A BID to set up a year-long community music programme in Central Fife has received confirmation of �250,000 of funding for a project which will commence in February.

The Band is a year-long project aimed at engaging the communities in the Cowdenbeath/Lochgelly area and encouraging all ages and abilities to participate, play and ultimately perform music.

The Band programme aims to establish community bands, to entertain, to educate, to inspire, and to leave a permanent legacy after 2012.

Inspiring and creative musicians and community arts experts are being engaged to create and lead community music groups which in the first instance will feature singing groups, a Samba drumming band, a Community Band, and a funky brass band.

The project seeks to attract people from throughout the local community to join in, and will provide musical instruments and tuition at no cost.

There will even be free transport to the regular sessions in Lochgelly from various points in the area. There is no cost to participants.

The project will be delivered and managed through a partnership of ON at Fife and Jazz Scotland, working closely with Fife Council. The launch of The Band will take place at the Lochgelly Centre on Thursday 2nd February and there will be significant promotion of The Band's programme as part of the 2012 Fife Jazz Festival (February 3-5) and in the re-launch of the Lochgelly Centre (Fall in Love with the Lochgelly Centre, February 13-17). Weekly classes will begin towards the end of February.

Hazel Wotherspoon, Head of Programme and Creative Development, at ON At Fife said, "Activity will run throughout the year. The weekly classes will take a summer break, during which The Band will present three intense summer residencies and courses in Singing, Brass, Jazz and Samba and will support its groups by helping to create opportunities to perform at Gala days and local festivals throughout Fife.

"From the Autumn, with the return of the weekly sessions, the focus will shift to a period of rehearsal for a number of large-scale commissioned pieces to be presented in December of 2012 including Swing Dances, Concerts, A Carnival Night and a Community Music/Theatre show.

"We hope to present shows throughout the area, including events in Cowdenbeath and Kelty as well as Lochgelly.

The Band is supported by a grant from The Year of Creative Scotland Fund". Hazel added, "The grant is from the 'First In a Lifetime' fund, and our programme will have a specific target to attract people who have not participated in cultural activity before.

"The Band will create a new opportunity for the Central Fife community to get involved in music of all kinds and at all levels.

"I'm sure this could be the start of a new era of creativity in the area, supported by the re-opening of the excellent facilities at the Lochgelly Centre.

"The Band promises a highly visible and intense period of local participation and promotion that can only be good for Central Fife".

An administrative unit is in the process of being set up for The Band and this will be in place by early February. Lochgelly and Cardenden SNP Councillor, Ian Chisholm, was enthusiastic in welcoming the news that Fife Council have been succesful in winning �250,000 from the Scottish Governments Creative Scotland Fund.

Councillor Chisholm said, "It is fantastic news that ON at FIFE has won a bid for a grant from the Scottish Government' Creative Scotland Fund.

"The Fife Council Leisure Trust team need to take a bow for this performance which will mean so much for Cowdenbeath and Lochgelly.

"I understand the grant of quarter of a million pounds is to be used to encourage groups or individuals to develop their musical talents and of course the icing on the cake is that our new Lochgelly Centre is to host many of the programme's classes. "I believe things start to happen in early February so I would urge young and old alike to contact Hazel Wotherspoon at ON at Fife to get all the details.

"The weekly classes and the use of instruments is to be free which can't be bad in these constrained times.

"So here is hoping that we can see the talents of the towns taking full advantage of this great opportunity and who knows maybe a career on a bigger stage for our locals."