Starting next month, the aim of the new programme is to grow and enrich the local economy.

E3’s fully-funded Creative Catalyst will run over eight weeks from 10 May to 30 June, with sessions held twice per week (Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11am – 1pm) in a blend of face-to-face and online workshops.

Creative Catalyst is facilitated by the E3 project, delivered by social enterprise Elevator UK in partnership with South Lanarkshire Council as part of the UK Community Renewal Fund (CRF) which aims to support people and communities across the UK.

Designed by creatives for creatives, the programme has curated approaches from around the globe to provide a practical, design-led approach to plan, model and test attendees’ creative business ideas and develop new creative businesses.

Andrew Cameron, Programme Manager for Elevator UK and lead for the Creative Catalyst programme, said: “Most people when they think of the ‘creative industries’ would think about visual arts, crafts, fashion and textiles and design, but there’s so much more than that; there’s also software, computer games, heritage and cultural education to name a few.

“Scotland’s creative industries comprise over 15,000 businesses and contribute more than £5 billion to the Scottish economy every year.

“If you’re involved in ANY of the creative industries, whether you’re starting a business or looking to start a business, then we’re here to support you through the process and in turn accelerate the growth of South Lanarkshire’s creative industries.

“We’ve broken down the myths of business to step you through what you need to do and how you need to do it – all without a dusty old business plan in sight.”

Defined by The Scottish Government, the creative industries sector is made up of 16 distinct industries: advertising, architecture, visual art, crafts, fashion and textiles, design, performing arts, music, photography, film and video, computer games, radio and TV, writing and publishing, heritage, software/electronic publishing and cultural education.

To register your interest, please visit the events page on the E3 website.