£40K Grant funding by D&G Council
Written by author on February 17, 2016
GRANTS worth £40,000 are being handed out in Dumfries and Galloway by the hard up regional council.
It will make the year ahead an exciting one for the arts in Dumfries and Galloway following the announcement that 13 projects are set to share just under £40,000 from the Regional Arts Fund.
Competition was strong with applications for over £90,000 being made to the fund which is financed by Dumfries and Galloway Council. Allocations have been made on the recommendation of Dumfries and Galloway Chamber of the Arts (DGU).
The fund aims to increase the impact of arts projects across Dumfries and Galloway and boost the economy. The funding awards will seed-fund projects that together are set to draw down additional investment of over £300,000 from other sources, including income earned from ticket sales and match-funding grants from other funding bodies.
Councillor Tom McAughtrie, Chairman of Community and Customer Services Committee said “This funding has allowed us to support a range of exciting projects right across Dumfries and Galloway and our grants will help arts projects to drawn down additional investment from other sources.
“Arts projects like these enrich people’s lives. They also strengthen our communities and our economy by creating learning opportunities for our young people and attracting visitors to our region.”
Among those who have been allocated funds are the Bunbury Banter Theatre Company (BBTC) CIC will be touring two short plays using elements of physical theatre and multi-media across Dumfries and Galloway alongside a number of workshops and events focussed on further improving the appeal and accessibility of theatre in and around Dumfries and Galloway.
The Bakehouse (Galloway) will be bringing Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre to the grounds of the Crichton in Dumfries, likely to be the only Scottish performance in the Globe’s international touring schedule.
Whithorn Trust and Creative Whithorn Art and Crafts Association will jointly commission ancient crafts workshops for the public and schools, using local artisans, to link with the construction of a full-size Iron Age roundhouse on the Whithorn site.
There are also projects to encourage young people to get involved with the arts and to support a activities aimed at supporting vulnerable people. Support is being provided for many different kinds of project, from traditional music to dance, theatre and film. Examples include:
Absolute Classics who will deliver performances featuring classical musicians of the highest international standing across the region and provide opportunities for over 1,000 young people to learn technique and performance skills with these highly trained and experienced musicians.
Auchencairn Community Circus Training Club (ACCT) will provide subsidised places for 20 people (aged 4+) to undertake circus skills training and a Circus Showcase performance to share the participants’ achievements.
Alcohol and Drugs Support Scotland will invite artists to social activity groups for service users throughout Dumfries and Galloway to deliver art and craft sessions and promote the use of art as therapy.
The Emerge Agency will be creating ‘Trolley’ a new dance work to be presented in a local Tesco Superstore as part of Dumfries and Galloway Arts Festival.
The 2016/17 Regional Arts Fund is worth £40,000 and funding was available under two strands reflecting the priorities agreed by DGU’s Regional Arts Hub. These were ‘Connecting’ and. ‘Creative Collaborations’. Award criteria also included fit with the Councils priorities of ‘building the local economy’, ‘providing the best start in life for all our children’, ‘protecting our most vulnerable people’, and ‘being an inclusive council’.
Amanda Herries, Chairman of DGU, the independent charity which champions the region’s arts, said: ‘’Dumfries and Galloway continues to enhance its reputation as a place where artists, musicians and performers cooperate to deliver collaborative projects both across art forms and with community organisations.
“The projects funded stretch right across the region and will provide opportunities for all generations to get involved with the talented creative people we have in our communities.”
The total value of applications was more than twice the amount of funding available and many were of a very high standard, presenting the panel which carried out the scoring with a tough set of decisions.
In all cases the funding allocation depends on the applicant meeting agreed terms and conditions.
