ABSTRACT
Northern Ireland (NI) is a small region of the United Kingdom with a history of violent conflict associated with the national and religious identities of its inhabitants. Post-conflict societies face complex challenges in the development of cultural policy, particularly where some cultural markers have become associated with antagonism or political affiliation. NI is a small region with a population of 1.81 million under the jurisdiction of the United Kingdom (UK), sharing a border with the Republic of Ireland (ROI). The economy in NI is highly dependent on the public sector, and economic policy has been focused on emphasizing private growth, innovation and skills improvement and building a more appropriate economic infrastructure. One prominent issue within cultural policy in NI is the lack of a national cultural policy frame of reference, the like of which can "provide a means of reconciling contending cultural identities by holding up the nation as an essence that transcends particular interests".
