A unique Dumfries community arts project, The Stove Network, yesterday announced the total from the Big Lottery Fund’s Our Place initiative.
The money will be used for their Creative Futures project which will bring local people together to develop their creative talents and to have a bigger voice within the Lincluden and Lochside community.
Over the next four years, the project will recruit a team of creative volunteers who will co-design a range of expressive arts activities delivered for and by the whole community with the support of a full time creative development worker.
Welcoming the award, Matt Baker from The Stove Network said: “Everyone involved with the project is just delighted in this vote of confidence in our local community by the Big Lottery Fund.
“Creative Futures Lincluden and Lochside is all about local people using our heritage and culture to improve quality of life for everyone and making opportunities for developing new skills and jobs. It is also a means for North West Dumfries to draw in resources from the wider area, and already people are coming forward to discuss great new partnerships for the future. Watch out for exciting announcements very soon.”
Announcing the funding, Big Lottery Fund Scotland chair Maureen McGinn said: “Today the people of Lincluden and Lochside reach an important milestone as they celebrate their first Our Place award.
“Our Place gives local people a say on how lottery money should be spent in their area, so the ideas and inspiration for the Creative Futures project come directly from people living in and around the local area.
“And key to the success to this project will be the involvement of local volunteers who will benefit from new skills and improved confidence.”
A number of local people known as ‘community connectors’ have been heavily involved in talking to residents, gathering ideas and encouraging community-led activity.
One of those is Carole McCann, who said: “Our area boasts extensive green spaces, abundant wildlife and has an important historic site on our doorstep. It is a great place to live and with this injection of funding, determination and hard work I am certain it will be an even better one in the future.”
For the latest details on the Lincluden and Lochside Our Place journey visit www.facebook.com/ourplacelochsidelincluden
