Trade missions promote Brand Scotland - Ian Murray
This week I was in Berlin, banging the drum for Brand Scotland, promoting Scottish businesses and culture in Germany hosting our first Brand Scotland international grant funded event at the British Embassy.
It’s the latest trade mission I’ve led as part of the Scotland Office’s Brand Scotland programme. It’s all about selling the best of Scotland to the world, promoting Scottish exports and attracting inward investment.
The trip comes shortly after a comprehensive bilateral treaty signed between the UK and Germany, part of the Labour government’s ongoing efforts to reset our relationship with Europe. The treaty, the first between the UK and Germany in a generation, promises closer cooperation on a whole range of issues including defence, business, energy, migration, crime and climate.
In Berlin I was delighted to meet with German ministers, parliamentarians, business leaders and artists to showcase all that Scotland has to offer, promote Scottish businesses and make Scotland an attractive place for German companies to export.
Trade missions are an important part of the Brand Scotland toolkit, crucial to forming relationships, highlighting Scotland’s strengths and facilitating meetings between Scottish businesses with businesses overseas.
But they are not the only tool. This year, the Brand Scotland fund has earmarked £250,000 to boost Scottish soft power, culture and export opportunities across the world. The new fund is supporting the Edinburgh Fringe’s international event focusing on the important contribution of Scotland’s creative industries, being held today at the recently refurbished Filmhouse. The overseas fund is also supporting cultural initiatives across the UK's overseas network of over 250 posts, including in Bolivia and Switzerland.
For me, a big part of the Brand Scotland is also promoting Scottish culture across the world, which means partnering with key Scottish cultural institutions. This week in Berlin, I was delighted to be joined by the National Youth Orchestra of Scotland, who represent some of our most extraordinary musical talent and demonstrate clearly Scotland’s cultural excellence, for a “Symphony and Square Sausages” breakfast event.
Earlier in the year, on a previous trade mission to the United States, I signed a strategic partnership with the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo to accompany future trade missions, harnessing their global reputation to promote Scottish business and culture abroad.
And today, we are announcing another partnership with the Edinburgh Fringe Festival Society.
These cultural partnerships demonstrate the hugely important role the arts and culture play in opening doors for Scottish businesses worldwide, whilst showcasing the best of Scottish talent to global audiences. The arts sector is also an important asset for the UK’s soft power - building links, relationships and our reputation around the world.
This Labour government is committed to championing the arts in Scotland and has not been afraid to back this commitment up with funding. Recent recipients of funding from the UK government include the Edinburgh Filmhouse, the King’s Theatre, the V&A in Dundee, a new cultural hub in Kilmarnock, as well as a new year-round home for the Edinburgh Fringe and funding for Keep it Fringe grants for artists.
Our Brand Scotland work abroad brings real benefits for Scots at home, creating more jobs and putting more money in people’s pockets, delivering on the Labour government’s Plan for Change.