FEASIBILITY_STUDY , item 14. PDF 1 MB - Meetings, agendas and ...

A feasibility study prepared for the Black Box TrustNovember 2011The PfG aims to support business and to create conditions in which an enterprise can flourish.By ensuring greater levels of investment in arts and culture, the Government wishes to boosttourism numbers and ultimately improve the quality of life in Belfast. Through promoting accessto arts and culture, the Government aims to meet educational, health and economic goals -enhancing Northern Ireland's attractiveness to locals and visitors. The overarching aim is toenable as many people, local or tourist, to access culture and arts in the area.The Black Box is consistent with PSA 5 „Tourism‟ and PSA 9 „Promoting access to culture, artsand leisure‟.PSA 5 – TourismAim: To develop our tourism sector and promote Northern Ireland as a must-visitdestination to facilitate growth in business and leisure visitorsTwo objectives outlined in PSA 5 are to:Enhance Northern Ireland‟s tourism infrastructure; andPromote the growth of the tourism sector.PSA 9 - Promoting access to culture, arts and leisure:Aim: Contribute to Northern Ireland‟s economic, health and educational goals byincreasing participation and access to Culture, Arts and Leisure ActivitiesThe most relevant objective set out in PSA 9:Enable as many people as possible to improve their quality of life by experiencing,participating and accessing the excellence of our cultural assets.The success of the Cathedral Quarter in Belfast is testament to the fact that investment inculture and arts can be a catalyst for regeneration within city areas, transforming them intovisitor destinations.The regeneration of the listed bank building into The Merchant Hotel helped to increase themomentum of the Cathedral Quarter, coincidently opening, along with its trendy bar/restaurantthe Cloth Ear, at the same time as the Black Box, in April 2006. This added capacity for visitorsand tourists to stay and participate in the cultural and artistic events on offer in the area. Sincethen, there have been numerous hotel openings in the Cathedral Quarter, including a PremierInn and a Ramada Encore, adding to the tourism infrastructure of Belfast‟s „Cultural Hub‟.The development of new venues, events and festivals is critical in changing the internationalperception of Belfast and attracting tourists from Great Britain and Europe. The Black Box hasplayed a key role in organising a variety of events and festivals within the Cathedral Quarter andhas been successful in attracting different audiences to the area, contributing to the objectivesset out in PSA 5 and PSA 9. Furthermore, the presence of numerous hotels in the CathedralQuarter automatically makes it an area of interest to visitors.2.1.3 Regional Development StrategyThe Regional Development Strategy (RDS) provides a planning framework for the futuredevelopment of Northern Ireland to 2025. Although the main focus of the RDS is not the cultureand arts sector of Northern Ireland, it is identified as one of the key drivers to attracting publicand private investment, particularly for business and regeneration initiatives.6