism and visitor economics and have worked with over 100 destinations from emerging destinations to major cities.
Commenting on her visit to Northern Ireland, Amanda Shepherd, Director, Blue Sail said, "We're delighted to be working here at such an exciting time for tourism in Northern Ireland and it's especially good to be working with the arts and cultural providers. Culture and tourism go hand in hand when it comes to making a destination a really compelling place to visit, with special experiences that give visitors a true sense of being somewhere different from home."
In addition to the master class workshops, attendees will also have the opportunity to hear from the Arts Council, Titanic Belfast, the Northern Ireland Tourist Board and Belfast City Council on how to maximise the exceptional prospects that this year has to offer.
Stephen Hadley, Chief Executive, Audiences NI, said, “There is so much taking place in Northern Ireland in 2012 that we are delighted to be part of the Cultural Tourism master class. By bringing together Audiences NI, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, Titanic Belfast, Belfast City Council and Blue Sail Consulting we are hoping to provide the organisations with the best start to 2012 that we can.”
