Creative Edinburgh Industry Update - Summer 2026

Welcome back to our quarterly update. I hope you have had a chance to enjoy some beautiful sunshine and perhaps a little creative inspiration this summer.

Our team has grown yet again in the last few months, and we now have seven wonderful colleagues working together to support our creative community. We have recently completed the onboarding of three new team members, and a big focus for us has been making sure everyone understands our vision, values and strategic priorities as we move forward together. 

This quarter has also been a reminder of the importance of collaboration. From expanding our Raise Your Game skills development programme nationally, to celebrating the first year of Pathways to Careers and finding new ways to strengthen our support for the wider creative community, we have continued to work alongside partners across education, government and industry to create opportunities and contribute to a more connected creative ecosystem.

Raise Your Game Goes National

This spring marked an exciting milestone as we launched Raise Your Game National, taking our successful creative skills programme beyond Edinburgh for the first time.

Over the past six years, Raise Your Game has supported emerging creatives and freelancers in Edinburgh to develop practical skills, build confidence and connect with peers and industry professionals. The programme was created in response to a need we consistently heard from our community: creatives need access to practical support, industry insight and networks that can help turn creative ambitions into sustainable careers.

Thanks to support from Creative Scotland, we are now bringing this opportunity to creative communities across Scotland. The national programme is being delivered in partnership with six creative networks from across Scotland: Applied Arts Scotland, Creative Dundee, Creative Glasgow, Creative Arts Business Network (CABN) DG Unlimited and OnFife. Together, these organisations are helping us reach creatives across different locations, disciplines and career stages.

This year’s cohort includes 35 creatives from across Scotland, representing a wide range of creative practices and backgrounds. Participants are taking part in a programme of skills development, mentoring, networking and peer learning, supported by seven expert trainers with experience across the creative industries.

A particularly valuable part of the programme is the opportunity for the cohort to come together in person twice during the programme. These gatherings will create space for creatives from different parts of Scotland to meet, share experiences, build relationships and develop connections that can continue beyond the programme itself. One of the things we hear repeatedly from freelancers is that creative careers can often feel uncertain or isolating, particularly outside larger cities, so creating opportunities for people to connect with peers and access support is central to our approach.

It is incredibly rewarding to see a programme that began as a local initiative grow into something that can support creative communities across Scotland. 

Read more about Raise Your Game National here.

Celebrating the First Year of Pathways to Careers

May marked an important milestone for Edinburgh’s Creative Industries: Pathways to Careers, as we celebrated the first year of this ambitious city-wide project.

Held at the City Chambers, our first public event brought together people from across the creative industries, education, government and the wider Creative Edinburgh community. It was an opportunity to share what we have learned so far, celebrate the progress made and continue conversations about how we can better support emerging creative talent in Edinburgh.

Throughout the evening, guests took part in discussions exploring some of the biggest opportunities and challenges facing Edinburgh’s creative ecosystem. The conversations highlighted a shared ambition for a city where creative talent can not only begin their careers, but also build sustainable futures. There was strong recognition of the need for more paid opportunities, stronger connections between education and industry, improved access to affordable creative spaces and clearer pathways into employment and entrepreneurship. The cost of living in Edinburgh was identified as one of the biggest challenges facing emerging creatives. Participants spoke about the impact of high housing costs, limited access to studios and workspaces, and the need for better support to help people remain in the city after graduating.

There was also a strong appetite for greater collaboration across the sector. From mentoring and networking to sharing resources and opportunities, participants highlighted the importance of working together to create a more visible and connected creative community. These conversations will directly inform the next two years of Pathways to Careers as we continue working with our education, industry and public sector partners to develop meaningful support for emerging creatives.

Read more about Pathways to Careers on our blog here.

You can also read my reflections from the launch event on LinkedIn here.

Supporting our creative community: new promotional opportunities

As Creative Edinburgh continues to grow, so does the demand from organisations wanting to connect with our community of 7000+ freelancers, artists and creative businesses. We know how valuable visibility is, and we have therefore introduced paid promotional opportunities for organisations looking to reach our engaged creative community through our newsletter, website and social media channels. Our free Jobs & Opportunities Board remains available for anyone wanting to share creative opportunities, while paid promotional packages provide additional visibility for organisations seeking dedicated promotion.

These packages include:

• Newsletter shout-out: £50 (Reach: 5,000 subscribers | Average open rate: 50% | Average click-through rate: 5%)
• Featured newsletter segment: £150 (Reach: 5,000 subscribers | Average open rate: 50% | Average click-through rate: 5%)
• Dedicated website article: £250 (Around 7,000 website visits per month)

As a registered charity and not-for-profit organisation, any income generated through these opportunities will be reinvested directly back into our community through our free programme of events, professional development opportunities, Mentoring Programme and advocacy work. Our aim remains the same: to keep Creative Edinburgh accessible, useful and impactful for freelancers and creative businesses. These new opportunities help us balance the increasing demand for promotion while ensuring we can continue investing in the work that matters most to our community.

To find out more about promotional opportunities or to request the promotion of your organisation’s opportunity, please email Eilidh, our Marketing & Communications Lead, at eilidh@creative-edinburgh.com.

What We’ve Been Reading

• The AI Playbook for Charities (2026) A practical guide exploring how charities can approach AI thoughtfully and responsibly, helping organisations consider where technology can genuinely support their work while staying aligned with their values.
• Skills shortages hit half of all Scottish employers – The Open University in Scotland A timely look at the skills challenges facing employers across Scotland and the importance of stronger connections between education, industry and lifelong learning. 
• Audiences and workforce in arts, culture and heritage sectors – Creative Industries Policy and Evidence Centre A valuable piece of research that provides useful insight into the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of our creative workforce.

If you wish to invite your colleagues to sign up for this newsletter, please ask them to follow this link.

I welcome your questions or comments. Please feel free to email me at ola@creative-edinburgh.com

With best summer wishes,
Ola
Executive Director, Creative Edinburgh