The Big Lottery (Young People’s Fund) has announced an award of just over £143,000 to  Milton Keynes Gallery for its Young People’s Project (YPP)  - ensuring the development of an exciting new peer-led scheme for young people aged 15-24 over the next three years. The grant is part of £,1,1990,730 worth of Big Lottery Fund cash being awarded today from the Young People’s Fund to 13 projects in the South East region, to support innovative organisations working with young people.

Milton Keynes Gallery’s Young People’s Project aims to develop opportunities for young people to initiate and create exciting and challenging cultural projects and events with and for their peers, which may include visual art, music and film.  A steering group of young people will work alongside gallery staff, commissioning projects, liaising with professional artists, planning workshops and live events, whilst working to engage their peers and bring together young people from a wide variety of backgrounds, living in or near Milton Keynes.
In the process they have the opportunity to develop a variety of skills, including leadership, project management, technical, budgetary, fundraising, marketing, communications, social and life skills, likely to be of benefit when applying for university or future employment. 

Welcoming today’s announcement, Victoria Mayes, Milton Keynes Gallery’s Offsite & Outreach Education Co-ordinator commented:

“We are thrilled by this grant award and the opportunity that it provides for people aged 15-24 in Milton Keynes to engage with visual art and other cultural activities in ways that are exciting, challenging and meaningful to them, with lasting benefits.  Our immediate next step is to find ten willing volunteers to form a “steering committee” to work alongside Gallery staff to carry this exciting project forward.”

Further information on the Young People’s Project and application packs for the project  steering committee are available on request from Victoria Mayes at Milton Keynes Gallery (email v.mayes@mk-g.org or tel: 01908 676 900).The deadline for receipt of completed applications is Friday 23 February 2007.  Interviews will be held at the end of the month and the first steering committee meeting is due to take place in early March.

For more information on Milton Keynes Gallery visit www.mk-g.org.