Our friend in the North: new arts chief is English outsider

Andrew Dixon, 51, who has a strong track record in the lively cultural scene in the Newcastle-Gateshead region, was a surprise choice ahead of better-known Scottish names widely touted.

Confidently describing his past roles in championing the famous Angel of the North sculpture and the striking 70 million Sage arts and performance centre, Mr Dixon said he wanted to make Creative Scotland a "rallying call" for Scotland's culture sector.

Mr Dixon, who brought several shows to the Edinburgh Fringe as a student rock promoter, has spent just 34 weeks of his life in Scotland on working and vacation trips, from Shetland to Glasgow.

"I don't see Creative Scotland as an institution, as a funding body. I don't see Creative Scotland talking about itself," he said. "I see Creative Scotland being a rallying call for the cultural sector, for the population of Scotland to be proud of their creative achievements."

The arts agency, to be created by the merger of the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Screen, has taken shape at a laboriously slow pace after years of commissions, consultations, reports and one failed parliamentary bill.

Rumours in the arts world in recent days had Blair Jenkins, an ex-head of BBC Scotland news, as favourite for the post. Bridget McConnell, influential head of Glasgow Culture and Leisure, was also touted – but staff privately confirmed yesterday that she "politely declined from the outset".

Ewan Brown, the banker overseeing the founding of the new body, said yesterday Mr Dixon was the "very unanimous choice" for what was not a "parochial, local appointment".

And James Boyle, the former arts council chairman whose Cultural Commission first recommended the quango in 2005, gave a ringing endorsement.

"Andrew Dixon is someone I once tried to attract to Edinburgh," he said. "He has a great reputation and Creative Scotland will flourish under him. The appointment board has recruited a big figure for a big job."

Mr Dixon will start attending Creative Scotland board meetings immediately and take up his post full-time from May.

Previously, he ran regional culture body Northern Arts. He said that, with an annual 20m budget and staff of 60, he raised 200m for cultural facilities in the region.

Creative Scotland will have a budget of about 65m, the same as the combined budget of its two predecessors, but a smaller staff of 105, instead of 135, according to public figures.

Mr Dixon said that his hope would be to "create something that is bigger than is currently there".

At a time of budget cuts and recession, he would seek "non-cultural funding" for the arts, such as investment from Scottish Enterprise and partnerships with the commercial sector and tourism.

C.V.

Raised in the Lake District.

Gained BSc in managerial sciences from the University of Bradford – ran university rock concerts.

Still keeps a scathing Scotsman review of Red Tape, a youth theatre show he brought to the Edinburgh Fringe.

Became boss of Northern Arts, the regional arts body for north-east of England, with 60 staff.

Oversaw mergers of three film agencies into one, and merger of Northern Arts into Arts Council of England.

Raised 200 million for cultural facilities in north-east England.

Championed and raised funds for the Angel of the North, the Baltic contemporary arts centre and The Sage, the glittering Norman Foster-designed arts venue.

Ran NewcastleGateshead Initiative to promote culture, festivals, tourism and events in the region with a 2.5 million population.

DIXON'S IN-TRAY

HANDLING the merger. Film agency Scottish Screen and the Scottish Arts Council have had separate missions, headquarters and staff. About 135 jobs will soon shrink to 105. Scottish Screen boss Ken Hay was on media shortlists for the Creative Scotland job.

GETTING to grips with Scottish arts and culture. When he took over Northern Arts Andrew Dixon met 100 artists in 100 days. He has never worked in Scotland, and will have to overcome the irritation, back-biting and plain boredom among workers who have spent years waiting for the merger.

FUNDING and remit. While Creative Scotland has a 65 million budget, its lottery funds have been under pressure from the Olympics and cuts loom across government. Mr Dixon has a remit that runs from creative computer games to arts education and cultural tourism, but with limited funding and government clout.