Creative Centenaries Among Successful Projects Awarded Shared History Funding

The Nerve Centre’s Creative Centenaries project has been awarded funding to mark the centenary of Northern Ireland.

The Shared History Fund, which the National Lottery Heritage Fund is distributing on behalf of the Northern Ireland Office, supports groups in marking the centenary of Northern Ireland in a thoughtful, inclusive and engaging way.

The Creative Centenaries Digital Engagement Programme will encourage a wide range of people to explore the history and heritage of the foundation of Northern Ireland. The revamped Creative Centenaries website will serve as a hub of information, events, news and resources, and will highlight the work of the creative, cultural and heritage sectors across Northern Ireland and beyond.

A total of £1m has been awarded through the fund, shared between 39 groups and community projects across Northern Ireland connected to the centenary. The projects funded cover a wide range of subjects and key moments in Northern Ireland’s history, from discovering untold stories to the development of different communities.

The funding is part of a wider programme of events being planned to mark the centenary of Northern Ireland.

Mukesh Sharma, Chair, Northern Ireland, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: ‘As a leading funder of heritage throughout the UK, we understand the central role that heritage plays in people’s lives and their communities. We also recognise that there are aspects of heritage that can be challenging.

However, our experience in supporting partners to navigate difficult periods in our history throughout the Decade of Centenaries demonstrates that there is a way to engage with difficult heritage in a positive way. No one narrative is more important than another, and it’s important we create a space that allows a range of stories to be told.’

The projects supported by the Shared History Fund will mark the centenary in a spirit of mutual respect, inclusiveness and reconciliation, in line with the Principles of Remembering:

  1. Start from the historical facts.

  2. Recognise the implications and consequences of what happened.

  3. Understand that different perceptions and interpretations exist.

  4. Show how events and activities can deepen understanding of the period.