Almost four out of every five people north of the Border consider Scottish arts and culture to be important to Scotland's recovery from the downturn, according to a poll.
The study of 1,000 adults by the The Saltire Society found 78 per cent of respondents rated Scottish arts and culture as being 'very important' or 'quite important' to the economy.
Only 14per cent of those questioned rated them as 'not very important' or 'not at all important.'
It come as the acclaimed writer A. L. Kennedy and London-based collaborative artists Joan, Sebastian and Georgia Boyle and other musicians prepare to attend a reception tonight in London.
The society as it seeks to boost the newly created Saltire Society Trust to £5 million by St. Andrew's Day 2016.
Launched in November, it already has assets totalling more than £2 million to support Scottish arts, heritage and culture and find new talent.
Its President Magnus Linklater said the poll results were encouraging. He added: "Scotland's distinctive arts, heritage and culture are a crucial contributor to our economic success and a valuable export."
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