Rural children to benefit from arts project funding

The Arts Council funding will allow North Yorkshire County Council to run a two-year project called Aspire.

It will involve young people in rural schools working with a national dance company, artists and teachers in arts activities outside schools.

The £80,000 grant is the largest single amount of money given to any organisation in the Yorkshire and Humber region in the latest round of hand-outs from the Arts Council.

In total, 29 projects have been awarded £297,296.

A spokesman for the county council said: "We are delighted to have received Arts Council funding for Aspire.

"It is a two-year programme which will cover a wide range of arts-related topics for children in rural North Yorkshire schools.

"Details of the projects to benefit from the funding are still to be worked out between the county council, schools, and artists, but one will be a cross-arts project involving a leading dance company, artists, teachers and possibly a theatre company, to explore the origins and nature of celebratory arts in North Yorkshire."

A spokesperson for the Arts Council praised the project, saying: "Youngsters will have opportunities to take part in high-quality art activities with professional artists, developing new skills and gaining self-confidence through their achievements."

Other groups receiving funds from the Arts Council include Bransdale Arts Project Group in Ryedale, which has been awarded £4,000 to work with professional artists to create a piece of artwork for its refurbished community hall.

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust has been given £4,930 to work with local students and a professional artist to create a piece of art for exhibition in a public area of Harrogate District Hospital.

Three projects in Scarborough also won funding.

The largest award in the town went to Crescent Arts Workshops, which has been handed £32,000 to move to the Scarborough Creative Industries Centre and to appoint a full time director.