Liam Neeson Says UK Government Relief Package For Theatres is a 'Lifeline'

Liam Neeson told Northern Ireland Executive that the the £33m that NI received in July as part of a UK government package for theatres is a "lifeline," the BBC reports.

The executive has yet to decide when the money will be released or how it will be spent.

Neeson said that the support was needed to help the almost 8,000 people working in the arts industry.

"I cannot stress enough how essential that money is - every penny - in securing the well-being of our artistic community and sustaining the lives of nearly 8000 people in every branch of the arts in Northern Ireland," he said. "It is vital, it's a lifeline. It is vital for our economy, it is vital for our young people who are pursuing a career in our creative industries."

Neeson went on to discuss the importance of the arts as a whole.

"You know, a true society cannot be whole or fundamentally exist without the arts or the people employed in the arts," he said. "Culture is our society's compass, our north star. If we lose our compass we all lose our way."

Read more on BBC.