Creative Industries Fund Open for Business

The government's new $2 million Creative Industries Fund is ready to help creative Nova Scotia artists and enterprises market their talents and their products outside of Nova Scotia.

"The creative sector is a unique and valuable economic contributor," said Tony Ince, Minister of Communities, Culture and Heritage. "We recognize the role played by these enterprises and want to help them grow and help them export their products and their talents outside our province."

"The investment behind the new Creative Industries Fund will increase our global competitiveness and spotlight Nova Scotian creators on the world stage," said Scott Long, executive director of Music Nova Scotia. "For the music business in particular this new fund, when combined with the Music Nova Scotia Investment Program, will encourage the creation, development, and growth of Nova Scotian music businesses and artists."

The Creative Industries Fund is available to for-profit businesses, not-for-profit organizations and social enterprises operating in the creative industries, including but not limited to, the music, publishing, craft, visual arts, performing arts, film, and design fields. Government has already begun processing applications and demand is high.

For the music industry, the Creative Industries Fund will assist established companies in the music industry, primarily to enhance their export growth. The Music Nova Scotia Investment Program, also funded by the province, is geared towards helping developing music businesses.

In 2014 arts, culture and heritage contributed $949 million to Nova Scotia's economy, and provided 13,874 jobs across the province.

For more information, go to http://novascotia.ca/programs/creative-industries-fund/ .