Saturday 6 November 2004 marks the 10th Birthday of the National Lottery and first National Lottery Day. To celebrate in Scotland a range of lottery funded venues across the country will be holding events to mark the occasion.

In 1994 the Scottish Arts Council received its first National Lottery funding application from the Scottish Poetry Library towards the cost of constructing a purpose-built centre in Edinburgh.

Ten years on and the Scottish Poetry Library is only one of hundreds of arts organisations which have benefited from lottery funding though the Scottish Arts Council.

Since the first numbers were drawn in November 1994, National Lottery players have raised over £15 billion for good causes, funding over 160,000 projects across the UK - the largest programme of civic regeneration since the 19th century. The Scottish Arts Council has
distributed over £219 million to arts organisations and projects across Scotland, awarding a total of 4,474 grants.

Graham Berry, Director of the Scottish Arts Council, said: 'There is no such thing as a typical lottery-funded project.  The Scottish Arts Council has funded a huge variety of projects both large and small.  From the largest grant awarded to the Centre for Contemporary Art in
Glasgow to providing small grants to voluntary groups through the Awards for All scheme, one factor brings all lottery projects together: all projects funded by the National Lottery benefit the public, introducing the arts into communities and supporting arts programmes for children and young people.'

The national party event will take place in Glasgow Science Centre which will be offering free entry to the Science Mall on 6 November. Two music stages will showcase National Lottery funded performers throughout the day. Other performers will mingle with visitors and add
to the carnival atmosphere.

Factfile
Since 1994 the National Lottery has -

• supported 4,474 separate awards through the Scottish Arts Council totalling £219 million.
• helped pay for new instruments for 92 bands and orchestras.
• provided 157 grants for the building and refurbishment of arts buildings across Scotland.
• supported more than 80 public artwork projects up and down the country.  
• 54% of Scottish Arts Council lottery grants have been under £10,000.