Hopes of bringing the Sistema Scotland music programme to Dundee will take a step forward on Monday when councillors will be asked to endorse the concept.
Education committee members will debate the issue over whether the city will become the third in Scotland to embrace the Sistema/Big Noise Orchestra after Stirling and Glasgow.
The project, inspired by the El Sistema youth music programme in Venezuela, is being backed by the Optimistic Sounds charity, which was set up following the death of Michael Marra in 2012 and inspired by the musician’s wish to see the programme set up in Dundee.
The city council’s chief executive, David Dorward, has provided a report to the committee stating he has met with Optimistic Sounds on four occasions over the past year and says he is aware the organisation appreciates the scale of funding required, which amounts to around £1.93 million over five years.
He also stated that Optimistic Sound have made it “quite clear that they wished the council to be a partner in the project, but they did not expect the city council to provide any revenue funding.”
However, he also stresses in the report that the council already offers cultural and musical tuition to more than 2,200 pupils in Dundee’s schools, including the Aspire Dundee project launched last year.
Labour group leader Councillor Kevin Keenan said: “I hope that we can reach a consensus on how to take the project forward, giving our full support and commitment to exploring every avenue that will see the project delivered into one of our communities. While I look for no additional funding from the council itself, I would hope for support in kind and if required, council be prepared to make a joint approach alongside El Sistema as a partner organisation to the Scottish Government for financial assistance.
“Given that the Scottish Government has just received additional funding through the Barnett Consequentials, it may be a particularly fruitful time to be making such an approach.”