Ten organisations have been awarded grants totalling $100,000 from Government's new Cultural Legacy Fund.

The Ministry of Culture and Social Rehabilitation received 45 applications for the grants.

Culture Minister Neletha Butterfield said the amount of applicants shows a "tremendous interest in culture, heritage and the arts in Bermuda".

"Whilst we could not entertain all of the proposals that came forward, we are heartened by the range and quality of the proposals put forward," she said.

"I would encourage those who were not successful this time to not give up hope. It is our desire to grow the Cultural Legacy Fund in years to come so that it represents a major funding source for arts and culture in Bermuda, thereby encouraging further creativity and innovation as well as providing new training and development opportunities."

The organisations include:

• Atlantic Publishing House & Shine's Music to establish a Music Hall of Fame — $10,000

• Bermuda African Dance Company to support the visit of grandmaster drummer M'Bemba Bangoura — $15,000

• Bermuda International Film Festival to promote students learning about film — $7,500

• Bermuda National Gallery for Youth Camera Action to promote visual arts — $10,000

l Chewstick for the fifth annual Beachfest Emancipation Celebration Fundraiser — $7,500

• Eddie Ming Rhythm Lab to train and prepare students to attend a music school in North America — $11,440

• FABRIC to Milton Rapose for a film covering the history of the Portuguese Community in Bermuda — $7,990

• Kaleidoscope Arts Foundation for 'Art meets Agriculture', a pilot after-school programme — $6,000

• Kat King Productions to introduce to Bermuda its very own gombey icon and mascot, AJ the Little Gombey — $7,500