£380,000 boost for five places that focus our creative energy

Published on Wednesday 25 January 2012 02:45

Creative Scotland handed out £380,000 yesterday to five Scottish communities in its first “Creative Place” awards meant to promote artistic hubs, large and small, across Scotland.

The awards ranged from £150,000 for a Year of Celebration of cultural offerings in St Andrews, to £50,000 to boost the popular Wigtown Book Festival with a year-round arts programme.

But the awards come amid continuing concern over axing of the arts agency’s £7 million “flexible funding” grants, with organisations forced to undergo detailed reviews of their funding this spring. St Andrews’ Byre Theatre itself lost £160,000 in funding 18 months ago.

Creative Scotland chief executive Andrew Dion said the awards were “a unique opportunity to celebrate and reward places across Scotland that contribute to a Scotland’s strength as a creative nation”.

Wigtown Book Festival director Adrian Turpin said the September festival generated “huge energy”, with as many as 90 volunteers signing up in the Galloway town of just 900 people.

“For us the £50,000 is a way of trying to use that energy and enthusiasm to get things going all year round,” he said. Plans include a residential creative writing course and a high-profile Wigtown Lecture.

West Kilbride received £100,000 for a community craft initiative to develop a series of exhibitions. The St Andrews project includes a community musical production.

Tim Cornwell

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