Final Awards for Inspiring Communities

Communities across Scotland are celebrating a share of almost £800,000 to connect people through the arts and encourage long-lasting links between people, places and ideas.

The National Lottery-funded Inspiring Communities fund provides more, wider, better participation in the arts, though ambitious projects developed by, and for, the community. It forms part of our Inspire fund to increase participation in the arts through:

• More – increasing the number and range of people enjoying and taking part in the arts, particularly arts activity for and by children and young people,
• Wider – making the arts available to those who have had little opportunity to participate in the past; ensuring a fair geographic spread of activities; and supporting projects across artforms and technologies,
• Better – increasing further the quality of arts activities by supporting creative, ambitious projects.

Iain Munro, Co-Director of Arts congratulated the successful projects and added:

‘Introducing communities new to the arts to meaningful creative experiences has been a central theme of Inspiring Communities, as today’s announcement confirms.  Each of the successful projects offers something unique to each community, genuinely rooted in their experience and history and we believe only the start of a lifelong legacy of creative expression and participation.’

The successful Inspiring Communities projects are:

Invergordon Off the Wall (Highland): Evolution - an arts explosion generating creative expression by attracting and engaging locals and visitors alike.  This 18-month project will develop three public artworks around the industrial history of Invergordon, reflecting the community’s role in aluminium smelting, glass manufacture and stone quarrying. Amount awarded £200,739

Calman Trust Ltd (Highland): The ‘Art-Works’ project is a three year project which aims to provide disadvantaged and disengaged young people with experience of high quality artistic activity as a means to widening their vision and, through active participation in the arts, promoting their ability and willingness to learn new skills, as a stepping stone towards independence.  Amount awarded £117,466.

Scots Music Group (Edinburgh):  Homeless and isolated people in the Edinburgh area will have new opportunities to take part in Scotland’s living traditions. Working with a range of Scotland’s singers, musicians and dancers and a number of partner organisations, the project will provide hands-on workshops for new learners over an 18 month period.  Amount awarded £75,750.

Tenants First Housing Co-operative (Aberdeenshire):  The project will engage local people, from the new housing estate in the Roanheads area of Peterhead in Aberdeenshire, in the creation of a series of permanent artworks for which will improve the local environment and give an enhanced sense of community and place.  The project will involve the local community in the design and development of the art works, including people from groups traditionally excluded from participation in the arts.  Amount awarded £60,000.

Big Issue Foundation Scotland (Glasgow): Using writing, drawing, music and film-making, this integrated arts programme will offer individuals tackling their addiction an opportunity to engage with the arts. Amount awarded £56,705.

Creetown Initiative Ltd (Dumfries and Galloway):  ‘Moments and Memories’ is a 12-month project inspired by the past and present of the place and people of Creetown to  develop a programme of activity that that offers opportunities for engagement with a level of quality and range that has not been experienced in the area before.  This outdoor project will focus on Adamson Square, created by the late Japanese sculptor Hideo Furuta.  Amount awarded £37,500.

Ferguslie Park, Paisley: The Tannahill Sound and Light Garden to be created in the Tannahill Centre in Ferguslie park, Paisley, will be an outdoor gathering place for residents of all ages which will be designed and built by the local community and be a catalyst to enhance community involvement.  It aims to increase the community’s aspirations and provide an inspirational space, addressing the community’s need for artistic activities as well as transforming a green space in the heart of Ferguslie Park.   Amount awarded £187,500.

Forth & District Millennium Wall Hanging Group (South Lanarkshire): The project ‘Inspiring Landscapes’ seeks to interpret the changes in the rural landscape around the villages of Forth, connecting the community with its natural environment through an integration of digital imaging techniques and traditional visual art forms.  The project draws inspiration from the changing landscape around the village of Forth and aims to develop the artistic skills of rural people to interpret these changes through Wool, Words and Digital Photography.  Amount awarded £30,000.

Notes to editors

1. Inspiring Communities was developed during Summer 2008 : http://www.scottisharts.org.uk/1/latestnews/1005844.aspx almost 300 applicants seeking over £51 million in support were offered the opportunity to be reconsidered against the Inspiring Communities criteria of connecting people and their communities through the arts and encouraging long-lasting links between people, places and ideas
2. Contacts are available for each of the Inspiring Communities projects. Please contact the Scottish Arts Council media office in the first instance.
3. The Scottish Arts Council is a Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) which was established by Royal Charter in 1994 and is also a Lottery distributor. The organisation serves the people of Scotland by fostering arts of excellence through investment, development, research and advocacy. Our corporate aims are: to support artists to fulfil their creative and business potential; to increase participation in the arts; and to place the arts, culture and creativity at the heart of learning. We invest £60m each year, including £15 million of National Lottery funding. For more information visit: http://www.scottisharts.org.uk/  

Contact email(s)

media.office@scottisharts.org.uk

Issued by: Scottish Arts Council