Creative Edinburgh

 

I was the Director of Creative Edinburgh, an innovative membership network for creative industries in Edinburgh, from 2017-2018. I was also a board member of the company and spearheaded a number of initiatives which levelled up the organisation significantly during my tenure. 

I secured Regular Funding from Creative Scotland for the organisation, the first time it had this significant funding, and my fundraising represented more than a trebling of our annual funding support within one year. I was co-lead of the Creative Informatics bid for Edinburgh to the AHRC, in partnership with CodeBase, University of Edinburgh and Napier University - collaborating on writing the essential creative industries sector support strategy and programme which underpinned the successful bid, bringing over £5m to the City of Edinburgh's creative industries from the UK Government's funding pot, and a further significant uplift in Creative Edinburgh's resources.

I carried out essential organisational development work, and business development work, achieving a high level of membership growth and writing the organisation's first 3 year business plan. I instituted and programmed the organisation's first conference day, as part of a week of events, Creatives Mean Business, to connect Creative Edinburgh and its members with its network of creative spaces, businesses and opportunities, and essential information and resources. 

As well as running a packed events programme, mentoring scheme and busy 3800-strong membership network, I devised new event programmes Going for Growth, Creative Career's Cafe & Digital Drop-ins to support the city's creative industries professionals, creating a blueprint for the organisation's future.

A significant project was the European Creative Hubs Network project, an EU-wide, European-funded project in which Creative Edinburgh were a lead partner, hosting a workshop and collaborating internationally to create a network of creative hub leaders who could share expertise and experience of the emerging and innovative model of creative hubs and networks, and raise awareness of their significance in the creative and wider economy.

I achieved significant profile-raising of the organisation locally, nationally and internationally. I programmed responsively, creating a partnership event with The Skinny around Brexit & the creative industries to support our Edinburgh European creatives, and to coincide with hosting a two day workshop for the European Creative Hubs Network with creative hub leaders from across the EU.  

I hosted several international delegations of creative industries leaders, including those from from Russia, Nigeria and Estonia. I represented Edinburgh's Creative Industries on national policy roundtables, cultural policy conferences and consultations. 

During my time as director I mentored and supported numerous individual creative entrepreneurs and arts professionals from a wide variety of backgrounds and creative areas, as well as connecting them to collaborators and resources.

Building on the exemplary work of former director Janine Matheson I was able to strengthen the organisation and the wider creative sector of Edinburgh through connections, partnerships and access to innovative programmes of support.