A new website giving arts lovers in the Highlands and Islands the latest news and views on their local arts scene will go live on Thursday 5 June.

The Arts Journal can be found at www.hi-arts.co.uk and has been developed by HI~Arts, the body set up to drive forward development in the sector. 

It is one of a series of arts development projects led by HI~Arts that will come to fruition over the coming year as a result of a renewed funding agreement from the arts agency's financial backers, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and the Scottish Arts Council (SAC). 

As well as featuring regular articles, interviews, and events reviews, the monthly on-line Arts Journal will encourage readers to contribute their views and opinions through discussion boards and a letters page.  HI~Arts hopes to drum up interest with a pledge to give the first 250 people who subscribe to the Journal's email bulletin service a free CD compilation of the best music from the Highlands and Islands.

Kenny Mathieson from Boat of Garten has been appointed as editor of the e-journal.  He has a background in arts journalism and readers of the Scotsman, Herald and Inverness Courier's arts pages will recognise him as a regular contributor. 

He has lined up an impressive array of features contributors for the first edition, including the directors of the Highland Festival, Orkney's St Magnus Festival and Eden Court Theatre in Inverness, as well as an interview with leading composer Sir Peter Maxwell Davies.  Work has already begun on the second edition and Mr Mathieson is keen to receive contributions from new and established writers across the Highlands and Islands for future editions.

HIE set up Hi~Arts in 1991 and has recently renewed its commitment to the arts body with a £168,000 pledge for special arts development projects as well as £315,000 over three years for mainstream activities and running costs.  The Scottish Arts Council has funded HI~Arts since 1994 and has also now placed the organisation on a three-year core funding basis.

Robert Livingston, director of HI~Arts said:  "The stability that HIE and SAC's three-year funding commitment brings will give us the confidence to pursue and develop longer-term, specialised projects such as the Arts Journal. 

"This is only one of several new projects we have in the pipeline.  Plans for a writing development programme are taking shape and we are working hard to expand our work in the music industry.  We are also exploring an online box office facility and work to introduce a 'second generation' Screen Machine mobile cinema is well underway.  We certainly have a busy and interesting time ahead of us."

David Smillie, HIE's Head of Culture said the agency's continued commitment to HI~Arts is in recognition of the growing value of the arts and culture to the economy.

"HI~Arts' efforts to stimulate greater community involvement in the arts not only helps to create a sustainable cultural environment for everyone in the Highlands and Islands, but signifies huge spin-off benefits in terms of commercial opportunities and employment.

"Its work to sustain a vibrant arts scene also plays an important part in enhancing the quality of life for people living in the Highlands and Islands which in turn helps to retain people in rural areas - one of our key priorities at HIE."