Creativity to the fore in digital media programme

A GROUP of senior executives from Scotland’s digital sector are setting aside their competitive differences to share skills and help build the industry.

The nine-month Cross Creative programme is the first initiative by the £1.4 million Creative Edge Partnership, which was set up this summer to provide training and development in television and digital media.

The partnership is made up of Channel 4, Creative Scotland, Scottish Enterprise and TRC Media, a Glasgow-based training specialist which will deliver the wide-ranging programmes over three years.

Carol Sinclair managing director of TRC Media, said the Cross Creative programme would encourage the industry’s leaders to take “a highly innovative approach to the possibilities in future media”.

“It features monthly sessions led by cutting-edge digital practitioners combined with a trip to Silicon Valley to meet some of the world’s top digital innovators,” she said.

Eight delegates specialising in different aspects of digital media have been selected to take part.

One of those taking part is Neil Barr, founder and managing director of digital agency Alienation Digital.

He said: “Scotland’s digital industry is a very important part of the nation’s economy and harnessing home-grown talent is essential to this.”

Also taking part are Jenny Todd of publisher Canongate, Kate Ho, managing director of Interface3, Sara Kinnear of Screenmedia, Illumina Scotland managing director Claire Scally, Simon Meek of Tern Digital, Blipfoto founder Joe Tree and Extra Mile Studios’ Robert Farmer.

TRC says the diverse group should be able to develop “a real understanding” of each other’s businesses during the course of the programme and to collaborate on innovation.