A SAC lottery funded project worth £1.4 million to enable artists to take their work into communities was has been announced.

The 'PARTNERS' initiative is a series of artists' residencies across Scotland which will give those communities with little experience of the arts new opportunities to participate alongside experts.

The residencies include a music project for adults with disabilities to perform swing music, circus skills courses for schools in the Glasgow area, and developing a community-led internet channel in Aberdeen.

At the launch at the Glasgow's Arches, Culture Minister Patricia Ferguson said:

"Giving people the opportunity to encounter others with expertise and enthusiasm can be truly inspirational. And the 'Partners' scheme will allow that artistic experience and expertise to be shared and help participants discover new skills and new ways to improve their local environments.

"The arts can boost young people's educational and creative achievements and play a big part in increasing self-worth and self-confidence. They also play a significant part in regenerating economically disadvantaged areas and communities.

"Partners is a significant and imaginative step forward, building on work that is happening across Scotland's communities to address barriers to participation in cultural activity. I believe that the artists and organisations that take part will experience real and lasting changes in their own lives and the lives of their communities."

Chairman of the Scottish Arts Council Richard Holloway said:

"One of the things we have learned from all the research that has been done into what is now called social exclusion is that the people caught in that particular trap are not only money-poor, they are culture-poor. That's where this brilliant new programme 'Partners' comes in.

"Since the culture-poor find it almost impossible to access the transforming possibilities of art, art has decided to come to them. Like most brilliant ideas, it's simple, but offers a genuine opportunity to change lives."

Writer and artist-in-residence Mamie Lang added:

"My life story expresses all of the joys and transformations that the arts can bring to people. I went from being a cleaner to a television script writer in what seemed like a moment, and now I am able to pass on those experiences, I hope in all their richness, to those who take part in my residencies."

The purpose of this new fund is to support artist residencies lasting from three months to two years. The artist will be based in, and work in collaboration with, a local community. As part of the residency, the artist will also have time to develop their own work.

Priority will be given to proposals which are in Social Inclusion Partnership areas or which involve people who have few or no opportunities to participate in the arts.

Partners residencies, which will also support artists by providing a period of reasonable financial stability, will provide a further opportunity for communities to learn how artists work as well as to enjoy sharing skills with top class artists in their own fields.

Residencies may be in any artform - the term 'artist' could be an actor, animator, composer, crafts practitioner, dance artist, choreographer, director, film-maker, musician, playwright, visual artist or writer.

Applications are now invited from communities, schools, workplaces who wish to host a residency. A toolkit for prospective applicants is available. The next deadline for partners applications is July 4.

For more information click on http://www.scottisharts.org.uk/1/information/publications/1001859.aspx