aimhi joined organisations like Inverness City Partnership, Highlands Culture 2007 and Inverness & Nairn Enterprise in the first consultation session on the 5th May, 2005, for the Scotland wide 6 Cities festival of creative design. 6 cities is a project that has been developed in The Lighthouse supported by the Scottish Executive.  The First Minister’s St Andrew’s Day Speech in 2003 outlined a vision for Scotland as a creative hub, using the nation’s creativity as a key national resource.  The bi-annual 6 Cities festival aims to help to achieve that vision as a new initiative to celebrate, promote and develop Scotland’s creative industries at an international, national and citywide level. Inverness, as the capital of the HIghlands & Islands, figures to be the focal point for the design sector in the north of Scotland.
 
 
Funding of up to £3 million was allocated in the spending review for this initiative to provide the central resources for the Festival, with a view to the first Festival being held in 2007.  The First Minister, Jack McConnell announced the funding and publicly launched the concept of 6 Cities at the opening of The Scottish Show in The Lighthouse on Friday 4 February 2005. The exhibition brings together a dozen young companies who have decided to manage their creative futures in Scotland and challenges the presumption that Scottish based designers must pack up their bags and head south to London.
 
 
Following the announcement of the funding package and concept, the 6 Cities project moved into its next phase.  A discussion paper is being finalised and will be issued to allow further comments to be received on the concept, timing and programme.  Concurrently with this external consultants Scottish Cultural Enterprise are preparing a business plan, including financial and organisational structure.

Expect more information on this exciting initiative to be released over the summer. Members can log in to download the initial consultation document in the aimhi library