Inverness public art programme assured three-year future

Members of the Highland Council’s Inverness City Committee have given their backing for the continued support of a public arts programme which was created through the urban regeneration Streetscape project.

Inverness Old Town Arts (IOTA) is to receive a total £92,250 (£30,750 annually) from the Inverness Common Good Fund for the next three years until 2012/14 to fund core support for the project.

Investment in the public art programme for the City will be dependent on IOTA securing match funding from other sources (including the Inverness Common Good Fund).

IOTA will be governed through the Inverness Partnership and by elected members including Councillors Thomas Prag, Bet McAllister, and Roy Pedersen with the assistance of the Council’s City Manager, David Haas.

Chairman of The Highland Council’s Inverness City Committee, Provost Jimmy Gray said: “It is important in these challenging economic times that we continue to invest in the cultural vibrancy of Inverness City. IOTA has a proven ability to lever in additional match funding for temporary and permanent artistic projects for the City and it’s vital that we continue to keep the City as an attractive centre within which to live, work and invest.”