Arts projects across North Yorkshire are delighted after winning more money from the Government and the National Lottery, via the Yorkshire Arts Board.

Among the winners for the year 2000-2001 are the York Early Music Foundation - which has received double its usual award of £10,000 to help pay for the development of the National Centre for Early Music at St Margaret's Church in Walmgate.

Scarborough's Steven Joseph Theatre has won an increased grant of £450,000 from £410,000 last year while York Theatre Royal received £403,760, a rise of three per cent.

Delma Tomlin, administrative director of the York Early Music Foundation, said: "Clearly I'm delighted as it matters so much that we've got some funding to get the thing started.

"We were offered this money providing that all the other funders run in behind it and so far they have done.

"It's what we hoped for and certainly what we need to make a success of it."

Delma also welcomed the separate award of £31,800 for the Millennium Mystery Plays, of which she is chief executive.

The award has risen by the rate of inflation for the first time in 15 years.

York Theatre Royal's general manager Elizabeth Jones welcomed the increase saying it would allow the theatre to keep its ticket prices competitive.

Arts venue The Shed, in Brawby, Malton, received £10,000, which is a 30 per cent increase on last year, and also got itself on to the list of regularly-funded organisations.

Simon Thackray, whose brainchild The Shed is, said: "We are one of the smallest venues in the universe and this is a step up the ladder."

Impressions Gallery, in York's Castlegate, also received its usual award of £87,250 which includes an inflation-linked rise.

The chairman of Yorkshire Arts Board, Chris Price, said: "We are now able to pass on increased Government funding, as well as make more of the decisions affecting Yorkshire in Yorkshire.

"Yorkshire is home to some of the country's finest artists and most dynamic arts organisations.

"The arts are fundamental to the well-being of all of us living and working in the region."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.