NIHRC Hosts Inaugural Arts and Human Rights Forum

The Northern Ireland Arts and Human Rights Forum held its inaugural meeting at the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission offices on April 30 2026, bringing together representatives from across the arts and creative sector. Members of the Arts and Human Rights Forum include The MAC, 5th Element, Verbal Arts Care, Community Arts Partnership, Bruiser Theatre Company, Ulster Orchestra, Crescent Arts Centre, University of Atypical for Arts and Disability, The Black Box and the Commonwealth Foundation. 

The Forum will bring together artists, educators, cultural organisations, and human rights advocates to use the power of the arts to promote human rights. It aims to create a collaborative space to engage communities through creative participation, develop art-based human rights education, and celebrate creativity.

David Russell, Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, welcomed all Forum members and highlighted the important role that the arts play in making human rights lived, felt, and defended in communities. He emphasised how the arts can help us explore contested histories, express lived experiences and challenge injustices.

Forum members then heard from Javier Stanziola, Director of Strategic Development & Partnerships at the Arts Council, who underscored the value of creating spaces such as the Forum to connect artists and organisations working at the intersection of arts and human rights, with a view to fostering increased collaboration in this area.

Emma Osborne, Policy and Research Officer at the NIHRC, outlined how human rights law provides a framework for understanding and supporting the arts, emphasising the fundamental right of everyone to participate in cultural life. The presentation also underscored how a human rights approach can promote inclusion, protect diverse voices, and remove barriers to accessing and contributing to the arts.

This was followed by a presentation by Conor Shields, Chief Executive of Community Arts Partnership, who highlighted the work of CAP in advancing cultural rights through community-based arts practice over the past three decades. It emphasised the importance of access, participation, and shared ownership in enabling individuals and communities to shape their own cultural expression. Conor also mentioned the role of arts in promoting dignity, inclusion, and peacebuilding, particularly in areas affected by inequality and social division. 

Finally, a group of young people from the Washington Ireland Program Academy presented their research project on how art, especially community-based art, has been used across the world to promote and protect human rights. They showcased a variety of international cases where it has been used as a powerful tool for amplifying voices and for challenging narratives and contributing to lasting peace, both across the world and here.

 
NIHRC Chief Commissioner, Alyson Kilpatrick commented:

“I would like to thank all members for attending this first meeting of the NI Arts and Human Rights Forum. Your time, engagement, and contributions have helped establish a strong foundation for this important work.

Human rights can sometimes feel distant or abstract in everyday life. The arts offer a powerful way to bring these concepts closer to people helping us to better understand them, express them in meaningful ways, and connect with wider and more diverse audiences.

It has been truly inspiring to see the range and depth of work already taking place at the intersection of arts and human rights. We look forward to the next steps and to working together to build on this momentum.”

 
To sign up for updates or to attend the next NI Arts and Human Rights Forum, please email info@nihrc.org.

Find out more about the presenters:

NIHRC: https://nihrc.org/ 

Arts Council of Northern Ireland: https://artscouncil-ni.org/ 

Community Arts Partnership: https://www.capartscentre.com/ 

Washington Ireland Program Academy: https://wiprogram.org/wip-academy-2/