This is a note from Don and me at clydevalley.net. We thought we'd keep in touch from time to time, and this first newsletter comes from France where we are escaping the Scottish weather. At least, we thought we were. There's wind and rain today!

As it's the first letter, we thought we'd include a bit of background information for you.

We work on clydevalley.net as lovers of the arts and are quite independent, so far, of external funding. We believe that the Clyde Valley has a well defined cultural and historical identity. It is rich in artistic and crafts talent, professional and amateur. We think, too, that artists, especially in rural areas, tend to work in isolation with limited opportunities for self-publicity. This website is intended to celebrate their work and help to share it. Visitors to clydevalley.net can find out what's going on - a concert, a group to join or an exhibition and about how to contact those involved in these cultural activities. As well as that they can visit Showcase and enjoy the featured works.

Clydevalley.net covers the area south of Hamilton , stretching down the River Clyde to Abington, swinging round by Strathaven and Lesmahagow in the west, and Broughton and Carnwath in the east. It is mainly for those engaged in cultural activities in the rural areas. We believe that the larger towns and cities are already well catered for. But we are not drawing firm boundary lines.

There are several other fine websites in the valley of the River Clyde but we think that there's a niche for one devoted solely to local culture and we hope to enhance rather than to compete.

Clydevalley.net will only serve its purpose well if it is truly representative of the cultural activity of the valley and, with over 120 entries listed, not to mention over 100 events, it's fast becoming just that. But we know that there are more people and groups out there and hope you will help point them towards us to keep the content relevant and bang up to date. Perhaps you, yourself, know of concert dates or other events that are just waiting to be listed on this website? Please send them in soon.

The number of visits to the monthly Events page and Showcase is rising, demonstrating the popularity of this feature and publishing forum. However we emphasise that we are not editors and make no quality decisions regarding the works submitted. That's up to the people and groups who send them in. If you or your group wish to submit work for Showcase please do so and it will go up whenever space is available.

Have a look at this month's Showcase and see work by Jenny MacKay, Chris McMillan, KODA, Carol McKay and June Ritchie. These are all people living and working locally.

Already some of you have come forward with new ideas to develop the website. We're very grateful for that interest and support and keen to mix these with our own. Please keep it up.

Finally good luck to you all (especially to those at Biggar Little Festival) or, as they say round here, 'bon courage'!

Joanne and Don