The National Youth Agency: Comment - Live and Local

Stray thought one: I was mulling over what a colleague told me last night. He doesn't get out much - I mean in his working life rather than his social life. The former is essentially office-based. But he'd been to a young people's event over the weekend and came back enthused about their energy and vitality. Sometimes, rushing between assorted meetings, we can all forget this. He'd watched entranced as they used a variety of arts techniques to celebrate their various projects.

Stray thought two: idly switching television channels, I came across a programme about Kathryn Tickell, the performer of traditional Northumbrian music on the small pipe and fiddle. Several weeks ago I was fortunate enough to see her perform live in a small village hall, thanks to that excellent Arts Council-supported scheme Live 'n' Local. This brings renowned performers and village venues together by underwriting some of the costs - making them accessible to everyone where otherwise they would not be. OK, a draughty village hall is perhaps not the best venue - as Tickell herself writes in her diary: "A sweet little old village hall with a small community. It's a lovely wee place, but we had a storeroom to change in (we couldn't turn round without knocking the hoover over) and the stage was teensy. But a great atmosphere."