It was a real privilege for the Wasps team to welcome Scotland’s new First Minister, John Swinney to Inverness Creative Academy on Monday.
We were able to showcase the creative hub for the Highlands by taking the First Minister on a tour of the building’s facilities where we highlighted the crucial importance that artists play in supporting Scotland’s wellbeing and economy.
Several artists and creatives, with studios or offices at Inverness Creative Academy, spoke with the First Minister about their careers and how important their Inverness base has been to their development. This vibrant community of innovators were fantastic ambassadors for their building and the Wasps network at large.
Wasps CEO Audrey Carlin took the opportunity to speak with the First Minister about the charity’s new Scotland’s Culture Matters manifesto, which focuses on the strain that the cultural sector is under, and proposes solutions that will help lift the pressure on the artists and organisations across Scotland amidst rising costs and stagnant funding.
Officially opened in 2022 by HRH The Princess Royal, Inverness Creative Academy is a £6m project that transformed two B-listed former school Midmills buildings on the old Inverness Royal Academy site in the Crown area of the city into the largest creative facility for artists, designers, makers, creative industries, cultural/social enterprises and the community in the Scottish Highlands.
