SCOTLAND'S flourishing creative and artistic community is to benefit from the expansion of a free-of-charge business support service designed to encourage a sustainable indigenous industry. The Cultural Enterprise Office, which is backed by Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Arts Council, is intended to help both start-up and established creative companies to foster the traditional business skills needed to succeed, including planning, finance, networking and marketing.

Deborah Keogh, who heads up the service, said: "For a small country we have a wealth of creative talent, but specialist business support is needed in order for this to be a viable and sustainable business option for our client group. The sector has definite room for growth, and we hope to help that happen by nurturing our clients and working with them to develop the skills needed to successfully establish their businesses in Scotland."

The project, which was initially run as a pilot scheme in Glasgow, is now rolling out across Scotland. Between May 2002 and October 2004 the pilot received 3500 enquiries and helped more than 927 people develop their businesses. Feedback received during the scheme's feasibility study highlighted that the sector requires very specific support in order to develop and grow. Cultural Enterprise Office will have four bases – in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen – with a team of advisers appointed to span the cities. It offers support such as advice surgeries, factsheets and networking events to businesses involved in creative activities ranging from animation to visual arts, design, fashion and film. Business clinics are also planned, along with phone and e-mail support and a professional development programme.

Launching the service, culture minister Patricia Ferguson said: "Not only will this expanded service support creative individuals within these cities but to all across the length and breadth of Scotland. I would encourage everyone in our creative industries sector to use this initiative when they are in need of business assistance or advice to ensure they become commercially – as well as creatively – successful."
She added: "Scotland has a thriving cultural community and this initiative will help keep and attract the creative talent essential to its further growth."

One person who benefited from the service during the pilot period was Niki Taylor, a fashion designer from Glasgow who launched her collection at Paris fashion week last year.
After studying fashion design at Heriot Watt University, Taylor recognised she needed to develop her business skills and found the office was somewhere to discuss her ideas and get guidance from other creative people. She said: "The service helped me to crystallise my goals and encouraged me to work towards them."

The project is also funded by Aberdeen, Dundee and Glasgow city councils and Edinburgh College of Art with funds from the European Union. It is also integrated with the Business Gateway scheme.