Creative Clyde launch

Creative Clyde, a new collaborative partnership, was launched this month. The new project seeks to build on Glasgow's growing status as a hub for the creative industries, delivering new jobs and economic growth for the city. Key industries involved are film, TV and radio, advertising, publishing and design, web and digital media, animation, software and games development.

Visit the Creative Clyde website.

At the launch event (16 June 2011) at the Hub in Pacific Quay, the branding for Creative Clyde was unveiled, along with plans for a marketing and communications programme  to promote the project to audiences across the UK and internationally.

Creative Clyde is a collaborative partnership involving Scottish Enterprise, Glasgow City Council, Scottish Development International, Creative Scotland, BBC Scotland, University of Glasgow, Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC), Clyde Waterfront and private enterprises.

It builds on the success of the Digital Media Quarter which, over the past ten years, has seen the arrival at Pacific Quay of HQ buildings for BBC Scotland and Scottish Television, the opening of Glasgow Science Centre and Film City Glasgow and the completion of The Hub, offering top quality, flexible workspace for up to 50 companies. There's also been the opening of the Clyde Arc road bridge, improving connections with the city centre.

The partners behind Creative Clyde are determined to create the right environment for more creative companies to locate and grow.  This includes purpose built high quality accommodation and high bandwidth connectivity. Together with favourable staff and property costs, they believe this makes Glasgow a very attractive, cost competitive location.

A new masterplan for a 15 acres site at Pacific Quay is nearing completion.  It will provide for modern, loose fit, flexible space to accommodate a range of different uses including retail, leisure and residential, as well as core offices and workspace for creatively minded businesses.

Employers in Glasgow's creative industries can take advantage of the ready availability of skills and experience to support their future growth. Thousands work in several creative clusters around the city, underlining the importance of the creative industries to Glasgow's future economic success.  

The pipeline of future talent is being addressed through the city's four universities, the renowned Royal Scottish Academy for Music and Drama and twelve FE colleges. Between them, they produce thousands of graduates each year, with qualifications directly relevant to the creative industries.

The public sector partners behind Creative Clyde work closely with inward investors, offering a wide range of support from potential funding support in the form of equity investment and grants to support staff development and training costs.

Linda McPherson, Director of Creative Industries at Scottish Enterprise said, "At Creative Clyde we have highly innovative companies already established in all areas of digital media, from international leaders in games development and interactive platforms to national broadcasters, successful production companies and some of the most creative digital agencies in the UK.  This is supported by a healthy mix of private, public and academic organisations actively sharing knowledge and collaborating with each other. Building on this, our vision is for a vibrant, colourful and inspiring riverside community for media, technology and creatively minded businesses to work, socialise and live. It's a place where originality of thought flourishes and great ideas can be shared, enjoyed and commercialised. And a place that captures the imagination of organisations throughout the UK and internationally."

Creative Clyde is the latest project to underline the economic renaissance of the River Clyde in recent years. Councillor Gordon Matheson, Leader, Glasgow City Council, said, "Glasgow has a strong history of creativity and innovation, not least in the way that the city has been transformed and re-invented over successive generations, to meet the challenges and the opportunites on offer.  We are convinced that the city can build on this track record and we are excited by the prospect of Creative Clyde delivering new jobs and economic growth for Glasgow".