Arts and Older People Strategy 2010–2013, Arts Council of Northern Ireland

This is a review of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland's (ACNI) Arts and Older People Strategy 2010–2013, which sets out the council's policy on improving rates of access for older people in the arts in Northern Ireland (NI). Set in the context of falling rates of participation, the strategy seeks to address key social justice issues such as poverty, isolation, loneliness and mental health. This review article establishes the context of the arts in NI in relationship to creative industries policy, the roles of arts in enabling a more integrated society, and the demographics of older people. It suggests that while the Arts and Older People Strategy has a strong social democratic agenda, the ACNI overlooks key threats to such a policy direction that come from the influence of the market, and an over reliance on the Internet for promotion.