The cultural industries are the first of seven growth sectors in Scotland’s Economic Strategy (Scottish Government 2011). Their growth, vitality and productivity depend on collaboration with researchers and educators. To date, such collaboration between Scotland’s researchers, practitioners and policy-makers in the cultural industries is scarce. The Programme will address this shortcoming and thus contributes to Scottish Universities Insight Institute's aim of mobilising existing research for the use of the wider society.

The Programme will bring together academics, practitioners and policy-makers to discuss current and future challenges to the cultural industries in the areas of internationalisation, leadership and diversity.  It aims to facilitate proactive debate and agenda development between academics and non-academics that supports growth, vitality and productivity in Scotland’s cultural industries.

The Programme will feature expert speakers from academia and industry who have a reputation as thought leaders in the cultural industries in Scotland, UK and internationally and who will explore the above topics through a series of interactive workshops, panel discussions and talks. The wider industry public will be engaged through crowd-sourcing, public lectures/round tables and a Knowledge Exchange (KE) and networking event.