Culture minister Ed Vaizey has urged business leaders in the West Midlands to invest in the creative industries as part of efforts to boost Greater Birmingham and Solihull's economy.

A project called Creative City has been launched by the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) in a bid to generate fresh investment for the region's artistic and cultural enterprises.

The new initiative is to create a fund to build on existing public sector support for the sector through loans, grants and match-funding based on the potential for economic growth.

Creative City will also outline plans for a new museum quarter in Birmingham, including an attraction dedicated to photography and a contemporary art gallery.

The scheme is the first major initiative to be launched by the LEP as part of a bid to increase the region's economic output by 30 per cent to £8.25bn by 2020.

Vaizey said: "What is new here is the commitment of the LEP to integrate culture and the creative industries into its economic strategy, in partnership with the city council and Birmingham's cultural organisations."

LEP chair Andy Street added: "Creative City is about building on all the assets that currently exist and multiplying the effect of our investments by working together."

Details: www.centreofenterprise.com