Those looking for a successful career in the creative industries are being given a unique opportunity to meet top industry insiders and learn about the support available for starting up and running a creative business.

The Creative Industries event will be held in Inverness from 10th-11th September, and as well as the chance to see live acts and attend workshops, participants will be able to make valuable contacts in what is a very competitive and rapidly changing industry.

There will be several high profile television and music producers, radio DJs and media experts, including Craig Pickle, producer of I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here and Fame Academy.

There will be workshops aimed at those who have recently set up or are currently thinking about setting up in business.

Inverness and Nairn Enterprise (INE) and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) have provided funding for the event, and recognise the value the creative industries contribute to the area.

According to HIE, the creative industries provide over 500 jobs and are worth in the region of £40 million to the Highlands and Islands.

Chief Executive of INE, Stuart Black, said: "This is a very worthwhile event and a great opportunity for young people looking to embark on a career in the creative industries. It also gives those wishing to start their own business the chance to tell us how best we can support them.

From the weekend workshops, a carefully selected group of 10 trainees will then be given a specific job within a 'virtual' record label.

They will be involved in all aspects of the production of a compilation CD, the marketing and distribution and finally the tour that will be used to help promote the album.

Stuart added: "We are also delighted that Inverness will be hosting this exciting part of the event where 10 lucky participants will be selected to work for an online label. These opportunities are very rare and will help provide the participants with the knowledge they need to get their careers and businesses off to the very best of starts."

The Creative Industries event follows on from the successful goNORTH, the showcase event for the music industry that Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) support.

Iain Hamilton, Creative Industries Manager at HIE, said: "Creative industries are extremely important to the Highlands and Islands, and that is why HIE is very keen to support events like this.

"The Highlands and Islands is quite remarkable for what it is achieving in the creative industries, which are growing six times faster here than the Scottish national average. The talent we have here is unique and it is unfortunate that these businesses are sometimes overlooked.

"Many do not realise how valuable these industries are. For example, in the UK the creative industries together are the same size as the construction industry and larger than the agricultural or pharmaceutical industries.

"These are real and serious businesses that need to be supported and developed. The industry is worth a lot now, but it will be worth a lot more in the future."

The event, which is also being supported by Channel 4 IDEASFACTORY, the music trade group HAIL and The Prince's Trust, has included workshops in Portree, Stornoway, Ullapool and Shetland.