Belfast City Council's Standards and Business Committee received motions from the SDLP requesting action on arts support. One seeks council funding for a feasibility study on a dedicated arts and culture space in Ballynafeigh on Ormeau Road in south Belfast. The committee forwarded this to the City Growth and Regeneration Committee for consideration at its next meeting.

The Ballynafeigh motion references arts activities in the area and community goals outlined in the Open Ormeau Community Visioning project from 2025. It identifies the neighbourhood as a draw for locals and Belfast visitors due to cultural interests.

A second SDLP motion calls on the Northern Ireland Executive to create a basic income programme for artists and creative workers. The committee scheduled this for debate at the full council meeting in March.

The proposal addresses irregular incomes among Belfast artists, affected by COVID-19 fallout and the cost-of-living pressures. The Republic of Ireland ran a similar pilot from 2022 that evaluations linked to better financial security and more creative output; it became permanent.

Passage of the motion would direct the council to advocate for Executive funding under the Minister for Communities, alongside input from the Departments for the Economy and Finance.