A PERFORMING arts group which has grown from a dozen members to more than 120 in just a year is preparing to pick up a national award next week.

Darlington Arts Academy has been awarded best contribution to a youth organisation in the Kids Count Inspiration Awards thanks to their work with children and young people over the last 12 months.

They will collect the award in London on Tuesday.

Rebecca McGarvie, who set up the group and also runs community business Melting Pot Arts, said: “The academy was set up in response to people in the town who came to us and said they’d really like to be involved, particularly with performing arts, but couldn’t find anywhere quite right for them, so we wanted to find somewhere which didn’t cost too much and which was not too pressured.”

The group caters for adults and children and has grown from having a dozen members in 2008 to more than 125 members today. Participants range in age from eight to 80.

Recently, the group has performed A Midsummer Night’s Dream and is planning a variety show featuring 100 performers this summer.

To find out more log on to meltingpotarts.com or call 01325-262719.