DDI initiative Launches New Creative Industries White Paper

Edinburgh University’s Data Driven Innovation initiative (DDI) has released a white paper reflecting on the progress and future needs of Scotland’s creative industries.

Among wider set of proposals, the paper focuses on how the data sector can provide potential for future growth and innovation in the creative industry.

Notably, the paper outlined the potential for the Creative Informatics Accelerator to provide intensive support to the emerging creative entrepreneurs and their data-driven innovation ideas, particularly for helping them develop them to the point of market launch.

Furthermore in this paper’s recommendations there is a proposal for The University of Edinburgh to work with partners to discuss and finesse the innovation support for creative entrepreneurs within the context of data-driven innovation in the Edinburgh and South East city region.

The paper also highlights a new course developed with the business school to build the sector’s confidence in their use of data.

DDI Creative Sector Lead and white paper author, Caroline Parkinson said:

“I hope this paper will provide insight into our work with the creative community, and will help, along with the ‘Scottish Technology Ecosystem: Review’ to spark a dialogue amongst Scottish support agencies to help develop a better connected, faster, appropriately financed, accelerated environment for creative innovators.”

DMA Scotland Chair and board member, Firas Khnaisser said:

“For a long time, data and the creative industries were not seen as symbiotic. Now, there is no question that getting the most from data requires artistic and unconventional thinking and the brightest minds of the creative industries.

From now on, we need to be investing as much as we can in making data skills training more accessible in the creative fields. It is something the DMA considers pivotal for the successful growth of our industry. The proposals of this white paper by Caroline Parkinson—one of the Scottish creative industry’s driving forces—expertly ties business and entrepreneurial support with pedagogical input that will set us on the right path to achieving the ambitious targets of the DDI, and Scotland’s creative industry more widely.”

The DMA is committed to supporting talent and skills development in the industry, and ensuring accessibility and diversity lie at the heart of these efforts. The DMA will continue to work with DDI, Scottish Government and the industry in Scotland on this.

The DMA has been developing industry talent through their DMA Talent programmes; Creative Data Academy, Creative Data Labs, Big Book Crit, and the NeuroDiversity Initiative.

Read the full New Creative Industries White Paper.