Triple boost for culture capital bid Newcastle and Gateshead's bid to become European Capital of Culture in 2008 has been boosted by Lottery funding for three major arts projects.

Tyneside arts and culture bosses are giving three cheers for a cash windfall of almost £5 million towards the important developments.

Newcastle Playhouse will receive £3 million towards a £6 million redevelopment aimed at turning it into a high quality performance space with state-of-the- art facilities.

The Centre for the Children's Book in Newcastle has been awarded £550,000 towards the £4.5 million cost of transforming a city warehouse into a national centre for the study and celebration of children's literature.

And Dance City gets £1.35 million towards the estimated £3.6 million cost of a new building on St James Boulevard, Newcastle.

Newcastle City Council leader Tony Flynn said each one of the projects would "play a vital role in boosting our chances of becoming European Capital of Culture."

Janet Archer, director of Dance City, said the new purpose-built premises, to be sited in an area earmarked for redevelopment, will double the capacity of Dance City, where oversubscribed classes frequently lead to disappointment.

Elizabeth Hammill and Mary Briggs, the brains behind the Centre for the Children's Book, are negotiating to buy a warehouse in Byker to become the country's first centre for children's literature housing exhibition and study areas, a cafe, a bookshop and a growing collection of manuscripts and original illustrations.

The award to Newcastle Playhouse means a venue whose future looked uncertain until recently will now be transformed into a major centre for the performing arts.

-- Anonymous, June 13, 2001

Answers

Where is St James Boulevard?

-- Anonymous, June 13, 2001

its from the Redheugh Bridge to the ground

-- Anonymous, June 13, 2001

The Toon, City of Culture - ya gotta smile.

-- Anonymous, June 13, 2001

When it was Glasgow the year of culture was opened by Lulu singing some lovely ditty.

So get ready for Sting to croon from the blinking eye introduced of course by Ant and Dec.

-- Anonymous, June 13, 2001

Wouldn't it be Lindisfarne rather than Sting?

-- Anonymous, June 13, 2001

Alan Hull wouldn't look to good, even if the fog was thick

-- Anonymous, June 13, 2001

I'll only consider a duet with Jimmy Nail .

-- Anonymous, June 13, 2001