This year as part of our campaign to raise awareness of Cashback for Communities and how creative young Scots are, projects from all over Scotland are inviting the public to get involved in a journey of artistic discovery and to share their finds through selfies on social media.
Artwork or installations created by young people will be left in popular places in local communities across Scotland for people to discover. Want to become an art sleuth?
You can find out more about the campaign on www.youthlinkscotland.org/CashBackCreates
Each item will have a tag attached to it explaining about CashBack funding and encouraging people to share their find on social media using #CashBackCreates.
We hope this will raise awareness of so many creative projects, and encourage other young people to get involved and create excitement about what’s going on in their local area. This guerrilla marketing style campaign has been launched today and will continue until the end of July.
So what kind of things might you be looking for? Here are some of the projects involved:
Indepen-dance create inclusive, fun and engaging workshops for young people no matter what their ability. What’s a dance without props? So for #CashBackCreates young people will be writing words they associate with the project on scarves and ribbons and they will be hung around Eastbank Academy and Newhills School in Glasgow.
Always wondered where fairies live? Wonder no more! Young people in Falkland are creating a range of fairy doors to be left in the local woods (above); this project helps to teach young people a range of artistic skills like woodwork and painting.
Spot a newspaper in the local community at Wester Hailes in Edinburgh, it might not be as it seems. Young people are creating a mock up edition of the local paper, sharing information about their project and the young people involved.
If you are in Dumfries and Galloway, keep an eye out for handmade bracelets, created by autistic young people, each bracelet spells a positive word to give you the feel good factor! Every bracelet will include a handmade bead with the logo of the project.
Passing through Galashiels Interchange? Keep an eye out for a colourful guitar sculpture, it will be playing music created by young people so you won’t be able to miss it!
In Campbeltown, young people will be creating decorative rocks and leaving them in the community for people to discover (above). Will you be one of the lucky people to discover a rock? Added bonus, discoverers who tweet their find will be entered into a competition to win cinema tickets & popcorn!
What’s Doricula we hear you ask? It’s Dracula with a Doric twist, of course! This project will see young people create a brand new show all about the history of Aberdeenshire. And they want to share their creation with the community. Look out for spooky snaps of doricula all around Peterhead with invitations to their end of season show!
The CashBack for Creativity Open Fund, administered by YouthLink Scotland through delivery partner, Creative Scotland and funded by Scottish Government has awarded a total of £324,000 to 45 community-based arts project across the country, which will reach over 4,927 young people in local communities.
The fund offers a fantastic chance for young people to access a range of high-quality arts, screen and creative industries activities. The programme targets children and young people in communities and areas where there is currently a lack of opportunity.
CashBack for Communities is a unique Scottish Government programme which takes money seized from criminals under the proceeds of crime legislation and invests them in our future – our young people. Since 2008, £110 million has been committed to community initiatives to improve the quality of life of young people right across Scotland.
Jane Dailly, National Programmes Manager at YouthLink Scotland, The National Agency for Youth Work, said: “We know that young people are creating and involved with imaginative and fun projects and we would like to raise awareness of that across the country.
“What better way to make someone else’s day and put a smile on their face than through the discovery of an awesome piece of locally created work.”
Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Humza Yousaf said: “This campaign is a great way to get communities involved in the creative arts and today’s investment further demonstrates the Scottish Government’s commitment to building a stronger, fairer and more inclusive society.
“Our Investment in the Cashback for Communities Programme has helped young people learn new skills, boost their confidence and reach their full potential in life.”
Laura Black, Arts Officer, CashBack for Creativity, Creative Scotland, commented: “The inspiring projects announced today through the CashBack for Creativity Open Fund are opening up access to a huge range of innovative and exciting projects for young people across Scotland.
“With today’s launch of #CashBackCreates, we’re looking forward to sharing and bringing to life young people’s creative endeavours across the country.”
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