COMMUNITY groups are being invited to apply for a share of a £60,000 pot as part of next year's inaugural European Championships in Glasgow.

A fund has opened for groups who want to produce cultural and arts events for Festival 2018, the cultural programme for the showpiece sport event, which is being jointly hosted by Berlin.

Applications are being invited from community groups and can involve all art-forms including music, carnival, visual art, theatre, dance, film, literature and performance.

The fund closes on January 29 2018 and it will then be up to the people of Glasgow to decide which activities they would like to see on their doorstep.

Residents will be able to vote online and in person for their favourite proposals to help shape Glasgow 2018’s cultural programme.

Glasgow 2018 will be the biggest sporting event to take place in Scotland since the Commonwealth Games with events in aquatics, cycling, golf, gymnastics.rowing and triathlon from August 2 to 12.

Colin Hartley, Director of Glasgow 2018 Championships said: “Glasgow 2018 promises to be one of the most exciting sporting and cultural events ever experienced in Scotland and there will be something for everybody to enjoy.

“We want as many people as possible to be part of this historic event – the first-ever of its kind and this funding gives local communities the chance to create their own special moments during the Championships.

"Local groups can seize this opportunity to play a part in the action-packed cultural programme that is shaped by the people that live here.”

Applications can be made at www.glasgow2018.com/festival2018/ourplacefund.

The fund will be extended to support community groups in each of the Glasgow 2018 European Championships local host areas including Perth and Kinross, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs and North Lanarkshire, with a total of £125,000 invested in local cultural activity across the Championships.

Tickets for Glasgow 2018 are now on sale. For more information go to www.glasgow2018.com/