£5.84 arts spend per person

Arts Minister Nelson McCausland revealed that 629,725 was spent on the arts in the Derry City Council area, equating to a spend per person of 5.84.

The Minister confirmed that the Arts Council of Northern Ireland uses data collected by the Department of the Environment to produce details of arts expenditure for each council area.

But the most up to date data compiled by the Arts Council relates to district councils' expenditure during the 2006 - 2007 financial year. Strabane benefitted from a handsome 14.68 spend per person but Limavady received just 2.11 per capita.

In Belfast, it was 28.94. Next was Cookstown with an average spend of 24.22 per person.

The figures were revealed in response to a written question tabled at the Stormont Assembly.