A NEW 'culture club' is set for a big windfall of over £250k to run a series of events and projects.

The council, in partnership with the Beacon Arts Centre, CVS Inverclyde, Kayos Theatre Group and RIG Arts, has secured £275,000 from Creative Scotland’s new ‘Culture Collective’ fund.

The cash will be used to deliver a 'range of events, experiences and projects' over the next 18 months aimed at boosting health and wellbeing, improving local communities and encouraging greater participation in the cultural sector.

Councillor Jim Clocherty, Inverclyde Council’s convener of education and communities, said: “We’re proud to be working in partnership with and bringing together so many diverse organisations to use our unique arts and cultural sector to benefit people across Inverclyde.

“This funding will allow all the partners to work individually and collectively on a wide range of projects designed to improve our communities and, most importantly, the people who make them.

“It provides some much-needed positivity for Inverclyde after the events of the last year and I look forward to seeing how things unfold over the next 18 months.”

The project will have a focus on engaging with people in 'harder to reach' areas, supporting freelancers and developing local talent.

Pauline Kane, theatre director of the Beacon Arts Centre, said: “We are thrilled to be a partner in this.

“The funding will allow us to explore new ways of working meaningfully and creatively with our local communities and the area’s many talented creative practitioners, with a focus on the recovery of both Inverclyde and the wider cultural sector.

“We look forward to working with our partners to deliver new cultural experiences and bring about positive change for the wider area.”

As well as reaching out to people of all ages across the district, the project will support over 40 artists.

Kat Boyle, arts co-ordinator from CVS Inverclyde, hailed the investment as 'brilliant news for Inverclyde'.

She added: “This will allow for freelance creative practitioners and organisations to develop their programmes throughout the next 18 months across the area.

“We will investigate key themes specific to Inverclyde - health and social care, with a focus on adult mental health, young people, regeneration, outdoor work and engaging with areas that have low arts engagement and barriers to access."

The Inverclyde consortium is one of 26 across Scotland to benefit from nearly £6m of funding.

Kevin Jannetts, artistic director of Inverclyde Youth Theatre (Kayos), said: “We are thrilled to be part of the Culture Collective and that Inverclyde has been successful in its funding bid.

“We're excited to expand our working with other local creative practitioners and organisations and our local communities who have been particularly affected by Covid-19.”