Published: 13 Mar 2019
Five new Scottish based creative businesses have launched crowdfunding campaigns, raising funds to kick start community-centric brands.
Designers and makers who have great ideas they want to bring to life have all been building their crowdfunding campaigns thanks to the pilot Crowdfunding Creativity programme. A mentoring and match-funding scheme run by Creative Scotland in partnership with Paved With Gold, the programme has been developed to to provide people working in the creative industries in Scotland with the skills and knowledge to develop their own successful crowdfunding campaigns gain key skills to help them support their creative practice.
The programme, which has included a series of workshops and personal mentoring hosted by Paved With Gold, who specialise in product launches and growing online communities, also offers match funding of up to 25% from Creative Scotland once projects have raised the first 75% of their budget through crowdfunding.
In Dumfries, Shoe Designer Robert McCaffery, Creative Entrepreneur David Smith and Creative Marketeer Michael Nicholson are crowdfunding to launch a new stylish and ethically-made welly boot brand, Botann.
Glasgow based Ruth Mitchell and Ciorstaidh Monk’s crowdfunding campaign is raising funds towards the debut international launch of their SÒLAS luxury silk sleepwear during Paris Fashion Week where they will be able to present the collection to buyers from international retailers and expand brand reach and influence.
Creative Inverness plan to establish CiRCUS ARTSPACE, an artist-run gallery space and graduate support programme in Inverness city centre. They are crowdfunding to cover rental overheads, materials required for setting up the gallery and exhibition costs.
South Lanarkshire based artist and musician, Tom Sudall’s crowdfunding campaign will help towards the cost of manufacturing and distributing a hand-crafted pocket size board game called Squirrel marketed at young audiences and families.
In Edinburgh, music composer, arranger and sound designer, Terry Peng’s campaign will support the cost of bringing to market a new audio picture book project Lillian. Instead of written words, this picture book’s illustrations will each be accompanied by a piece of music created by different composers.
Today’s Crowdfunding campaigns are now live alongside textile designer, Mhairi Allan’s recently launched campaign to help kick start her Stonehaven based homeware and fashion brand’s collection, Signals.
Clive Gillman, Director of Creative Industries at Creative Scotland commented: “Crowdfunding is becoming a viable way to generate the early-days boost that projects need to get up and running. We’re pleased to offer financial as well as development support to build knowledge, skills and appetite within the sector through mentoring and training.”
Kaye Symington, Co-Founder, Paved With Gold commented: "We have had the real pleasure over the last few months of working with the Crowdfunding Creativity cohort. Supporting them to build their ideas into reality, and to work towards the launch of their campaigns.
“We've been incredibly proud of all the hard work they've put in and can't wait for everyone to see the projects when they go live over the next month.”
Sophie Bambrough, Media Relations & PR Officer, Creative Scotland.
E: Sophie.Bambrough@creativescotland.com / T: +44 (0)7747 606 146
The Crowdfunding for Creativity pilot programme has been developed in response to recommendations made within the 2018 Paved With Gold report looking at crowdfunding models for the creative industries and their potential uses: Next Generation of Creative Crowdfunding
Creative Scotland is the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries across all parts of Scotland on behalf of everyone who lives, works or visits here. We enable people and organisations to work in and experience the arts, screen and creative industries in Scotland by helping others to develop great ideas and bring them to life. We distribute funding provided by the Scottish Government and the National Lottery. For further information about Creative Scotland please visit www.creativescotland.com. Follow us @creativescots and www.facebook.com/CreativeScotland
Paved With Gold is an agency that specialises in launching and building community-centric brands. They work closely with passionate designers, makers and do-ers who have great ideas they want to bring to life and grow. They are experts in delivering successful crowdfunding campaigns and to date have helped projects raise over £1.1m on Kickstarter. They are also endorsed by Kickstarter as crowdfunding experts. Find out more: www.pavedwithgold.com
