Twenty-one groups in Northern Ireland have been awarded grants totalling almost £156,460 from the Big Lottery Fund and the Arts Council of Northern Ireland's Culture for All.

Culture for All is a small grants programme which offered grants of up to £10,000 to communities across the region who want to participate in the UK City of Culture celebrations in 2013. The funding could be used to run arts and culture projects and activities to link in with the event and to improve the lives of people in the communities.

Among those receiving funds is New Lodge Arts. The organisation received £10,000 towards a dance project for young people from New Lodge, Cliftonville, Mount Vernon, New Hill and Whitewell, which culminated in a lantern parade in north Belfast earlier this week.

Anne Delaney, project co-ordinator from New Lodge Arts said: "This has been a great project to be involved with as we're seeing a great response from the young people who are building relationships with others from different parts of north Belfast – people they may not otherwise have a chance to get to know.

"These projects are first and foremost about bringing kids together rather than cross-community work. We want that happen organically rather than being very obvious about it – and it does happen. The fact that these young people are coming back to other programmes shows the work is paying off."

Joanne McDowell Big Lottery Fund NI Director added: "The Big Lottery Fund and Arts Council of Northern Ireland are delighted to announce grants from this programme which is giving communities across Northern Ireland the chance to be a part of one of the world's most significant cultural events in 2013.

"We are delighted with the range of arts and culture projects from across Northern Ireland that we have been able to support which link to the City of Culture celebrations and benefit their local community."

Other projects receiving funds include Redrock Development Partnership (£5,875) which provides and promotes physical recreational activities for older people living within the Armagh area; Opportunity Arts NI (£9,100) which promotes access to opportunities in the arts and creative media for vulnerable groups and people living in disadvantaged areas across the region, and VC Glendale Cycling Club (£7,810), a cycling club that encourages sport to children and young people.

(JP/CD)