Council defends £122,000

project funding decision COUNCIL chiefs are bracing themselves for criticism after giving the go-ahead for an arts project to be extended at a cost of £122,000.

The scheme, called Percent for Art, has been given the funding for another two years.

It has so far mainly been involved in brightening up Bolton's council estates.

But the council has also been involved in helping "creative industries" and 31 jobs have been created in recent years.

Council chiefs believe the "arts" could play an important part in job creation in the new Millennium.

Percent for Arts is now it is going to be involved more business and community projects. The idea is to help artists and creative businesses to generate and access work opportunities and create jobs.

But council chiefs are bracing themselves for criticism.

Labour Cllr Guy Harkin, deputy council leader, said at a town hall housing regeneration sub committee meeting: "We will probably get stick for this, but it is the right thing to do.

"There will be articles in the paper saying it is a waste of money, but that is the way it is with art in this country.

"It is a cultural thing that artistic jobs are not regarded as proper jobs.

"But just because we get flak, it doesn't mean that we are not doing the right thing.

"Van Gogh never sold a painting. He was not popular with his contemporaries, but no one could say that retrospectively."

Horwich Liberal Democrat Cllr Bob Ronson added: "We may get some flak. But beauty is very much in the eye of the beholder with this."

More than £60,000 of the £122,512 funding has come from European cash, and the rest has come from the council's Percent for Art budget and Bolton Community Homes.

The cash will go towards the appointment of an officer to oversee the scheme and it is estimated that five full-time jobs will be created and 25 small businesses will be advised.

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