Creative Wakefield: growing a culture cluster

As Wakefield seeks to position itself as a regional creative hub, we brought together some of the city’s – and the region’s – leading creative professionals to discuss the advantages the sector can bring, the assets it can use and the challenges it might face.

The Creative Wakefield round table, sponsored by Wakefield Council, met at one of the latest creative assets – Tileyard North, located in a curve of the River Calder next to the Hepworth Gallery.

Ben Cook, Wakefield Council’s service manager for culture and tourism, said the creative sector could help address health inequalities and deprivation.

“The key driver for our city centre master plan is culture and creativity. That isn’t just because someone’s gone, ‘That’s a nice thing, let’s do that.’ It’s because fundamentally, we thought about the challenges that face us, whether it be education, or the need to drive good jobs and bring employment into the city. And we said what are the things that can do that? And creativity is one of the key things that ticks those boxes.

The opening of Tileyard North, Clare Hunt, enterprise manager at Wakefield Council, said, is “making people aware that Wakefield is not just geographically central, but actually a heart that can only grow bigger the more people jump on board.”

Tileyard North, she said, was the latest in several creative wins for the city. The city also boasts the Production Park, the Art House and the Yorkshire Sculpture Park. And just across the road from Tileyard North and the Hepworth is a hidden gem: the medieval chantry chapel on the old Calder bridge, one of only four surviving medieval bridge chapels in the country.

Keith Evans, the council’s creative and digital sector development manager, said his team was helping young people develop hobbies and passions into businesses. “That adds value to the network. It becomes a whole package.”

More information and source: Creative Wakefield: growing a culture cluster | TheBusinessDesk.com