UP TO £1.8 million is up for grabs to help get Hounslow's creative juices flowing.
The Arts Council has offered the cash to groups in the borough because it has one of the country's lowest participation rates in the arts.
Only groups in Hounslow, Newham and Barking & Dagenham - all of which are in the bottom 20 per cent nationally when it comes to accessing art - can bid for the money.
The cash is part of a £37 million national scheme called Creative People and Places, set up to get more people involved in the arts.
The Arts Council wants organisations, from theatres and art galleries to small societies and residents groups, to unite in a bid to make art more accessible for all.
Successful bids will receive at least £500,000 over three years. The money is likely to be split between the boroughs but it could potentially go to just one.
Groups gathered at Hounslow's Paul Robeson Theatre, itself ironically threatened with closure, at a launch event last Friday (February 17).
Aida Esposito, cultural services development manager for the council's leisure contractor John Laing, said: "I know we can take it as a bit of a beating that we're able to apply to access these funds in the first place but I would like to see it as an opportunity for us to link up and show what we can do."
The project aims to get art out of traditional venues like theatres and art galleries and onto the streets or into community centres where it is more likely to find a new audience.
Most of the 71 areas eligible to apply for cash are in the north or midlands. They were chosen based on the results of last year's Active People survey, which asked respondents how often they attended or took part in art events.
Groups can only apply for the cash as part of a consortium. The deadline to submit a bid is April 13 but potential applicants have been asked to register by March 23.
For more information about the scheme visit www.artscouncil.org.uk.
GROUPS attending last week's launch event were keen to get their hands on the cash, which they felt could make a real difference.
Helen Boateng, of the West London Ghanaian Association, said: "Art is an important part of the Ghanaian culture and we want to share that and become part of the fabric of the community.
"If you talk about art to someone they might say 'I can't draw' but art is very versatile and means different things to different people. This (project) is about what we can bring to the table collectively."
Phil Tucker, of dance school Chiswick Theatre Arts, said it was a shame Chiswick was home to so many actors and creative types yet had no cinema and only one small theatre.
"There's definitely the appetite for people to get involved in the arts but there's no arts centre to provide a focus," he added.
Hussein Mohammed Hassan is the community development officer for the Brentford charity Ilays, which provides support and training for refugees, particularly those from Somalia.
He said: "Hounslow's a very multicultural area. We're keen for other groups to learn about Somali art and for us to learn about other cultures. Hopefully this money will help us share our art."
