A West Lothian music festival that supports the development of local musicians has received a £500 boost from Scotmid Co-operative. The Bathgate Music Festival will be held from 4th to 7th September this year, and organisers are planning a packed calendar of events in local bars, restaurants and venues, including a large outdoor stage in the town centre.
The festival will celebrate music across many genres, such as jazz, soul, classical and rock. It is open to all ages and will feature a mix of local bands and professional musicians.
The £500 grant was awarded by Scotmid’s West Regional Committee, as part of the organisation’s community grant scheme.
James Farrel, Chairman of Bathgate Music Festival said: “The Bathgate Music Festival is predominantly a free music festival open to all genres and ages. We aim to increase the profile of the local musicians and bring new music into West Lothian through the various events that we run. Over the main Festival weekend, we will be running in excess of 30 events in local bars, restaurants and venues. A large outdoor festival stage will be erected in the centre of the town on the Saturday where live music will be played throughout the day from some big up-and-coming artists. The line-up will be announced very soon!”
“As well as the main festival weekend this year we have been working very closely with the West Lothian High Schools and recently ran a Battle of the Bands competition. This was a great success and we’re already planning for the 2015 Battle.”
“As this is a free festival we rely fully on the support and funding from local businesses and organisations and we are extremely grateful to Scotmid and the team for supporting BMF2014, without support like this it simply could not happen.”
Yvonne Goodfellow, Membership and Community Officer for Scotmid Co-operative said: “The Bathgate Music Festival is set to be a fantastic weekend and a great opportunity for local residents to discover and celebrate musical talent from right here in West Lothian. Scotmid is delighted to award this community grant and we hope that it helps to develop the next crop of music stars.”
Scotmid donates around a quarter of a million pounds to local causes through its community grant scheme each year. Applications are encouraged for projects that support children and education, active lifestyles, the environment, health promotion, the elderly, homelessness, Fairtrade, arts and culture, and charity.
Community groups and projects can apply for a Scotmid community grant by completing a community grant form from their local Scotmid store or online at www.scotmid.coop. Community groups and projects must meet certain criteria to be considered for funding. The applications are then considered by their Regional Committee before being awarded.