Scotland’s creative industries comprise over 15,000 businesses employing more than 70,000 people, in addition to a large number of freelancers as well as students studying creative courses. Scotland’s creative industries contribute more than £5 billion to the Scottish economy every year. As a growth sector, sustainably contributing to the economy and one which comes in a diverse range of forms, this report was commissioned by the British Council as the first stage of a UK-wide attempt to map creative hubs to deepen the understanding of the sector in Scotland and the potential for international links.
The research started in February 2020, just as the international impact of COVID 19 was being realised in the UK. This report acknowledges that the creative industries will be affected for the foreseeable future by the pandemic. However, the creative hubs in Scotland are part of a global community and now in particular it’s important to understand the opportunities within the sector. In sharing this work, it is hoped that creative hubs around the world will realise more than ever that they are not alone in the challenges they face.
