Emergency funds from the Scottish Government through Creative Scotland are enabling youth arts and music organisations to roll out new activities and initiatives for young people in the Edinburgh area.
Drake Music, Tinderbox Collective and Starcatchers* are among 18 youth music and wider youth arts organisations receiving a share of £1,053,000 to deliver a range of local and national projects, all of which target priority groups of children and young people and provide important work for freelance artists.
Thursa Sanderson, Chief Executive, Drake Music Scotland said: “This funding will enable us to forge ahead with Sound Explorers, a new programme of online activity. It responds positively to the changed learning landscape for young people with additional support needs – offering an interactive and fun way to make music.
“It will directly tackle the lack of access to music making for young people with disabilities and additional support needs caused by the Covid pandemic removing the barriers for those isolating at home and those in the classroom.”
Jack Nissan, Director, Tinderbox Collective said: “The Youth Arts Targeted fund is an invaluable support that will enable us to provide a range of music projects, youth clubs and creative opportunities to hundreds of children and young people at this time, both on-line and in person, as we adapt to the changing circumstances of the pandemic.
“It is so important that all young people have access to positive, social and creative activities like this, and that we do whatever we can to keep these going at this time.”
Rhona Matheson, Chief Executive, Starcatchers said: “On behalf of Starcatchers, Imaginate and Lyra I am delighted that we have secured the Youth Arts funding to deliver the Where We Are project together.
“As well as providing children and young people with the opportunity to engage with, and participate in creative activities in their own communities, it will also provide more than 15 jobs for artists and freelance practitioners over the next year.
“Given the challenges we are all facing as a result of the Covid pandemic, this is an exciting opportunity to initiate a new project that fosters collaboration, creativity and connection.”
Opportunities for young people are also being provided on a nationwide basis through other Fund recipients including Engage, Film Access Scotland, National Piping Centre, National Youth Choir, Scottish Book Trust, Scottish Brass Band Association, Scottish Music Centre, Scottish Youth Theatre and Youth Theatre Arts.
Culture Secretary, Fiona Hyslop said: “Youth music and youth arts organisations across Scotland are playing an important role in the lives of young people during these difficult times.
“This funding will support these organisations to expand their work and provide creative opportunities to young people as well as work and income for the artists and practitioners working with them through these projects.”
These awards are the first to be announced from the Scottish Government’s £3million funding package for Youth Arts. Further announcements will follow regarding recipients of at least £1.2million through the Access to Youth Arts Fund, the £700,000 Small Grants Scheme and £50,000 assigned to the Time to Shine Nurturing Talent Fund.
Iain Munro, CEO, Creative Scotland said: “All the emergency funds currently being delivered by Creative Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government are vital in addressing the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I’m particularly pleased that we are able to announce today the first recipients of this Youth Arts funding which will reach some of the children and young people most adversely affected by the pandemic and provide important work for freelance artists whose opportunities have been so severely impacted by Covid-19.”
The full list of Fund recipients:
| Organisation (Trading name) | Local Authority Area | Funding Amount |
| Drake Music Scotland | Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Highland | £61,880 |
| Engage | National | £40,744 |
| Fèisean nan Gàidheal | Highland, National | £30,000 |
| Fèis Rois | Highland | £64,820 |
| Film Access Scotland | National | £40,744 |
| National Piping Centre | National | £37,477 |
| National Youth Choir of Scotland | Aberdeen, Glasgow, National | £64,820 |
| National Youth Orchestra of Scotland | Glasgow, Stirling | £30,000 |
| Scottish Book Trust | National | £64,820 |
| Scottish Brass Band Association | National | £50,680 |
| Scottish Music Centre | National | £64,820 |
| Scottish Youth Theatre | National | £64,079 |
| Sistema Scotland | Dundee, Aberdeen | £50,805 |
| Starcatchers* | Edinburgh, Fife | £193,605 |
| Tinderbox Collective | Edinburgh, Perth and Kinross | £64,820 |
| Toonspeak Young Peoples Theatre | Glasgow | £44,448 |
| YDance | North Lanarkshire | £35,892 |
| Youth Theatre Arts Scotland | National | £48,939 |
| Total: £1,053,393.00 |
*Starcatchers led consortium working in partnership with Imaginate and Lyra.
Updates on all emergency funds are being published regularly on this website and publicised through media and social media communications.
Photograph: Anne Binckebanck, courtesy of Drake Music
