Argyll and Bute Council’s Policy Lead for Community and Culture, Councillor Robin Currie, has welcomed the announcement by Creative Scotland of £400,000 funding to help boost youth arts provision in the area.

Argyll and Bute has been named as one of nine regional Youth Arts Hubs to benefit from a total funding package of £3.1m, across the country.

Mull based arts organisation Comar is the lead organisation in the partnership which successfully bid for the funding.

Councillor Currie said, “The council, along with the other partners, contributed fully to the development of the bid and I would like to congratulate Comar on pulling together and submitting a quality application to Creative Scotland.

“The Hub, which young people themselves will play an active part in developing, will support participation and immersion in the arts from as early an age as possible. By valuing and nurturing the artists and audiences of tomorrow we can ensure youth arts provision realises its potential as a means by which Argyll and Bute, and its fragile communities, can achieve greater resilience and sustainability, through the retention of young people in the area.”

The Youth Arts Hub will work towards a ten year vision for the area to make Argyll and Bute an inspirational place for young peoples’ involvement with the arts, where their lives are shaped by cultural experience, and where their own contribution and participation in artistic activities positively influence communities throughout the area.

Youth Arts Hub partners for this area include Cove Park, Dunoon Burgh Halls, Artmap Argyll, ArtsQwest, The Touring Network, Argyll College, Argyll and Bute Council and Community News TV (CNTV).