BOLTON could become a centre for arts and culture.

The University of Bolton held its first Business and the Arts Breakfast seminar where plans were unveiled to create an arts hub.

Business leaders were told that the arts played a part in all forms of industry.

The inaugural breakfast meeting involved a panel discussion by leaders of arts organisations and business experts discussing the benefits and challenges of working in a cross-industry partnership and the region's aspirations to create an arts hub.

The seminar was chaired by Sam Johnson, Bolton School of the Arts’ Head of School.

Panel members were director of Castlefield Gallery and co-chair of Contemporary Visual Art Manchester, Kwong Lee; creative director of Absolute, Simon Allman; general manager of Bolton FM, Keith Harris; director of Edinburgh Weavers, Ursula Greenwood; and Textiles and Surface Design programme leader at the University of Bolton, Donna Claypool.

The importance of cultural organisations, how universities and businesses can help the growth of the arts and, in particular, what Bolton can do to help make the county an arts hub were discussed.

The university showed that Bolton is already putting the arts in the frame with the university working with Bolton’s Octagon Theatre to create an innovative, industry-focused BA (Hons) degree in Theatre enabling students to study the critical and practical aspects of theatre in both university and professional settings.

Mr Lee spoke of how businesses can engage with cultural development and illustrated this by explaining his collaboration with the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce who are committed to working with artists.

He also went on to speak about Glasgow’s development as an arts hub over the past 30 years and his ambition that Greater Manchester could replicate this in the future.

However, he stressed the need for support from local authorities and industry to enable this.

Ms Claypool said: "It’s also about breaking down those barriers within the university in terms of the way we teach professional and transferable skills.

"It’s always difficult for students to make that first step when they leave university and what they lack is those kick-starter incubation units."

Ms Greenwood added: "We need to promote the arts in every business.

"I think there is a little bit of pigeon holing, but the arts are of value in every industry.

"Someone from textile design can be part of another industry, like the automobile industry, because every business requires talented creative people.

"We need to promote that beyond the specific industry that the people train in."

The meeting ended with a tour of the creative show, illustrating the talents of graduating students.