In late January 2026 the Creative Edinburgh Team, alongside Capital City Partnership, gathered at Dovecot Studios with 28 brilliant creatives to kick off this year’s VTF Creative Skills Academy “Raise Your Game” (RYG). Five weeks of digital skills learning later, we're celebrating not just the completion of a course, but the growth, connection, confidence and momentum this cohort built - and it started from the very first minute.
What is Raise Your Game?
Raise Your Game is a five-week, fully-funded skills development programme delivered by Creative Edinburgh in partnership with Capital City Partnership. The course is designed to help creative practitioners build the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to secure employment or project work in the creative industries in Edinburgh.
With sessions such as:
- Business planning & modelling
- Creating an authentic marketing strategy
- Understanding your data
- Managing & planning your money
- Open sourcing
- Making use of creative licensing
RYG is much more than a skills development programme. It's a space for honest conversations about ambition and barriers, a place to reconnect with your creative dreams, and an invitation towards clarity and action.
This year’s programme was especially exciting as it marked our first pilot programming for Pathways to Careers, a new project in partnership with Edinburgh City Council, Edinburgh College, Edinburgh Napier University, Queen Margaret University and the University of Edinburgh. What we learn from this year’s RYG cohort will directly shape the future of Pathways programming. Keep an eye on our project page to find out more!
Building Your Connections
The energy at that first session was palpable! From the outset, there was an eagerness and openness in the group. One participant described it as “the best networking event [they’d] been to in over a year.” Another shared how refreshing it felt to be in a space where everyone was welcoming, kind and relatable.
This year’s cohort represented a remarkable range of creative disciplines: music, theatre, audio production, graphic design, visual art, photography, interior and spatial design and more. Some participants were preparing to graduate, some were navigating freelance careers or looking to build a new venture, and some were rethinking their direction entirely.
What united them all was a shared determination to build sustainable, fulfilling creative futures.
Building Your Confidence
Over the five-week programme, the group engaged deeply with the course material. They reflected on their strengths, took risks, shared challenges, mapped out their next steps, and learned more about the realities of Scotland’s creative industries and where they fit within them.
As one participant put it: “The knowledge I gained during the course has started me in the process of planning my future with a greater awareness of the creative market in Scotland.”
Another shared: “[RYG] is full of practical knowledge, giving the opportunity to make more conscious decisions regarding personal and professional development in a creative environment.”
That shift from uncertainty to informed decision-making is powerful!
Building Your Community
We closed the programme in mid-February 2026 with an Industry Insight session at CodeBase - and what a way to finish!
We were joined by an incredible group of creative professionals working across music, festivals, community practice, and visual art who generously shared their creative journeys - the pivots, risks, and realities of building a sustainable career.
- Roseanne Tye, Head of Marketing & Engagement at Edinburgh Printmakers
- Luci Holland, Composer & Producer with Tinderbox Collective
- Sarah Cockburn, Head of Brand & Campaigns at Edinburgh International Festival
- Mike McKenzie, award-winning independent songwriter, producer and musician
What stood out wasn’t just who was in the room; it was how confidently the cohort stepped into those conversations. Their questions were thoughtful, the exchanges were generous, and the ambition was clear. Participants made the most of the chance to connect, asking questions and starting new relationships. The room was buzzing with enthusiasm and possibility.
This is what it looks like when emerging talent meets lived industry experience.
To the 2026 Raise Your Game Cohort
Congratulations! Whether you’re heading into freelance life, applying for roles, launching new projects or continuing your studies - we are cheering you on!
Thank you for trusting us with this part of your journey - the relationships, ambition and momentum you've built here are just the beginning. We can't wait to see what comes next.