Scottish Arts Council offers music training funds

The Scottish Arts Council is offering training and professional development grants for the informal music industry.

Now in its sixth year, the Youth Music Initiative is aimed at expanding and developing the skills of those working with children and young people in a music-related capacity.

'Music matters,' said the Scottish Arts Council. 'Young people spend more time listening to, talking about or making music than any other creative pursuit.'

The total pot of funds is worth £85,000. Of this, grants worth £100 to £750 are marked for individuals, while organisations can apply for a grant valued between £500 and £5,000. Applications are accepted throughout the year until February 16th 2009.

Those eligible to apply for the award are professional musicians who wish to take part in music-related training or professional development programmes, music facilitators or tutors who want to extend and develop their skills, organisations offering music activities for youth that wish to train their staff, and youth workers who are interested in honing their skills in order to deliver to children and young people.

Meanwhile, those who are ineligible to apply are students in full-time education (more than 16 hours per week), those applying for long periods of study at further or higher education centres, those working in music at a local authority level within formal education (like school teachers, instrumental music instructors) and private music tutors.

According to the Scottish Arts Council: 'In the first three years of the YMI around 65 informal sector projects were funded, ranging from recording and DJing in Wick to mandolin workshops in South Lanarkshire.

'Projects have been run by youth clubs, charities and community groups as well as youth music organisations.'