Our vibrant Creative Economy is our superpower!

The South of Scotland boasts a wide-ranging creative ecosystem that includes everything from fashion and textiles, film, music, publishing, software development, visual arts, crafts, gaming and more.

  • Our region’s biggest asset is its people and the South of Scotland boasts an incredibly supportive ecosystem of creative thinkers and doers.
  • There’s over 6,000 people in more than 1,800 enterprises engaged in driving the creative industries forward.
  • These enterprises stretch from coast to coast, creating a real community that encourages innovation, collaboration and opportunity at every step.
  • Many of our creative enterprises are deeply intertwined and rely on each other’s skillsets as they continue to grow.
  • The region has become a hive of opportunity in growing our Creative Economy which now generates more than £280 million per annum.
  • With a strong sense of community, as well as the perfect balance of natural beauty, heritage and modern living, the South of Scotland continues to be the ideal place for those working within the Creative Economy to live, work and thrive.
  • The South of Scotland is laser focused on our journey to Net Zero and our vibrant creative economy is our superpower.
Creative Economy Guide front cover

South of Scotland Creative Economy Guide 

We revealed the significance of the Creative Economy in the South of Scotland in a guide launched in September 2023, which aims to highlight the sector’s potential.  The South of Scotland Creative Economy Guide details the value of the industry – made up of 16 sub-sectors including architecture, crafts, fashion and textiles, film and video, radio and TV, music and writing and publishing – which it estimates to be worth £280million a year to the region.

 

Leaderfoot Viaduct

With a diverse range of stunning locations and a friendly team ready to welcome you, find out more about why the South of Scotland truly is the perfect filming destination. 

South of Scotland - the Perfect Filming Destination about South of Scotland - the Perfect Filming Destination external link which will open in a new window
South of Scotland - the Perfect Filming Destination about South of Scotland - the Perfect Filming Destination external link which will open in a new window
Creative Placemaking approach

Along with Dumfries & Galloway based arts organisation, The Stove Network, we published an important, new approach to Community Wealth Building and Community-Led Place Development.

A Creative Placemaking Approach about A Creative Placemaking Approach external link which will open in a new window
A Creative Placemaking Approach about A Creative Placemaking Approach external link which will open in a new window

We commissioned EKOS to undertake a detailed analysis of the creative industries sector in the South of Scotland region in late 2021. Read the report by clicking on the link below.

Creative Industries in the South of Scotland about Creative Industries in the South of Scotland external link which will open in a new window
Creative Industries in the South of Scotland about Creative Industries in the South of Scotland external link which will open in a new window

*This fund is now paused*

South of Scotland CreaTech Fund 2.0

Are you an enterprise based in the South of Scotland looking to explore the area of CreaTech? We have launched the second round of the CreaTech fund to help unlock Creative Excellence in the area of CreaTech!

What is Createch? 

  • CreaTech is defined by the Creative Industries Council as where creativity meets technology.
  • CreaTech brings together creative skills and emerging technologies to create new ways of working and to inspire business growth and investment. 
  • CreaTech embraces the commercial and cultural possibilities of virtual reality, augmented reality, Internet of Things, virtual production, artificial intelligence, 5G, and other developing fields.  

The intention of CreaTech Fund 2.0 is to allow creative enterprises to invest in technology to develop and test new ideas and realise their potential.   Projects that focus on CreaTech by way of demonstration, participation, training or skills development are also encouraged.

I’m interested, tell me the detail!

•    The fund will provide a grant towards equipment for projects that combine creativity with technology in the creative industry sector as defined by Scottish Government. 
•    Your enterprise must be classified as being in the creative industry sector as defined by Scottish Government including; advertising, architecture, computer games, crafts, cultural education, design, fashion and textiles, film and video, heritage, music, performing arts, photography, radio & TV, software and electronic publishing, visual art, writing and publishing. 
•    Successful applicants of the initial pilot round can NOT apply in this round.
•    Projects must be completed by 28 February 2025.
•    Projects should test and introduce new ideas for your enterprise that lead to new market opportunities, long term sustainability and inclusive growth ambitions.
•    The minimum grant available is £2,000 and the maximum is £5,000. 
•    Commercial trading enterprises of 10 or more employees can claim up to 50% of the overall eligible project cost, 75% for those with less than 10 employees and 100% for community and not-for-profit enterprises.
•    Enterprises wishing to access the fund must operate within the South of Scotland Enterprise area (Dumfries & Galloway and the Scottish Borders).
•    Where an enterprise employs staff, it should be paying the Real Living Wage to all staff aged 16 and over, including apprentices and will need to provide evidence of effective voice for staff and a Fair Work action plan.

Click here for the full criteria and eligibility

How do I apply?

  • Read the full criteria and eligibility to make sure you and your project fits.
  • Express an interest by clicking below, and tell us a little bit about you and what you are proposing and include:
  • a quick outline of the project idea and how it links to CreaTech
  • a list of the equipment you are thinking of buying with identified costs.

What happens next?

  • If your expression of interest meets the initial criteria, SOSE will then invite you to complete an application form only if funds are still available.
  • Applications will be treated on a first-come-first-served basis and once indications show the fund limit is reached, expressions of interest will be paused until initial applicants have gone through a formal appraisal stage

Please note:

  • Demand is expected to be high and therefore not all projects will be able to proceed as the fund amount is limited.
  • SOSE grants are discretionary and SOSE decision will be final.