The Scottish Arts Council has provided a funding lifeline to eight emerging public art projects to ensure their development.

The new Public Art Fund, formed from £466.000 of National Lottery money, will invest in projects to investigate the possibility of artworks being installed within beaches, woodland, schools and parks. By pushing these projects forward, the council hopes it will encourage public art and community engagement to be at the heart of new regeneration projects. Among the projects is Glasgow-based arts company NVA's Cardross scheme, involving the redevelopment of grade A-listed St Peter's Seminary and surrounding Kilmahew woodlands to include permanent and temporary art works.

The Lighthouse scheme is another project to get funding, which is designed to help improve Glasgow's parks with the development of new public art and architecture. Called Projects for Parks, the scheme is a collaboration between The Common Guild, the Scottish Centre for Architecture - called The Lighthouse - and London architects Caruso St john to create a series of temporary structures and events in the city's park. Other projects include artworks as part of Edinburgh City Council's Waterfront Promenade Project, six public art commissions in the rural town of Huntly in Aberdeenshire and North Edinburgh Arts which aims to promote public art in the regeneration of neighbourhoods.

Karen Ward Boyd, senior Lottery Officer said: "Our vision for public art in Scotland is ambitious; developing this area will take time as we want to explore the many exciting possibilities that public art can bring to communities throughout Scotland. Ultimately we want to create a vibrant environment for the people of Scotland to live in and each of these projects seek to fulfill this aim."