COMMUNITY consultation is taking place which could see an arts hub – including a community cinema – based in empty premises in Kelty.

Those behind the Kelty Community Cinema are seeking the views of local residents and those further afield about their aim to turn the vacant Moray Institute into a possible venue.

Wayne Hayles, who is chairperson of group, has high hopes to create a place which will bring people into the village.

"My hopes are that it is a central point for all the arts that are around the area," he said. "We have got some phenomenal talent here in Kelty. It seems a shame that there is nowhere for people to show their work or for us to be able to screen films in our own venue.

"Who is to say that within this village, we don't have the next Salvadore Dali living in Kelty or the next Steven Spielberg? Until we start inspiring children that there's a life outside this village and showing them what they can do."

"My hope in the future is this is something where we can appreciate art in all forms. My hope is it could be a fully inclusive area for people coming in. We are right on the motorway and everyone drives past Kelty.

"We have Blairadam Woods which is beautiful, we have St Ninian's, Lochore Meadows is right at the bottom and there are some beautiful places and the community is phenomenal but there is nothing in Kelty that can attract people from outside of the area."

Wayne said the Moray Institute would be a perfect solution.

"It is a big, lovely building," he told the Times. "It needs some work doing – that is the reason we need funders involved – but it is all manageable. For me personally, I want it to be a really inspiring place. I want it to look phenomenal.

"There are four large rooms and a big hall. My hope is that each room would have a specified purpose. One of the rooms at the back, I would like to turn that into the cinema. There's two other large rooms: I would like one to be a yoga studio and dance hall and things like that and have the other one for artists to be able to put their easels and paint and teach classes. There's a cafe there as well so even have a little coffee shop. The potential is astronomical.

"We have not been to any funders yet until we find out what the public actually want. The response so far though has been 100 per cent positive. I am going to make a presentation to the local community council and give them a little insight of what our ideas as a group are and how we feel we can move forward and be able to collaborate with other funders and charities about what is possible."

The group is currently carrying out surveys in the local community and is keen to get as many people to air their views as possible. Links for the consultation can be found by visiting www.facebook.com/keltycommunitycinema or www.keltycommunitycinema.com.