The Scottish Arts Council has recently approved funding for three new and diverse projects; an information website for Youthlink Scotland's member organisations, a three year tour of the highlands by ‘The Merry Dancers Storytelling Project’ and a festival of music for children and young people in West Dunbartonshire. The Youthlink Scotland project titled 'Get into the Arts', will see the organisation develop a web-based database, providing information on arts related venues, contacts and case studies. The database, to be used by youth groups and arts organisations, is aimed at increasing participation and attendance at events. 'The Merry Dancers Storytelling Project', managed by the Highland Council, will involve a number of events including storytelling in schools, developing new stories about the Highland landscape and integrating storytelling with other arts and crafts. To be rolled out over a three year period, the project will also include community projects, gatherings, festivals and recordings of storytellers in English and Gaelic. The West Dundbartonshire Council will co-ordinate a nine-month festival of music for 70 local schools, with more than 2,700 pupils expected to take part in an introduction to a range of musical styles. The long term benefits are anticipated to include students learning about new music genres, the establishment of an authority-wide choir and improving the standard of the West Dundbartonshire School Orchestra. Jim Tough, Head of Strategic Development, Scottish Arts Council, commented that 'Introducing children and young people to the arts in their own neighbourhood is a gift that will last them a lifetime. As well as stimulating their own knowledge of the arts, the children who enjoy the arts today become audiences of the future.'