Forty arts projects have been backed by £800,000 in funds from the national arts body.

Awards of between £1000 and £99,445 have been made by Creative Scotland, including funding for the Greenock based arts charity RIG Arts, which has received the largest award, towards an art project that will aid regeneration in the area.

The Universal Hall in Findhorn has received £75,000 for a programme of performing arts and film for audiences in Moray.

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The Leith-based Citizen Curator has received support to pilot its Live Leith-Multicultural Music project.

The project will "engage new migrant and established black and minority ethnic (BME) groups, in communal singing and music-making workshops."

Organised by traditional folk-music performer and social worker Jed Milroy, the project will "take inspiration from traditional music, including from participant groups."

Philip Howard, the director and former artistic of the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh has received funding to support Interviews with the Women in His Life - a play commission for leading Scottish playwright David Greig.

The artist Claire Barclay has received £13,000 to stage a solo exhibition at the Tramway in Glasgow next year.

The show will "combine unstable materials such as grease and soot, with larger industrially made structures and intimate hand crafted elements."

Gary Cameron, the head of place, at Creative Scotland said: "This latest round of Open Project Funding awards further demonstrates the vibrancy and creativity of communities across Scotland.

“While Citizen Curator will be bringing together diverse cultures and musical influences to support multi-cultural dialogue in Leith, RIG Arts will be taking an innovative approach to regeneration in Greenock by bringing artists and communities together to offer a diverse programme of creative activity and training. "Further north, we are delighted to support Universal Hall’s programme of performing arts, film and workshop across Moray, and for the community led Braemar Creative Arts Festival."

The songwriter Kirsty Law, alternative rock band Halo Tora and singer songwriter, Martha Ffion have all received funding towards new work.

Glasgow-based The Glad Foundation has also received support towards its Glorious Traces Music Programme, which will include workshops, live performances, and autism-friendly workshops, as well as the formation of a community band.

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Dalmarnock-based Baltic Street Adventure Playground (BSAP) has received an award made towards visual arts to support its Artists in Residence Programme.

Conceived by the Turner Prize winning art and architecture collective, Assemble, and local playworkers, this project will develop a residency programme that brings together artists and children to make and play.