Tileyard North: First phase of major creative development in Yorkshire set to open in Wakefield in October

The first phase in the development of a major creative hub in Yorkshire is set to be completed later this year.

Tileyard North in Wakefield is billed by developers to become home to the UK’s largest creative community outside of London, bringing together people across the region working in industries such as music, film, TV and design.

It will open in a Grade II-Listed mill complex neighbouring The Hepworth gallery on the city’s waterfront, following a multi-million pound restoration of the disused Rutland Mills buildings by the team behind Tileyard London, Europe’s largest music-centric creative community.

It is hoped the first stage of Tileyard North will open in October - including 25 studios and a large events space.

When finished, the whole site is set to include studios and workshops, education space, a hotel, events space and restaurant, cafe and bar facilities.

Nick Keynes, co-founder of Tileyard London, said: “When you cluster like minded business and individuals together, it’s amazing the cumulative effect of that.

“We aren’t bringing anything from the south to the north, it’s about facilitation.

“We’re looking to facilitate the talent already in the region by giving the opportunity to cluster and be around like minded people.

“That’s the magic really. Those meaningful connections through proximity spark serendipitous collaborations and incredible work.”

Since its inception in 2011, Tileyard London has grown from a compact 10-music studio complex into a thriving ecosystem of over 250 studios, organisations, artists and independent creative industry businesses, including an industry-leading educational and training facility.

Its founders hope to replicate such success in Yorkshire, describing how the development will help to ‘bridge the gap between the creative industries of the south and north’.

It is hoped that the creative hub will be integral in establishing new business relationships and networks, creating new opportunities and empowering talent across the region.

It is expected that the new site will also create around 500 new skilled jobs, as the creative community expands.

He added: “By the time we open I’m hoping we will already have a pretty established community from day one.

“We want to give Wakefield a sense of aspiration, a sense of belief that Wakefield has a lot to offer.”

Levelling up funding from the Government will support the later stages of development.

Earlier this year, Cabinet Office Minister Nigel Adams visited Tileyard London and heard about the plans to ‘strengthen Yorkshire’s place within the UK’s creative industry’ through Tileyard North.

The minister said the development “shows that levelling up is not just a government policy, but an opportunity of which the private sector and creative industries can take full advantage”.