Moyle Community Culture Project

THOUSANDS of pounds are expected to be spent across the Moyle to strengthen the cultures of local towns and villages and at the same time have a cross-community spin-off.

A report was prepared for Moyle Council on the ‘Moyle Community Culture Project’

It said: ‘Recent consultation for the development of the Peace III Phase II Action Plan has led to the possibility of a District Council specific project across the North East Cluster area of local Councils.

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‘A draft project bid for the Moyle area has been developed entitled “Moyle Community Culture” and is proposed to take place over an eighteen month period between Summer 2011 to December 2012.

‘One of the strengths of Moyle lies in the cultural heritage of the people and place. Both the Ulster-Scots and Irish traditional movements enjoy high levels of support contextualised in a District which is renowned for its myth, fable and legend.

‘Recent community development and good relations practice would suggest that dedicated time, energy and resources invested into local villages through a focussed process of engagement has seen tangible manifestations of positive change.

‘These developments evidence a positive progression in community identity and expression and this project seeks to nurture that process and enhance it making it real for communities across the District.

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‘The main aim of the Community Culture project is to enhance cultural traditions through visual imagery in the Moyle District Council area to promote strong and confident communities, grounded in its own identity with strengthened relationships on a cross community basis. ‘The project’s legacy will be a tangible expression of this and present communities in a positive and welcoming fashion with the potential to develop as a cultural tourism product.

‘Criteria would be developed to select six communities in the Moyle District Council area for a 10,000 development fund each to work on a cultural traditions programme. Through a process of engagement with communities, initially on a single identity basis, cultural traditions sessions would be offered as part of a learning and educational process. The project would examine issues of identity and cultural expression and how this can be further enhanced and developed through visual imagery using a variety of media, for example, sculptures, murals, emblems, spaces.

‘The Community Culture Project, subject to Council ratification, would be integrated into Moyle District Council’s Good Relations Strategy and take into account other regional development programmes to ensure complimentarity with other Development projects (e.g. Peace III Programme 6 and RDP North East Village Renewal Programme).

‘The project is at a draft stage and has been endorsed by the Moyle Good Relations Working Group and there is ongoing consultation with the local community. The Project will need to be ratified by Council, the North East Peace III Partnership, the Peace III Consortium and ultimately the SEUPB, who can be expected to make a decision by early 2011,’ said the report.

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