The Arts Council of Northern Ireland (Irish: Comhairle Ealaíon Thuaisceart Éireann, Ulster-Scots: Airts Cooncil o Norlin Airlan) is the lead development agency for the arts in Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1964, as a successor to the Committee for the Encouragement of Music and the Arts (CEMA).[1]
As the main development agency for the arts it is responsible for the distribution of Exchequer and National Lottery Funding for the arts in Northern Ireland.[2] The council is headquartered at Linen Hill House, 23 Linenhall Street, Lisburn.[3] Organisationally it is a non-departmental public body of the Department for Communities.