Creative Economy

Our team brings together a unique blend of skills and experience with an in-depth understanding and experience of business development, creative industries and the market for training and learning.

Examples from our current work illustrate our profile and experience:

Creative Scotland

pza was commissioned bythe Creative Scotland Transition Team to develop "think-tanks" exploring the relationship between the new agency and Scotland's local authorities, and learning and skills.

Scottish Screen

Scottish Screen is the national screen agency for Scotland with responsibility for developing all aspects of screen culture and industry across the country. It will merge with the Scottish Arts Council to become Creative Scotland, a new cultural development agency with lead responsibility for policy on screen and creative industries in Scotland. pza was commissioned by Scottish Screen to undertake two linked projects:

Rapid review of support structures for the creative industries in Scotland

pza was commissioned to undertake a review on the current and planned future levels of business support and investment provided by local authorities and other agencies for the creative industries. The review was to inform a forthcoming creative industries strategy for Scotland.

Development support for European structural fund bids

pza was commissioned to provide support in developing two ERDF bids for Scottish Screen - (a) a proposed industry support programme offering bespoke business support around five creative hubs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen and the south of Scotland, and (b) a proposed investment fund offering loans and equity to creative businesses in Scotland.

Creative Loop

Creative Loop is a partnership among six Scottish further education colleges - Aberdeen, Adam Smith, Cardonald, Dundee, Perth and Reid Kerr - to work with agencies (Scottish Screen, SQA, Skillset and Scottish Funding Council) and industry to develop a programme of future skills for the creative industries. The initiative is funded by the Scottish Funding Council and is recognised as Scotland's first Skillset Media Academy. The programme of work includes extending industry placements, improving continuing professional development and the development of shared online units. pza was commissioned to provide development support and strategic planning to the partnership.

BBC Scotland - E Force

BBC Scotland's E Force is a long running initiative to help diversify the workforce within BBC Scotland and to create on-site media training and placement opportunities for individuals who would not be recruited to BBC Scotland through normal channels. It has a very high level of success both in trainees completing training and in securing both industry placements and jobs within the BBC and within the wider media industries in Scotland. pza is retained as a consultant and advises on evaluation and review, and on forward planning and securing funding.

Royal Scottish Academy for Music and Drama (RSAMD) - Creative Training Unit

The Royal Academy for Music and Drama's Digital Film and Television Department and Scottish independent production company Brocken Spectre are seeking to establish the Creative Training Unit (CTU) delivering high quality creative short courses for the Scottish Film and Television Industry. 

pza has been commissioned to identify and engage with potential stakeholders in tertiary education and the Scottish broadcast industry including the Scottish Sector Skills committee, Skillset, Scottish Screen, BBC Scotland and STV;investigate the funding opportunities for such an organisation in Scotland;research and cost a potential home for CTU; and prepare a preliminary business strategy for CTU with financial projections for the next three years.

Brocken Spectre

pza has been commissioned to work with Scottish independent production company Brocken Spectre to help develop routes into television production. The work is funded by the Glasgow Film Office.