Johann Lamont MSP launches 'Creative Cardonald'
08 February 2012
Scottish Labour Leader, Johann Lamont MSP, launched ‘Creative Cardonald', a business incubator hub sponsored by Creative Scotland and Digital Enterprise Glasgow (DEG), at Cardonald College Glasgow (CCG) today, Tuesday 7 February.
Creative Cardonald provides rent-free office space and industry-standard workshop facilities for creative industry business start-ups in a range of disciplines including fashion and textiles, television, graphic design and journalism.
Caroline Parkinson, Director of Creative Development, Creative Scotland said: "Investing in talent is central to our role at Creative Scotland and our development of incubators will help promising creative practitioners start their businesses in a supportive, inspiring and specialist environment. In our first year of this initiative, we are delighted to be supporting a talent incubator, in partnership with Cardonald College Glasgow and Glasgow City Council, to give emerging creative entrepreneurs the best chance of success."
Councillor Alistair Watson, Convenor for Glasgow City Council's Regeneration and Economy Policy Development Committee, said: "This is a fantastic initiative to help increase business start-up and survival rates through the current challenging economic climate. The first six months in any new business are critical for future long-term survival and this is why we provide intensive support during this initial period. By supporting these new businesses we hope in the future they will provide new jobs and a boost to Glasgow's economy."
Commenting, Dr Alex McCluskey, Head of Faculty for Creative Industries at Cardonald College Glasgow, said: "2012 is the Year of Creative Scotland so it seemed like the natural time to launch Creative Cardonald. At Cardonald, we're delighted to be working with Digital Enterprise Glasgow and Creative Scotland to provide much needed support and guidance for young businesses.
"Creative Cardonald is a wonderful example of how collaboration between three organisations can create the right circumstances for the birth of new businesses in Glasgow."
The hub at CCG is one of four that have been sponsored by DEG - the others are housed in Strathclyde University, City of Glasgow College and the University of Glasgow - and offers intensive business guidance for new entrepreneurs, as well as access to marketing, finance, IT and HR support.
There are currently four businesses working out of Creative Cardonald, including fashion designer Iona Crawford. Named by British Vogue as ‘One to Watch', Iona is one of the UK's leading young designers. Commenting on the help that Creative Cardonald is providing, Iona said: ""The opportunity to base my company within the new Creative Cardonald incubator is an enormous honour and privilege. In addition to state of the art office space, access to Cardonald's wealth of fashion department workshop facilities is proving invaluable to my practice as a fashion designer.
"With international US-based business endeavours currently at the forefront of my company's activity, my position within Creative Cardonald enables me to focus entirely on the international relations which are afoot at present, whilst tapping into the superb sources of advice and expertise available which are crucial to the growth and development of my company both at home and abroad."
