Highland 2007 Moray Community Programme has announced support for a further 17 projects contributing to the programme for Highland 2007, the year Scotland celebrates Highland culture.

Following the first funding round in June the Highland 2007 Moray Community Programme management group were again looking for a balance between the six cultural strands of Highland 2007 – arts, heritage, environment, language, science and sport – and the geographical spread of activity.  In addition successful projects were likely to have evidence of partnership funding, strong community support and had the potential for sustainability.

Successful applicants were:

• New Elgin Street Elite Youth Forum - £1,000 towards a CD of children’s songs and rhymes
• Forestry Commission Scotland - £5,200 towards Forest Edge Sand Sculpture event
• Moray Camera Club - £1,500 towards a Highland 2007 Moray photographic competition
• Elgin Boys Club - £3,000 towards a Carnival of Street Football
• Burghead Headland Trust - £6,000 towards PICTures Artist in Residence programme and Picnic with the Picts
• Wild Things - £3,000 towards Forres Woodland Celebration
• Scottish Opera - £7,000 towards a schools’ Scots/Gaelic/Spanish language development opera project
• Moray Spirit of Brass - £5,000 towards the 2007 Festival
• Charioteer Theatre - £5,000 towards Commedia Dell’ Arte project
• Speyside Arts Net - £2,000 towards Stepping Stones – Stories of Speyside
• Bodysurf Scotland - £10,000 towards Shoreline, a multi media celebration of shift and change
• The Keith Country show - £5,000 towards developing heritage, arts and food and drink events
• The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival - £10,000 towards food and music programme
• Going Nova - £3,500 towards The Roots of Moray a science and heritage event
• Moray sea Cadets - £2,500 towards a boat restoration project
• Lecht Mountain Association - £15,000 towards 'Let there be Lecht' a celebration of light, water and music

Once again the number and range of applications presented the Management Group with a difficult task and the demand for support meant that many worthy applications were unsuccessful.  The Community Programme Fund is now closed.  In addition to the awards made there are a number of commissioned projects which will be announced in due course.

Alison Magee, Chair of Highland 2007, said: “The Moray Community Programme has been a great success with many groups and organisations seeking support for their events and projects.  The variety and the geographical spread of events is excellent with projects representing each of the six strands of culture.  The Moray Community Programme has helped Highland 2007 to be as inclusive as possible, giving many more people the opportunity to join in next year’s celebrations.”

For further information contact Nick Fearne, Arts Development Officer, Moray Council, 01343 557148 / nick.fearne@moray.gov.uk