The number of applications made to a £100,000 project established in place of the Aberdeen International Youth Festival has shot up from just five last week to a “terrific” 30.
The 11th hour response has seen the council claim the project has “really captured the imagination” as it now looks at which initiatives will receive a share of the cash.
Aberdeen City Council voted last year to stop its annual £150,000 grant for the youth festival and instead back a new Year of Young People programme.
The £100,000 cash pot offered grants of up to £2,000 for individual applicants and awards of up to £10,000 for youth organisations.
Concerns were raised last week that not enough youth causes were bidding for the cash, after it was revealed there had only been five formal applications submitted with just a week to go before the April 22 deadline.
But last night Councillor Lesley Dunbar, the ruling authority’s spokeswoman for young people, revealed there had been a spike in interest over the last few days and that 25 applications had been lodged at the last minute.
She said: “I am absolutely delighted to say we have had a terrific response to our £100,000 Year of Young People creative funding, with a total of 30 applications received – 21 from organisations, and nine from individuals aged between 16 and 25.
“We are now firmly looking forward to going through the applications with the panel of young people who will be taking the decisions and making our creative young people’s dreams a reality.”
A city council spokesman said he would not be able to confirm if the full £100,000 has been allocated yet because decisions must first be made on which applications have been successful.
They did however describe the response to the funding opportunity as “very healthy”.
The decision to cut the AIYF’s cash was made at full council, despite opposition from SNP and Liberal Democrat councillors and support from celebrities including the world-famous percussionist Dame Evelyn Glennie.
This year’s AIYF will be held from July 27 to August 4, with a reduced programme of events.
Last month, the trust which organises the festival contacted the Scottish Charity Regulator for advice on how to wind-up.
