THEY are projects big and small which all impact on the cultural life of the country in their own ways.
Now jazz musicians, artists and women embarking on motherhood and are all among those to share in a funding pot of almost half a million pound to further their creative endeavours.
Glasgow Jazz Festival, a writing group aimed at sparking creativity in new mothers and an artist residency based in a Dumfries & Galloway nature reserve and are among the 28 creative projects sharing over £470,000 of National Lottery funding through Creative Scotland in the latest round of Open Project Fund awards.
The New Mothers’ Writing Circle is a pilot project which to empower a group of new mums to document their personal journeys during the transformational first few months of motherhood.
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The project, which aims to draw half of its participants from Glasgow’s most deprived areas, has received more than £6,000 towards the cost of staging creative writing workshops and live readings from published authors.
Participants will be invited to publish their work on the project’s website and a sharing session will be held for partners and families.
Catrin Kemp, Project Director said: “The idea for the project came about following the birth of my son, nearly three years ago.
"I found becoming a mother a seismic shock and used writing to acclimatise myself with my new identity. During my second pregnancy, I teamed up with author and editor Genevieve Herr, also a mother of two, to design the New Mothers' Writing Circle. Our hope is that the project will spark imaginations and get mothers writing at a key time of change in their lives."
Glasgow Jazz Festival has received £65,000 towards its 34th edition, which will take place in and around the city in June.
The Festival will hold educational workshops and concerts featuring both local and international musicians, and also deliver the Scottish Jazz Awards.
Jill Rodger, Director, Glasgow Jazz Festival said: “Year on year we endeavour to bring an exciting and varied line-up of big-name artists alongside up-and-coming musicians to Glasgow’s audiences and we are able to do this thanks to National Lottery funding from Creative Scotland. We look forward to welcoming jazz fans old and new to some of Glasgow’s most iconic music venues in June.”
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The Artful Migration programme will offer artists an insight into the migratory birds of Dumfries & Galloway by working in partnership with local nature reserves.
The residency, which received £7,000 in funding, will take place at Threave Garden and Estate and has been developed by visual art organisation Upland, in partnership with Ginnie Wollaston and Nicholas Paton Philip of Moving Souls Dance, along with support from WWT Caerlaverock.
An Upland spokesperson said: “We are very excited to be able to offer an artist the unique experience of working at NTS Threave Garden & Estate and the chance to research and study the ospreys which nest there."
Overall, 28 different projects have been given funding.
Iain Munro, Chief Executive, Creative Scotland said: “From music festivals to writing circles, these projects are testament to the potential of creativity to have a profound impact on people and communities across the breadth of Scotland."
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