In 1762, French Philosopher Voltaire once deemed Scotland to be the originator of “rules of taste in all the arts”.

Fast forward to today, Scotland’s creative industries are made up of more than 15,000 businesses with in excess of 70,000 employees, with the sector boosting the economy by more than £5 billion a year.

Our eight cities are leveraging this remarkable success to cement Scotland’s status as a leader in the sector on the world stage.

Supportive policy Several successful efforts by the Scottish Government have bolstered the creative industries including working with Skills Development Scotland to implement its Creative Industries Skills Investment Plan which seeks to address skills gaps as well as providing funding incentives and resources for the screen industry to encourage more film and TV production in Scotland.

International investment is already benefiting the nation’s arts sector with Amazon directly investing tens of millions of pounds in the Scottish screen industry with a series of high-profile productions, creating over 750 jobs across our cities as well as supporting over 60 trainees.

Success stories Scotland’s creative clusters mean our cities are home to some globally recognised success stories in the industry. Two cities in particular leading the way are Glasgow and Dundee.

Glasgow is home to many prestigious arts institutions that provide a strong supply of new talent. The city itself has become a sought-after film location, contributing almost £60 million to the local economy in 2022 alone, and is home to the award-winning STV Studios, which produces its own award winning news and dramas.

Furthermore, the city’s digital and creative tech economy is now the largest in Scotland and one of the fastest growing in the UK with almost 34,000 jobs and the sector generating more than £1 billion in revenue, according to Invest Glasgow. The report also found that almost a third of innovative tech firms, in what is Scotland’s largest city, work in the creative economy. In the past month, Halon Entertainment announced plans to invest £28m in a new Glasgow studio, creating up to 250 jobs over the next three years. The Los Angeles-based animation company has worked on films such as the Planet of the Apes franchise, Mission: Impossible and The Batman.

Dundee has long-played a pivotal role as a hotbed for video game development. 90s icon ‘Lemmings’, calls the city home as well as modern phenomenon Grand Theft Auto. No mention of Dundee would be complete without referencing the V&A Museum, which was recently confirmed to be set for a £2.6m funding injection. Further, Abertay University recently launched the CoSTAR Realtime Lab – a new £9m virtual production studio that will drive research, innovation and economic growth in Scotland’s screen, games, immersive and performance industries at Water’s Edge in the city.

Further afield, the Inverness Creative Academy has been a great showcase in solving social issues. Since undergoing a £6m redevelopment project, the ICA has focused on supporting local residents struggling with loneliness, anxiety and isolation through free creative sessions. These sessions have become a crucial lifeline and outlet for the community, and recently, the Category-B listed building celebrated its fifth anniversary of renewed service. Stirling announced in April 2024 that Stirling Studios would be one of the biggest film studio campuses in Scotland creating 4,000 jobs over 25 years. The studio aims not only to produce remarkable films but also to stimulate economic growth through a diverse network of suppliers across various sectors, enhancing community wealth-building opportunities. Forming a creative triangle with Edinburgh and Glasgow and boasting strong connections to London, Stirling Studios is strategically positioned to drive significant growth and represents a key opportunity for investment.

Supportive action As we look towards the future, Scotland’s creative industries are poised for even greater success. The journey will require continued collaboration between the public and private sectors, harnessing the strengths of our skilled and innovative workforce, and leveraging forward-thinking policies.

By working together, we can build a vibrant cultural legacy that not only delivers economic growth, but also inspires future generations to dream, create, and thrive. The best is yet to come. For more information on investment opportunities in Scotland, visit The Scottish Cities Alliance