Final preparations underway for Creative Entrepreneurship Showcase

Forty creative entrepreneurs from across Scotland will take part in two exhibitions running back to back, over April and May,  including upholsterers, ceramicists, graphic designers, book binders, illustrators, digital designers, fashion and textiles designers, painters and photographers.

This is the first in-person Creative Entrepreneurship exhibition since the start of the pandemic and marks a major step forward in the post-Covid recovery as Look Again Co-Director and course leader, Hilary Nicoll explains: “We are really excited to be hosting the Creative Entrepreneurship Showcase. It’s fantastic to be running an in-person event and to be bringing creative entrepreneurs from across Scotland together for the first time in so long.

“RGU’s Creative Entrepreneurship programme is really unique. It offers tailored support to emerging creative talent, giving them the business acumen to take their ideas to the next level. As a University, RGU is committed to boosting skills and to promoting the wealth of creative talent across Scotland. We’re now taking applications for the next Creative Entrepreneurship course and I’d encourage creatives from all backgrounds to apply.”

Delivered in partnership between Robert Gordon University’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Group and Look Again, the creative unit at Gray’s School of Art, the Creative Entrepreneurship course is a fully-funded post-graduate course, providing business development to support creatives in Scotland. This intensive, eight-week course is open to ambitious individuals, sole-traders, free-lancers, small company owners and recent graduates starting up and looking to take their existing business to the next level.

Freelance animator and motion designer, Zoe Buyers, from Aberdeen, is one of the creative entrepreneurs taking part. Having graduated in Communication Design from Gray's School of Art in 2019, Zoe has created work for a number of clients including Mackie’s of Scotland. Aberdeen International Comedy Festival, The University of Edinburgh and St.Margaret's School for Girls.

Zoe explains why she chose the course: “Coming out of university and going straight into self-employment was a daunting challenge that I didn't know much about. The Creative Entrepreneurship course helped me strategize and lay the foundations I needed to run my business.

“Although I had the practical skills I needed to freelance, I wasn't looking at the bigger picture. The Creative Entrepreneurship course encouraged me to consider my clients and allowed me to re-evaluate why I was running my business in the first place. What are their pain points? How was I helping them to solve their problems? What am I offering them that perhaps others aren't? These were all questions that I hadn't considered until I took the course.

“I would encourage anyone who has their own business to take this course. It will allow you to examine your business and how it currently operates, which aids you in finding any flaws that may need amending. You will build a fantastic support network of other local business owners such as yourself. People who can support you and who you can turn to if you need guidance.

“The Creative Entrepreneurship course has been a fantastic first step in building my business. It has helped to lay the groundwork for the way I operate daily. By taking this course, I am now able to relate to my clients on a personal level and help them find the best solution to their problems. Since taking the course in March 2020, I have been able to grow my business exponentially and have welcomed new clients every month. I am excited to see where the next few years will take me. “

Sally Charles, Learning Manager from RGU’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Group, said: “The Creative Entrepreneurship course offers participants a unique opportunity to develop their skills with expertise from RGU’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Group along with the creative talent from Gray’s School of Art’s Look Again unit. This is a fantastic opportunity for practitioners aiming to take their creative businesses to the next level.”

The Creative Entrepreneurship course is open to creative practitioners with businesses already established or in their early stages. It provides learners with a business toolkit, an opportunity to meet and learn from like-minded people and expert guidance from facilitators and established business owners.

The Creative Entrepreneurship Showcase exhibition opens fully to the public on Saturday 26 March until 23 April (Saturday and Sundays, 11am - 4pm.) A launch night takes place at the Look Again Project Space, St.Andrews Street, Aberdeen, on Thursday 24 March, from 6 - 8pm.

The Creative Entrepreneurship short course is fully funded by the Scottish Government and Scottish Funding Council as part of the North East Economic Recovery and Skills Fund (NEERSF) for applicants who live in the North East of Scotland with an AB postcode. It is a credit bearing Master’s level qualification which allows participants to accumulate further credits and achieve a full postgraduate qualification over time.

The call for applications for the next course is now open, with a deadline of 18 April 2022. The course will start on 24 May. To find out more about the Creative Entrepreneurship course or how to apply visit: Creative Entrepreneurship Course.