The Hidden Reservoir

More than two decades on from the signing of the Good Friday Belfast Agreement, estimates suggest around a quarter of the population in Northern Ireland continues to be affected by psychological trauma arising from the Troubles. While politicians still can't agree on how to deal with the legacy of the conflict, for many victims and survivors, the past can't just be left behind.

Author Carlo Gebler believes Northern Ireland is sitting on a hidden reservoir of pain. But as a teacher of creative writing in some of Northern Ireland’s toughest prisons, he has witnessed first hand the transformative role the arts can play in enabling positive change. Now Carlo looks at some of the arts based initiatives aimed at promoting peace-building and reconciliation in Northern Ireland and asks they’re helping to heal a society still in pain.

Producer: Conor Garrett, BBC Northern Ireland