As the new Northern Ireland Assembly prepares its plans for a Ministry for Arts, Leisure - and Inland Waterways - the Lyric Theatre in Belfast is hosting a discussion on the subject of "Arts and the Assembly", which the organisers hope will be "timely and pertinent". Cultural issues have not featured prominently in Northern politician's agendas so far, but on Monday, March 29th, spokespeople from each of the political parties of the new Assembly will have an opportunity to present their party's arts policy, followed by a discussion on the role of the arts in "the new Northern Ireland".

Also included in the Lyric's two-week series of readings, workshops and discussions, (called Signposts), is a forum on "Arts and the Media" on Monday, March 22nd, with contributions from arts practitioners, reviewers, and arts editors and programmers from print and broadcast media. Further information from the programme co-ordinator, Caoimhe McAvinchey, tel: 01232 669660.