'We need your votes!' - community theatre in lottery cash bid
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TONIGHT (Tuesday) will see a Buckie community group's bold bid for cash to create an arts hub take to the TV screens.
STV News at Six is to feature Buckie Community Theatre Group's Art Hub project and their aim to secure £48,468 in lottery funding to refurbish the upstairs of their premises off Low Street. At present the group have only one rehearsal space but once refurbishments have taken place there will be space for different groups to use the building at the same time. This will be open to groups from the town and beyond.
The arts hub is one of five shortlisted projects bidding for a share of a £3 million pot available through The People’s Projects, a partnership between the National Lottery Community Fund and STV, which gives the public a unique say in where National Lottery money should go in their local area.
All five will have the opportunity to showcase their work on prime time STV as they go head to head in a public vote to help them make an extraordinary difference to their community. The three projects with the most votes will receive grants of up to £50,000.
Buckie Community Theatre Group's artistic director Kevin Oakes told the Advertiser: "Voting for us will help make this transformation happen and will leave a legacy for Buckie.
"With enough votes, we can make this happen.
"We've already got two groups using the hall - the theatre group and Little Starz - and the art hub will allow us to expand what we can offer, both in terms of things run by ourselves and other organisations coming in to use the hub. This could be singing, dancing drama, anything to do with the arts, really.
"The arts hub will make a huge impact, especially with all of the council budget cuts hitting things like music tuition."
Mr Oakes went on to say that already completed refurbishment work had created a new dance studio, with the group looking to create a music studio facility and workshop areas for sewing, including making costumes and scenery building.
Steven Ladurantaye, STV’s head of news and current affairs, commented: “The People’s Projects can make a real difference to communities and lives across STV thanks to funding from The National Lottery and we are looking forward to highlighting the incredible shortlisted projects and groups from across Scotland.
"All you have to do is tune into STV News at Six and vote for your favourite project.”
Martin Cawley, Scotland director at the National Lottery Community Fund, added: “As the largest funder of community activity in the UK, we are proud to support groups that are led by the vision, determination and drive of local people to strengthen communities.
"In previous years we have seen a wide range of successful projects, from a café supporting young carers to animal-assisted therapy for people living with dementia and the development of a bee-friendly orchard. The People’s Projects is a chance for you to have your say on how National Lottery funding can help your community to thrive.”
Since 2005 around £42 million has been awarded through this partnership to 960 good causes across the UK.
Voting is now open and closes at noon on Monday, April 15, 2019. People can vote once per STV transmission region and will need an email address or mobile phone number to vote. For terms and conditions please visit www.thepeoplesprojects.org.uk
