A Swindon theatre played host to a celebration of 10 years of Swindon Arts.

The Swindon Arts Community Fund, formerly Swindon Arts Foundation, has given more than £10,000 to various projects aiding arts in the community and education over the years.

At The Wyvern Theatre representatives of the groups who had benefited and old friends and associates got together to perform and enjoy the celebration.

Swindon's Pegasus Brass Band is working with seven special schools for the disabled and those with learning difficulties, towards a proms performance next year. The fund gave more than £3,000 towards the project.

"We want good sustained development and this project has a long lead-in time,'' said Rosa Matheson, director of Swindon Arts Community Fund.

The schools participating in the project are: the Chalet School, Brimble Hill, Nylands, St Luke's, Uplands and Crowdys Hill School. The fund is also awarding a grant to the West Swindon Schools Community Play Festival.

"Last year the Shakespeare Festival was such a success,'' said Rosa.

This year Tim Noble, head of drama at Green-down School, will go to other schools encouraging the pupils to write their own plays and then perform them at the festival. The grant was £2,000.

Another project to benefit from the fund this year is the Octobus project which will continue its interaction work with hostels that house families in crisis.

"We match fund it from education,'' said Rosa. "It is a new development for the Swindon Arts because we have limited funds we sometimes can find funding elsewhere from businesses.''

During the celebration at the Wyvern there was a cartoon film, a performance from Mughda Dance Troupe, music from Swindon Youth Opera Group, songs from Pegasus Brass and the speakers were John Culham from PHH and Simon Cooper a founder member of Swindon Arts.