West Lothian Council delivers

Arts and entertainment - Arts Development

Arts Development is part of Arts Services
Arts Development provides a programme of arts activities in the community to encourage everyone to get involved.   This part of Arts Services works with professional arts companies, organisations and individuals to provide projects,  performances and arts events at Howden Park Centre (new window) and other venues across West Lothian.  The staff also arranges for artists in all disciplines to provide workshops, classes and courses. Partnership projects are developed for target groups to make sure that the service reaches people and groups that are least likely to take part.
As well as administrating the council's arts grants scheme which gives grants to individuals and groups, Arts Development staff work to support and develop the huge range of voluntary arts organisations in West Lothian to maximise their impact in the community.
Arts Development is also working to improve arts facilities and venues in West Lothian delivering the council's three venue arts strategy which has already achieved major refurbishment of the Regal Community Theatre in Bathgate, redeveloped Howden Park Centre and has started work on the redevelopment of the Burgh Halls in Linlithgow (due to reopen in Spring 2010).

The standards of service you can expect from Arts Services are detailed in the downdloadable document on this page.   The other documents are the Howden Park Centre arts programme, grant application forms and the Arts Directory.