THE future for Scotland’s creative industries – such as film – has become clearer today, with the unveiling of key personnel to help lead the newly-created Creative Scotland, formed following the merging of public bodies, the Scottish Arts Council and Scottish Screen.
To support newly-appointed chief executive, Andrew Dixon, is a senior team who this morning has been identified as Vena Dhupa, Iain Munro and Caroline Parkinson.
The trio have been appointed directors of creative development, tasked – says Creative Scotland – “with leading [our] engagement with the cultural sector and [who] will take responsibility for Creative Scotland’s investment and partnership in the arts, film and creative industries”.
Other internal management team appointments are Morag Arnot, director of communications and external affairs; Alyson Hagan, director of finance and operations; and Karen Lannigan, head of human resources.
Ken Hay, chief executive of Scottish Screen, will work with Creative Scotland through to the end of September, to complete key handover of work on Scottish Screen responsibilities and the creative industries.
Says Dixon: “The combined team brings new expertise in international work and creative industries and a huge strength in continuity from the previous bodies. Iain Munro has led the successful Arts Lottery programme for Scotland, Caroline Parkinson brings a wealth of expertise in understanding the development needs of the cultural sector and Venu Dhupa is an internationally-renowned player with a major track record in managing and developing cultural organisations and artists.”
Creative Scotland issued the following biographies of its three, new key appointments:
Venu Dhupa has been a major figure in UK cultural development. She has recently been running an International Programme for Creative Entrepreneurs for the Arts Council of England’s Cultural Leadership Programme; hosting the European Cultural Parliament at Liverpool Capital of Culture; and shaping the creative programme for the 2010 Commonwealth Day celebrations in London. As Director of Arts at the British Council she led and completed the first international consultation/review in 25 years on the Council’s global arts strategy.
Other former posts include: Fellowship Director at The UK’s National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA), chief executive at the Nottingham Playhouse, and Producer (Mobile Touring) at the Royal National Theatre. She has been awarded the prestigious National Asian Woman of Achievement Award for her contribution to the Arts and Culture.
Currently co-director of Arts, Scottish Arts Council, Iain Munro grew up in Fife where early musical encounters inspired him to study singing and music in Glasgow, followed by studies in Economics and Surveying in Edinburgh. As Co-director of Arts at the Scottish Arts Council his work has spanned a diverse artform and policy spectrum, with corporate responsibility for Lottery matters, creative industries, education, equalities, audience and organisational development, London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Caroline Parkinson is based in Edinburgh and is Director (Scotland & Northern Ireland), for Creative & Cultural Skills. Immediately prior to joining CC Skills, she ran her own management consultancy and worked freelance as a photographer. She was manager of the independent film and television producers’ organisation, PACT Scotland & NI between 1994 and 1997, and prior to that was a Theatre-in-Education producer. She was a Scottish Squad Rhythmic Gymnast and coach, is an enthusiastic singer and pianist regularly performing in bands, and is a published and exhibited photographer.
