West Kilbride awarded £100k Creative Place Award
25 January
Well done West Kilbride for being awarded £100,000 from Creative Scotland!
The town was one of nine places to benefit from the Creative Place Awards, which aims to celebrate the value of creativity to the social and economic wellbeing of smaller communities, and to reward their hard work and imagination.
Craft Town Scotland plan to use the money to develop a new series of exhibitions for the Barony Centre.
They also want to develop new programmes to involve younger, and older, members of the community in their creative programme.
Craft Town Scotland Creative Executive, Maggie Broadley, submitted the application at the beginning of November and received an email on Tuesday informing her of the village’s success as one of the shortlisted candidates.
She said on the group’s blog: “The Year of Creative Scotland 2012 coincides with an incredibly exciting time in our community’s development.
“Everyone at Craft Town Scotland is extremely proud to have been shortlisted for a Creative Place Award, which celebrates our nation’s creativity, culture and identity.
“This nomination in itself is a huge boost for West Kilbride.
"I wish to pay tribute to the volunteers, studio makers, local crafters, businesses and residents who all contribute so much to our success.”
Chairwoman of West Kilbride Community Initiative Limited (WKCIL), Kay Hall, was also delighted at the town’s triumph.
She said: “To have such national recognition is a fabulous boost to all those involved in the development of Craft Town Scotland.
"It gives huge credibility to our local commitment and rewards our determination to regenerate our village in a creative and dynamic way.”
Nominees were chosen for the wide involvement of the whole community, as well as the creativity of their existing plans.
Along with the other category winners, West Kilbride will receive a cash prize, which will allow it to enhance activities further.
Follow us on: