THE way forward for arts and creative industries in York could involve the setting up of a "local culture consortium".

A show of hands at the conclusion to yesterday's City of York Arts and Creative Industries Networking Day at York Theatre Royal revealed support for a link between arts, industry, science, city council, tourism and funding bodies - similar to a link already operating in Leeds.

About 100 practitioners from these fields met to share ideas for the future and hear speeches from Gary Topp, chief executive of the Yorkshire Cultural Consortium; Toby Hyam, chief executive of Kirklees Media Centre; Anne McNeill, artistic director, Impressions Gallery, York; Laura McGillivray, deputy chief executive, City of York Council; and Andrew Milson, director of publishing company and arts event promoters Stone Soup.

Liz Page, publisher of the Evening Press, chaired the meeting, which was organised by Cultureworks UK arts consultant Susie Hargreaves as part of her research for her report for City of York Council's arts and creative industries plan.

That report, commissioned by the city council's leisure and education departments, Science City and Arts Council Yorkshire, will be presented by the end of July to filter into council meetings from September.

Peter Boardman, the city council's arts commissioner, said: "The aim of the plan is to put York's arts and creative industries on the map in a coherent way."

Updated: 10:36 Friday, May 16, 2003