FUNDING of £56,000 is helping to boost nine community events.

Kirklees Council is helping to support Marsden Jazz Festival, Holmfirth Arts Festival, Shepley Spring Festival, Cleckheaton Folk Festival, Holmfirth Festival of Folk, Slaithwaite Moonraking Festival, HOST, the Spen Valley Cultural Events and the Huddersfield Pink Picnic Committee.

The council’s newly-formed Creative Events Partners Investment Programme (CEPIP) aims to support a core group of community organisations to run regular arts events and festivals which make a key contribution to the cultural life and economy of the district.

Clr Peter O’Neill, Kirklees Cabinet member for communities and leisure, said: “It is local events like these that support more people and communities in Kirklees to enjoy the arts and creative activities while enjoying something new. Congratulations to the successful events that have received funding.”

The money has been redirected from a previous programme of work, and the council has introduced the new scheme to ensure more organisations could bid for the money and had an equal chance to be selected.

The public can benefit from the programme as soon as June 11-26 when the Holmfirth Arts Festival runs over 16 days.