Seven Dumfries and Galloway arts projects are set to share just over £50,000 from the first round of the 2017/18 Regional Arts Fund.
Competition was strong with applications for over £80,000 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 (DG Unlimited).
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 £370,000 from other sources, including income earned from ticket sales and match-funding grants from other funding bodies.
Councillor Tom McAughtrie, Chairman of the Council’s Communities Committee said:
“We are pleased to be supporting a range of arts projects across Dumfries and Galloway and it is good to see that our grants will help arts projects to draw down additional investment from other sources.
‘Participation in the arts is linked to good health, increased confidence and positive self-esteem for individuals, and helps strengthen our communities. The arts also contribute to our economy by creating learning opportunities for our young people and attracting visitors to our region.”
Regional Arts Fund is available under two strands reflecting the priorities agreed by DG Unlimited’s Regional Arts Hub. These were ‘Connecting’ and. ‘Collaboration’. 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’.
Cathy Agnew, Chair of DG Unlimited, the independent charity which champions the region’s arts, said:
“DG Unlimited is delighted to be involved in this Regional Arts Fund which, once again, has confirmed the great raft of creative talent and ambition across Dumfries and Galloway. The projects that have received funding in this round embrace a wide range of art forms and have the potential to make a very real difference by providing new arts opportunities to be experienced and enjoyed.”
A second round of the Regional Arts Funding has now opened and just over £23,000 is available for grants up to £5,000. The deadline for the second round is midnight on Sunday 19 March 2017. Application forms are available at http://www.dumgal.gov.uk/artsfund
Details of Regional Arts Fund Round 1 Awards:
The Regional Arts Fund is provided by Dumfries and Galloway Council and awards are made at the recommendation of Dumfries and Galloway Chamber of the Arts (DGU). The successful bids are shown below.
The funding recommendations were made following an open call for applications during October/November 2016. Applications were assessed by a panel convened by DG Unlimited with representatives from DG Unlimited and Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Arts and Museums Service.
Allocations, which are subject to the fulfilment of terms and conditions attached to the awards, including the requirement to secure agreed levels of match-funding, are as follows:
Absolute Classics SCIO
£5,000
Absolute Classics Concert Series and Educational Programme: Funding will support delivery of a monthly programme of world-class classical music concerts across the region between September 2017 and March 2018, and an education programme devised in collaboration with local schools delivered by internationally acclaimed musicians. The programme will include a professional Games Music composer, who will mentor Advanced Higher students from across the region in composition, music production and arranging.
The Bakehouse (Galloway)
£2,500
BIG LIT: the Stewartry Book Festival: Funding will support the BIG LIT Festival in and around Gatehouse of Fleet in April 2017. The programme will include over 20 events and activities ranging across poetry and fiction, history, biography and other art forms and at least one participatory event. Young people’s activities will include creative writing and story-telling in local primary schools and a Saturday programme in the local Youth Drop-in Centre.
Dumfries and Galloway Arts Festival
£20,000
Dumfries and Galloway Arts Live: Funding will support further development of a promoters’ network and touring programme for performing arts across Dumfries and Galloway, which was piloted with Regional Arts Fund support during 2016. The project will include a region-wide programme of touring dance, music, comedy and spoken word performances in communities across the region and will include a young promoters’ scheme for young people and youth organisations.
Mill on the Fleet
£4,000
Fleet Reflections: Through a series of workshops an experienced songwriter will involve young people and older groups in producing a collaborative song series inspired by the river Fleet. Once completed the song series will be performed and recorded at a Mill Session at the Mill on the Fleet and will become part of a local repertoire of songs to be sung in future years.
Moniaive Festival Village
£4,000
Children and Young People’s Participation Programme 2017: Three festivals based in Moniaive, the Moniaive Folk Festival, Comic Book Festivals and Moniaive Michaelmas Bluegrass festival, will work together to expand their activities for young people in 2017, offering opportunities to learn and develop skills relating to literature, music and visual art alongside practical skills relating to festival promotion.
The Music Room Foundation
£6,400
Maidens of Music: Funding will support the staging of music performances in Dumfries town centre over four Saturdays in May 2017, mainly by female musicians from across the region.
The Stove Network
£9,520
Creative Town Producer Project: Funding will contribute towards a Creative Town Producer Project by The Stove Network who will develop creative partnerships with other non-arts organisations involved in the development of Dumfries Town Centre. The project will deliver at least three creative projects with non-arts partners and communication and feedback projects will involve local people in learning from the project.
