Beacon Arts Centre, a new £9.5m arts venue currently under construction in Inverclyde, has been handed a £100,000 grant from The Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation (ALWF).

The funding will go towards the establishment of a youth theatre providing opportunities for those from socially disadvantaged backgrounds in the Greenock area. Due to open in summer 2012, the new Beacon Arts Centre will replace Greenock Arts Guild Theatre - a venue that has been operating for more than 60 years.

Located on Greenock's waterfront, the venue will form part of a wider regeneration strategy for Inverclyde and will feature a 500-seat main auditorium with flytower and trap facilities. A black box studio theatre seating 130 and ancillary rehearsal rooms will also form part of the LDN Architects-designed scheme, along with a café/bar overlooking the River Clyde.

The project is being jointly funded by Greenock Arts Guild; Creative Scotland; Inverclyde Council; Riverside Inverclyde; and the Big Lottery Fund. Greenock Arts Guild chair Elliott McKelvie said: "The Beacon Arts Centre is a pivotal project for an area which is not short of social challenges.

"This substantial award will assist enormously by making it possible for us to offer the young people of our community, an opportunity to take part in theatre, music and dance."