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Buddy, can you spare a gag?
20/02/2003
Tonight sees the launch of a four-day festival of comedy
in Paisley featuring a host of some of the best comic
talent in Scotland.
The 'Paisley in Stitches' festival, brainchild of the
Paisley Partnership, is part of a local economic and social
regeneration project set up to tackle social exclusion in
Renfrewshire's most deprived communities.
The project uses the stand-up comedy business to engage
Social Inclusion Partnership (SIP) area residents,
particularly young people, and provide them with skills
designed to lead them to self-employment and pathways to
success.
The festival will feature some of the graduates from the
Paisley in Stitches project, as well as a host of
established comedians.
Speaking ahead of the launch, Deputy Culture Minister Dr
Elaine Murray said:
"This festival is not only a great community event for
the people of Paisley, but is an innovative way of engaging
the residents of Renfrewshire in social inclusion
initiatives through popular cultural forms.
"The festival organisers must be congratulated for their
hard work in establishing the programme of workshops which
has enabled local residents to realise their potential to
perform on the comedy stage.
"In particular, it has allowed them to hone their all
round performance skills, their creative writing and
improvisation skills, as well as communicating with their
audience.
"Above all, the festival offers them a unique chance to
perform alongside some of the countries finest comic
talent, in an event sure to be a success".
The 'Up for Laughs' venue at 32 High Street will stage
the comedy festival tonight and tomorrow.
The Paisley Partnership is at the forefront of economic
and social regeneration in Scotland, developing, delivering
and funding a wide range of projects that help to tackle
social exclusion in 11 of Renfrewshire's most deprived
communities.
Paisley in Stitches is an innovative approach in using
stand-up comedy as a means of engaging Social Inclusion
Partnership Area residents in self-development and
employment.
The eight-week practical programme of workshops, led by
professional comedian Paul Sneddon, included confidence
building, performance skills, creative writing,
improvisation and communicating with an audience.
There was also an introduction to Business Planning in
the creative industries. This provided specially tailored
business support to individuals considering a career in
comedy or commercialising their work. This was delivered by
Scottish Enterprise Renfrewshire.
For more information on the programme of events contact
Owen Campbell and Julie Millar, Paisley Partnership on
0141-887-7707 or 07765-236225. Email
ocampbell@paisley-partnership.co.uk