A MUSIC festival in York has received £8,500 - part of a £235,300 package for groups across the region from Yorkshire Arts.

The York Late Music Festival, which will take place at the National Centre for Early Music, between March 15 and 30, will this year include additional activities and more support for artists to help them to realise their musical aspirations.

The festival, now in its seventh year, comprises ten concerts of chamber music from 1900 onwards, including several first performances.

One of this year's highlights is a concert of music by Michael Nyman and John Tavener, and others by the popular Smith Quartet.

Artistic director David Power said: "I am delighted with this award. Without it we could never have brought people like the Smith Quartet to York.

"The improved administrative support is crucial for small arts organisations such as this festival. All in all, the award will enable the festival to take a huge and much-needed step forward."

Other grants include £42,900 for the Scarborough Festival of Youth Arts.

The festival is to undergo a six-month period of organisational development, adapting to meet the needs of the Scarborough area and extending its successful "DIY collective" model of working to a wider catchment area.

Co-ordinator Rachel Welford said: "This funding will have a huge impact on our organisation as a whole, the work we undertake, and, as a result, on the young people we work with.

"It enables a phase of hugely exciting development into new and wider areas of work to take place."

Leeds-based Theatre Company Blah Blah Blah gets £12,000 to take new show Frankie and Johnny to youth centres all over North Yorkshire, while North Country Theatre will tour small towns and villages in the county with a medieval mystery play with the help of an £11,000 grant.

Updated: 10:24 Saturday, January 19, 2002