News – Highland rights

Funding for the first project to deliver cultural entitlements across Scotlands local authorities has been announced by Scotlands Culture Minister, Patricia Ferguson. £125,000 has been awarded to Highland Council towards implementing The Highland Promise, a commitment to placing opportunities for young people at the heart of Highland 2007, a year-long celebration of the regions culture. The funding announcement follows the Scottish Executives pledge earlier this year to give local authorities in Scotland a new legislative duty to provide access to cultural activity that reflects the wishes of local people and communities.
Highland 2007 is a partnership between The Highland Council, The Scottish Executive and Highlands and Islands Enterprise which aims to promote the Highlands as a place to live and to visit. As part of this initiative, The Highland Promise focuses on providing cultural activity for young people of school age in the Highland Council area, aiming to enable them to participate in arts and other cultural events that they might not otherwise experience. Each of the 29 Community School Groups in the area will be given a budget to generate their own cultural programmes. Offers from national agencies, cultural organisations, artists and volunteers will be available for schools to choose from  some free, and some with a cost that will be met from each school groups allocation.