BUSINESSES have been invited to get involved in next year's Merchant City Festival.

Leader of Glasgow City Council and chairman of the festival, Gordon Matheson, spoke at an event aimed at getting businesses planning for 2014.

The Merchant City Festival 2013 attracted a record-breaking audience of 100,000 attendances and generated almost £1million in economic output in the Merchant City.

Local businesses are now urged to apply to the Get Involved Fund, a scheme offering grants of up to £1000 to local groups looking to take part.

Mr Matheson said: "The Merchant City Festival is one of Glasgow's premier cultural events. It embodies everything I love about Glasgow. It is ambitious, diverse, exciting and fun.

"It provides opportunities for those who think art might not be for them to get involved and give it a go. I'd encourage organisations to come along to the business event and hear how they can help us make Merchant City Festival 2014, which is part of the key cultural offering during the Commonwealth Games, the best yet."

The festival aims to promote the area and its businesses by showcasing the best of what the Merchant City has to offer.

In 2014, as part of the city wide Festival 2014 celebrations, the Merchant City Festival will be one of the key 'Live Zones' for the 11 days of the Commonwealth Games. Council bosses promise the Live Zones will transform Glasgow with a mix of entertainment and culture.

An application form for the fund can be downloaded from www.merchantcityfestival.com

Entries must be submitted by February 3, 2014 and applications will be assessed by representatives of the festival committee.

catriona.stewart@ eveningtimes.co.uk