Creative Scotland, the public body that supports the arts, screen and creative industries across all parts of Scotland, has announced its portfolio of Regularly Funded Organisations for 2015 – 2018. The Centre for the Moving Image in Edinburgh, which runs Edinburgh International Film Festival, home of the McLaren Award for British Animation, gets a substantial uplift, as does Glasgow Film Theatre, home of Glasgow’s Film, Youth and Shorts festivals.

Creative Scotland has also published On Screen, its film strategy for 2014-2017. And refreshingly, animation is right in there. In contrast to England, where Arts Council England and the BFI have shelved plans to develop a policy position for animation, Creative Scotland acknowledges the need “to develop and produce more films (documentaries, features, animation and artists’ films)” and prioritises “support for and commitment to Scotland’s production community, in particular documentary-making and animation, through sourcing increased funding for production.”