GREENOCK’S Beacon Arts Centre has been nominated for a top award in recognition of its contribution to Inverclyde.

The venue has been shortlisted in the creative regeneration category at the 2023 SURF (Scotland's Regeneration Forum) Award for its Creative Minds festival, which took place in May.

Hundreds of people attended the two-day event, with the Beacon hosting a programme packed with street theatre, visual arts, photography and comedy shows.

The festival was held as part of the Beacon’s outreach work and allowed local groups to showcase their work from the past year.

Karen Townsend, joint director of the Beacon, said: “We are over the moon to have been shortlisted at this year’s SURF Awards and are particularly pleased that our Creative Minds festival has been recognised in this way.

“Creative Minds was introduced this year as a way of sharing and celebrating the creative brilliance of the Inverclyde community.

“We really opened this up to people living in the area, and all of the events and activities were picked by community groups and members of the public.

“The festival is just one example of our wider outreach and engagement work to make the arts accessible to all.”