Scottish Arts Council announced lottery funding for twenty-four drama companies to undertake new projects. Funding for the projects came from three streams of Scottish Arts Council Lottery funding, 

• Projects awarded support by the Scottish Arts Council Drama Department for work to be produced and presented in Scotland in 2004/05
• Projects awarded support by the Scottish Arts Council Drama Department for previously unfunded companies to be produced and presented in Scotland in 2004/2005
• Companies awarded support by the Scottish Arts Council Drama Department to commission and / or develop new writing.

David Taylor, Head of Drama commented, "We were astounded by the quality and range of the work presented to us.  In fact each fund was between two and four times oversubscribed.  Regrettably, the projects awarded represent only a fraction of the good projects that we would have liked to support and that venues and promoters were interested in
presenting.  The limited funds and high demand unfortunately prevented us from supporting the rest.  We think that the people of Scotland will be impressed with what will shortly be on offer".

The awards include a number of Highland companies:

Companies awarded support by the Scottish Arts Council Drama Department to commission and/or develop new writing:

£2,240 for Buidheann Drama Inbhirnis to commission Norman Campbell for a one act Gaelic play, to be performed by this non-professional group in the Highlands.

£3,100 for the Highland Festival to develop Eddie Stiven's play Carmina Crimmonia for a community production.

Projects awarded support by the Scottish Arts Council Drama Department for work to be produced and presented in Scotland in 2004/05:

£35,184 for Arts in Motion for The State of the Art, a black box projection and illusion show with animation and video touring in the Highlands and beyond.

A full list of awards is available on the Scottish Arts Council
website  http://www.scottisharts.org.uk