Your Sector

Creative Industries

These resources have been selected to provide information on the Creative Industries in Scotland. Your local Business Gateway office can help you connect with other organisations and support networks to help you further your idea or business.

Creative Scotland

Creative Scotland is the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries across all parts of Scotland on behalf of everyone who lives, works or visits here.

Cultural Enterprise Office

As Scotland’s dedicated business support for the Creative Industries we are the only organisation with this focus in Europe. This not only presents a great opportunity, but highlights the importance Scotland places on the development and nourishment of the Creative Industries.

Girl Geek Scotland

A network and community for those working and studying in creativity, computing, enterprise, and related sectors in Scotland.

Visit Scotland

Services, products and support for tourism businesses across Scotland.

Visual Arts Scotland

Visual Arts Scotland is a leading platform for national and international contemporary fine and applied artists.

Design Council

A leading design organisation to help build a stronger economy and improve lives.

Heritage Lottery Fund

Funding projects that connect people and communities to the national, regional and local heritage of the UK.

Voluntary Arts

Supporting participation in creative cultural activities across Scotland.

Arts & Business Scotland

Arts & Business Scotland is a charity that supports cultural and economic well-being by developing creative & business skills across the corporate and cultural sectors in Scotland.

Craft Scotland

Craft Scotland is the national development agency supporting makers and promoting craft.

Advertising Association

The Advertising Association promotes the rights, roles and responsibilities of advertising. We represent UK advertisers, agencies and brands on behalf of the entire industry.

Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB)

The Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) UK is the trade association for digital advertising, representing over 1,200 of the UK's leading brands, media owners, technology providers and agencies.

Direct Marketing Association

We aim to connect, enable and inspire our members to drive business growth through 1 to 1 to millions communication. The DMA exists to help you put your customer at the heart of your one-to-one communications – giving you the rich benefits of a much more relevant, welcomed and effective relationship with each individual customer.

Marketing Agencies Action Group

The MAAG is the Uk's body representing future entrepreneurial and independent agencies.

Textiles Scotland

Textiles Scotland are passionate about the design and manufacturing of Scottish textiles. They can help you find textiles made in Scotland, and invite you to search their Textile Showcase for a vast range of textiles companies. Members make and manufacture fashion, accessories, interiors, and technical textiles products in Scotland.

Screen Scotland

Screen Scotland is the new dedicated partnership for screen in Scotland, delivering enhanced support for all aspects of Scotland's screen sector.

BAFTA Scotland

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is the leading UK charity supporting developing and promoting the art forms of the moving image.

British Film Commission

The British Film Commission provides free, tailored support, from development through to delivery.

PACT

Pact is the trade association representing the commercial interests of UK independent television, film, digital, children’s and animation media companies.

British Institute of Interior Design

The British Institute of Interior Design is the pre-eminent professional organisation for interior designers in the UK. Our growing national and international membership represents both the commercial and residential sectors, from heritage to cutting edge.

National Association of Jewellers

The NAJ is the UK’s leading jewellery trade association.

Association for Contemporary Jewellery

Contemporary jewellery is one of the most dynamic and innovative areas of 21st century craft and design, that inspires and appeals to people of all different backgrounds. We welcome anyone with an interest in contemporary jewellery. Whether your interest is personal or professional, we have something to offer you.

Contemporary British Silversmiths

Contemporary British Silversmiths is the leading association for contemporary silver in the United Kingdom. It is a membership organisation set up to inspire creativity and promote excellence in design and craftsmanship to new audiences nationally and internationally.

British Arts Festivals Association

The national membership organisation for arts festivals in the UK: celebrating, developing and strengthening the work of its members.

Event Scotland

Event Scotland provides advice on funding opportunities, access to resources and information about EventScotland and Development teams which sit within VisitScotland Events Directorate, alongside Business Events.

National Association of Screen Make Up Artists & Hairdressers

NASMAH is the UK association for professional make-up artists and hairdressers who work in film, television, theatre, fashion and photographic.

Hair and Beauty Industry Authority

Habia is recognised by government as the Standards Setting Body for the hair and beauty industries and plays an essential role in maintaining and improving professionalism within them.

Guild of Professional Beauty Therapists

The Guild is the biggest professional beauty trade body in the UK and the largest insurance provider.

British Institute of Professional Photography

The British Institute of Professional Photography is an internationally recognised qualifying organisation with over 100 years' experience in supporting and networking photographers. We are a not for profit organisation delivering education, qualifications and professional development to photographers. We achieve this by offering a challenging qualifications structure alongside a full programme of training courses, events and a number of preferential deals on useful products and services.

Association of Photographers

The Association's aims are: to promote and protect the worth and standing of its members, to vigorously defend, educate and lobby for the interests and rights of all photographers, especially in the commercial photographic industry.

British Printing Industries Federation

The BPIF is the principal business support organisation representing the UK print, printed packaging and graphic communication industry.

Publishing Scotland

The network, trade and development body for the book publishing sector in Scotland.

Association of Professional Recording Services

The Association of Professional Recording Services represents the interests of the UK’s professional recording industry.

PRS Foundation

PRS Foundation are the UK’s leading funder of new music and talent development.

Association of Independent Music Producers Start Up Music Business Guide

AIM is the not-for-profit trade body exclusively representing the UK’s independent music sector, which makes up a quarter of the recorded music market.

British Phonographic Industry

BPI represents the UK’s recorded music industry, which is one of the most exciting and thriving music sectors in the world.

UK Web Developers Association

Set up in 2001, the UKWDA brings together more than 10,000 British web industry professionals under one supportive umbrella organisation.

Scotland IS

ScotlandIS represents and supports businesses and organisations creating & delivering digital products and services.

DigitalBoost – Digital Skills and Training for SMEs

Helping businesses across Scotland with free advice, workshops, 1:1 expert support, online tools, guides and a quick healthcheck to assess your digital strengths and weaknesses.

Scottish Government – Business Support

Guidance on the policies and interventions in place to support Scottish SMEs.

Healthy Working Lives

Healthy Working Lives is the place to come to if you are an employer in Scotland looking for workplace health, safety and wellbeing information.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise

Support agency for the Northern regions of Scotland which focusses on Innovation, trading internationally, funding/investment, skills development and more.

Scottish Enterprise

Focussed on assisting businesses who are looking to accelerate and grow through exporting, developing products and services, funding and business development.

Skills Development Scotland

Skills Development Scotland (SDS) is Scotland’s national skills body. They contribute to Scotland’s sustainable economic growth by supporting people and businesses to develop and apply their skills.

Business Loans Scotland

Loans from 25K to 100K for new and growing Scottish SMEs.

Young Scot – National Youth Arts Fund

Grants to nurture creative talent in young people aged between 14 and 20 years old.

Zero Waste Scotland

Support, funding, campaigns and other interventions to help people and businesses reduce waste and be more efficient with resources.

Heritage Lottery Fund

Funding projects that connect people and communities to the national, regional and local heritage of the UK.

Just Enterprise

Just Enterprise is a consortium formed from Scotland's key social enterprise support agencies. Collectively, they are able to provide expert Start Up, Business Support, Business Recovery, Procurement, Leadership and Learning Services, to third sector organisations across the length and breadth of the country.

Princes Trust Scotland

Every young person should have the chance to succeed. PTS help young people in Scotland get into education, jobs and start businesses.

Findbusinesssupport.gov.scot

Search this website to find out about what other business support may be available to you.

Women’s Business Centre

Led by Women’s Enterprise Scotland this centre is to help women achieve their business aspirations, make connections, up-skill and get support.