£15,000 grant for festival

And if good use is made of the money a further 25,000 is promised by Southern and South East Arts over the next two years to expand the project.

At the moment it has not been decided exactly what will happen and festival chairman Cathie Corbin is seeking ideas. Support has already been promised by Uckfield Community and Technology College but she is also hoping primary schools and other organisations will want to get involved.

The money can be used to pay for artists to go into schools and work with children and pay for materials. 'We are looking to make things we will be able to use over a protracted period of time,' said Mrs Corbin.

It looks as if the project could have an African theme to it because of the success of a project two years ago when a smaller grant covered the costs of bringing an African dance and drama group to town to work with students at the community college over a term, culminating in an opening event of the festival.

Mrs Corbin said the experience led to the college organising a trip to Ghana last year and the youngsters came back so excited and amazed by the cultural differences that another trip has been arranged this year.

The students were due to set up yesterday, and going with them was an artist from Same Sky, a Brighton-based organisation, which sets up large scale community events. The artist, armed with a video camera, will go with the college group to schools seeking ideas for projects which can be developed back here.

'We are hoping that the project will culminate in a great procession as part of the festival, but we are open to ideas. There will be lots of different ways in which people can get involved as we are hoping as many people as possible will participate,' said Mrs Corbin.