Advocacy
Championing theatre and dance in Northern Ireland through representation, research and sector leadership.
At Theatre and Dance NI, advocacy is a core part of our work.
We champion the value of theatre and dance by raising the visibility of the sector, highlighting key issues affecting artists and organisations, and ensuring the voices of our members are represented in wider conversations around policy, funding and sector development.
Our advocacy work supports a stronger, more sustainable and better-connected theatre and dance sector in Northern Ireland, one that is recognised for its cultural, social and economic value.
Alongside this work, we also deliver programmes and initiatives that support artists and organisations to engage with key sector issues, including training and development opportunities such as Staging Change: Where Art Meets Action and Creating Safer Spaces.
How We Advocate
We support the sector through a combination of:
Representation
We engage with policymakers, public bodies, local authorities and sector partners to ensure theatre and dance are represented in key conversations affecting the future of the arts.
Research and Evidence
We contribute to and share research, consultations and policy work that help demonstrate the value of the sector and the realities facing artists, freelancers and organisations.
Partnership and Collaboration
We work alongside arts organisations, networks and cross-artform partners to strengthen collective advocacy and support wider sector development.
Our Advocacy Priorities
TDNI’s advocacy work spans a range of issues affecting theatre, dance and the wider arts sector
We believe the arts should be valued for their creative and cultural contribution as well as the role they play in community wellbeing, education, economic development and social change.
Priorities
- Arts funding and sustainability
- Artist and workforce conditions
- Professional development and career pathways
- Access, inclusion and participation
- Environmental sustainability
- Visibility and recognition of the sector’s wider impact
We believe the arts should be valued for their creative and cultural contribution as well as the role they play in community wellbeing, education, economic development and social change.
Key Areas of Our Work
We represent the needs of Northern Ireland’s theatre and dance sector, working with partners and decision-makers to strengthen the conditions in which artists, freelancers and organisations can thrive.
All-Party Group on the Arts
Green Arts NI
Research and Resources
We contribute to and share research, reports and sector resources that support evidence-based advocacy and help inform the future development of theatre, dance and the wider arts sector.Working in Partnership
Advocacy is most effective when it is collaborative.
TDNI works with a wide range of organisations and networks across Northern Ireland, the island of Ireland and the UK to support shared priorities and strengthen the visibility of the sector.
This includes working with:
- Arts Council of Northern Ireland
- Arts & Business NI
- Circusful
- Thrive
- Dance Ireland
- Performing Arts Forum
- Irish Theatre Institute
- UK Theatre
- UK Dance Network
- And other partners across the arts and cultural landscape
We also contribute to wider strategic conversations through initiatives such as the Culture, Arts and Heritage Taskforce and the Arts Collaboration Network.
Why This Matters
Strong advocacy helps ensure that the theatre and dance sector is not only heard, but properly understood.
By contributing to policy, research and public conversation, we help make the case for a sector that is ambitious, resilient and essential to life in Northern Ireland.
This work ultimately supports our members by helping create better conditions for artists, organisations and creative careers to thrive.
Get Involved
If you are interested in contributing to TDNI’s advocacy work, sharing sector issues or engaging with research and policy conversations, we would be happy to hear from you.
Contact: advocacy@theatreanddanceni.org