Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has pledged its support for the Scottish Year of Highland Culture in 2007 with a commitment to provide £120,000 towards the project team costs.

This funding matches earlier financial commitments from the Scottish Executive, through EventScotland, and The Highland Council, and marks the first stage of the project.  HIE's allocation will be spread over the next three years and will go towards the costs of a small project team, its activities and a website to promote the year-long cultural celebration.

With the financial foundations for the project team finally in place, preparations for the cultural showcase can now step up a gear.

The search to find a project manager to lead the team is already well underway.  The successful candidate will be in post by early August and will be tasked with capitalising upon the ideas and enthusiasm generated during the Inverness Highland bid for European Capital of Culture 2008.

Despite losing out on the title to Liverpool, the public interest generated during the bid and the scale of potential benefits the title of Capital of Culture could bring to the Highlands helped persuade the project leaders to seek backing for an independent year of culture.

Among those is Highlands and Islands Enterprise chairman and board member of the Inverness Highland 2008 bid, Jim Hunter, who is well aware of the cultural and economic benefits to be had by going ahead with an alternative programme.

"The Inverness Highland Capital of Culture bid generated a great many ideas, and although it was unsuccessful, it presented the partners with a unique opportunity to build upon that momentum," he said.

"The 2007 programme stands to bring huge benefits to the Highlands and Islands as a whole.  Not only will it improve the area's arts infrastructure, but it will also boost jobs, tourism and investment, as well as strengthening the communities involved.  The First Minister has already given Highland 2007 his backing and it is vital that we too support this important project."

As well as working to establish a greater awareness of the Highland culture in other parts of the country, the 2007 team will be tasked with devising a programme which will improve cultural access throughout the Highlands, boost the tourism industry and enhance community confidence.

Several major events are already being assessed with a view to deciding which ones have the most to contribute to the year.  Among these are the possibility for a high-profile theatrical event to mark the re-opening of Eden Court Theatre, the final of the World Mountain Biking Championships, and a global ceilidh to put a Highland ring around the world on St Andrew's night.

HIE's recently recruited partnership projects director, Bill Sylvester, will manage the development agency's input into the cultural programme.  He said:  "Highland 2007 is a fantastic opportunity for the region, and I am delighted that the funding is in place to allow the project team to start work.  2007 may seem like a long way off, but in practice there is a lot to do and we must make significant progress in some key areas before the end of this year.  I look forward to working closely with the new team and achieving that progress."