Music projects sound the right note

The project aims to encourage aspiring stars

Some of the most deprived council estates in Scotland have been given arts council grants to regenerate their communities.

Among them is Ferguslie Park in Paisley, which plays host to a two week £100,00 festival, starting on Friday.

The area has suffered from crime and drugs problems, but it is now attempting to turn things around, with the help of Paisley's most famous exports.

The town's very own Gerry Rafferty said he hopes the project will offer to others the same opportunities he grasped.

Gerry Rafferty: Wants project to transcend class boundaries

The Scottish Arts Council (SAC) has so far funded 19 social inclusion schemes across Scotland.

Mr Rafferty said: "A lot of the artists from the year dot have came from fairly impoverished backgrounds.

"We are very guilty of concentrating everything on a middle class level and not actually getting where the real people are."

It is hoped the project will help regenerate the community from which Mr Rafferty and famous artists such as John Byrne came from.

It is what people feel strongly about in terms of their culture

Nod Knowles

David Whitelock is co-ordinator of Spin, a new arts funded project which aims to re-write Paisley's place in cultural history.

Mr Whitelock added: "It's not just Ferguslie Park, there are other areas like Blackhall, Foxbar, Glenburn, Johnstone and Johnstone West."

Style of music

One piece of music composed for the Paisley community is a mix of Gerry Rafferty's work to date, which the organisers hope both he and the public will warm to.

Nod Knowles, SAC's director of music, said: "People choose what they need and what they want and what they feel strongly about in terms of culture.

"And that is what the arts council is there to respond to. We do not dictate what the people want. If they would have wanted to have made a festival of some other art or other style of music that would have been fine.

"It is what people feel strongly about in terms of their culture - it's people doing what they feel is important, that is what we respond to."