Scotland's Creative Digital Initiative

A new £1 million digital support programme for creative and cultural businesses has launched.

The Creative Digital Initiative will help the sector develop digital capabilities in response to the limitations imposed by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The programme includes:

• grants for creative businesses to build their digital capacity
• courses to increase confidence in digital understanding
• workshops and mentoring for artists and cultural organisations

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said:

“The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we work and creative and cultural businesses in particular have shown great innovation over the last year, exploring new ways to reach out to and engage with people.

“This programme will provide support to small and medium-sized creative and cultural businesses to help them continue to build their digital capacity and provide the tools needed to respond to the limitations they currently face.

“This includes financial support to build digital capacity – for example helping businesses improve digital marketing skills and learn how to grow audiences – as well as practical help to increase confidence, provide new creative opportunities and mentor artists and cultural organisations.”

Iain Munro, Creative Scotland CEO, said:

"Imagination, inspiration, skill and expertise are vital constants at the heart of the work of Scotland's creative community. Developing and utilising digital capabilities is now more important than ever to creative practices.

“The Creative Digital Initiative will support artists and creatives to engage with audiences and sustain creative development through digital platforms and channels, as the sector continues to adapt in the face of the ongoing challenges brought about by COVID-19 and as we begin to move, hopefully, into an environment of recovery and renewal.”

Background

The Creative Digital Initiative programme can be found at the Xpo North website.

The programme has been developed through a partnership of Scotland’s enterprise agencies (Scottish Enterprise, Highlands & Islands Enterprise, South of Scotland Enterprise, Business Gateway), Skills Development Scotland, Creative Scotland and the Scottish Government.