Over 100 creative professionals from across the region join Mayor Tracy Brabin and LEP Chair Mark Roberts at Bradford event to launch West Yorkshire Creative Industries Showcase profiling sector’s national and international strengths
Over 100 creative professionals from West Yorkshire joined Mayor Tracy Brabin on Monday night to celebrate the ongoing success and growth of the region’s £2 billion powerhouse creative sector.
The event at the Science and Media Museum in Bradford, brought together creatives working across TV, film, design, gaming, the performing arts, and experiential and heritage attractions, as well as cultural organisations and local government.
The Mayor launched the West Yorkshire Creative Industries Showcase, a major new profile of the region’s significant creative industries, businesses, organisations and talent.
The Showcase highlights West Yorkshire’s creative sector, building on the region’s fantastic talent and diversity, as demonstrated by the upcoming cultural festivals: Leeds 2023, Kirklees Year of Music 2023, Calderdale’s 2024 Vision events, Wakefield’s year-long Festival of Culture 2024 and Bradford UK City of Culture 202
Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “The creative industries in West Yorkshire contribute over £2 billion a year to our economy, growing faster than any other region outside of London.
“But I know we can go further, supporting the companies already in our region, while attracting others as we build our reputation as the ‘Creative Heart of the North’.
“Last night’s launch of our creative showcase at the Media Museum in Bradford was a great shop window on what we have to offer to showcase our creative companies across the world.”
Mark Roberts, Chair of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP), said: “We understand the vital role that creativity plays to our economy, and we’re proud to offer financial and marketing support to creative organisations across West Yorkshire.
“By backing our creative sector with investment, opportunity and business support we can put our amazing creative communities on a global map in the most exciting and productive ways.”
With the fastest creative sector growth in England outside London, West Yorkshire’s dynamic creative sector has been a national and international success story. Creative industries contribute £2 billion to the region’s economy, supporting 48,000 skilled jobs across almost 9,000 businesses.
The West Yorkshire Creative Industries Showcase highlights the range of diverse and innovative businesses operating in West Yorkshire’s creative sector with over 30 case studies.
It focuses on the key areas of TV, film and music; gaming and interactive experiences; design and publishing; dance and theatre; and heritage and cultural institutions including arts and museums.
Containing over 30 case studies, the Creative Industries Showcase focuses on the key areas of TV, film and music; gaming and interactive experiences; design and publishing; dance and theatre; and heritage and cultural institutions including arts and museums.