Scotland on Sunday

When Glasgow launched itself as a European City of Culture in 1990, a certain contingent of the public at large stifled a giggle. "What, Glasgow? Cultured? Surely that's Edinburgh's bag?" some scoffed. But they were wrong, at least about Glasgow. Seventeen years on, the city's cultural ambition has become a self-perpetuating reality for the simple reason that Glasgow had the goods all along. It just wasn't good at shouting about it. That is changing. Next year's inaugural Six Cities Design Festival, fostered and announced by First Minister Jack McConnell, has just employed an international think tank of design professionals to make sure Scotland shouts that bit louder on the international stage. Those behind the festival, including Dr Stuart MacDonald of the Lighthouse (Scotland's Centre for Design), believe design is key to the future of the Glaswegian, and Scottish, economy. With manufacturing cowed by the booming new economies of China and India, Scotland needs a unique selling point in a competitive international market and, according to a recent UK government report, design is one area in which business is booming. Foster good design, say the stats, and the economy will blossom.