A charity currently creating a community arts space at the former Inverness Royal Academy has been awarded £24,600 to boost its digital capabilities.
Wasps, which works to provide affordable studio space for artists in the city, received the funding from Highland and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
Inverness Creative Academy is currently under development on the site of the old school, and once completed it will be the biggest venue of its kind in the Highlands.
The Digital Enablement Grant from HIE will go towards helping tenants within the academy with their digital presence and ability to sell their works online through an all-new website.
Artists working within the space range from specialists in ceramics, textiles, painting and visual media art.
Support is ‘crucial’ to north’s creative sector
The first phase of the building was completed in 2019 and houses 31 studios as well as a workshop and event spaces.
The second phase, currently under construction, will provide space for social enterprises and creative industries to work out of and is due for completion later this year.
It has been made possible through £1million funding.
Daniel Pollitt, Wasps’ marketing and communications manager said: “The support from HIE has been and continues to be crucial to Wasps in achieving its mission, to provide high quality yet affordable studio and office accommodation for the creative sector.
“Developing the former Inverness Royal Academy has been a huge undertaking for the organisation but the stimulus the facility will provide to the area will be far-reaching.
“A key development – as we near completion of the second and final phase – is the creation of a new, dynamic and flexible website, which will offer our tenants a platform to help promote themselves and connect with others.”