Capital in bid to boost creative industries

A NEW bid to boost the strength and profile of the huge number of creative industries in Scotland’s capital is being launched tonight.

Festival and event organisers, performers and artists, architects, designers and advertising executives are being urged to throw their weight behind the Creative Edinburgh campaign, plans for which were initially launched two years ago.

Some £120,000 in funding from arts agency Creative Scotland and the city council has allowed a new company to be set up to help attract investment, encourage new businesses to start, and lead to the creation of “creative hubs” across the city.

Studies have shown that about 26,000 people now work in the creative sector in the capital, at about 4,000 organisations and firms.

Among the high-profile figures who have agreed to serve on its board are Ginnie Atkinson, former managing director of the Edinburgh International Film Festival, and David Weir, director of Dovecot Studios.