Leeds gets its creative juices flowing with media convention win

The burgeoning creative and digital sector in Leeds, in the North of England, has been further boosted with news that the city has been chosen to host the first-ever Creative Cities Convention. Local bureau ConferenceLeeds helped land the event, which will take place 25-26 April at the Leeds College of Music, and includes sponsorships from the BBC and Channel 4 TV. The conference is set to bring together 200 delegates, and will be hosted by broadcaster and journalist Kirsty Wark. It is designed as a platform for anyone interested in media, content creation and growth across the UK. Sir Peter Bazalgette, executive chairman of ITV will attend the convention, which will also touch upon Leeds’ campaign to home Channel 4. Organisers wanted a venue that offered a suitable performance space and seated hundreds of delegates, and the bureau sourced Leeds College of Music as a suitable space. It has recently undergone a revamp which has added a rooftop extension offering increased capacity. ConferenceLeeds has also introduced a digital room booking service to offer delegates a seamless experience when choosing their accommodation. Ruth Pitt, director of the Creative Cities Convention, comments: “The Creative Cities Convention is the new forum for the UK television industry to debate the hot topics around content production and distribution. There couldn’t be a better time for the convention, with issues of equality and representation right at the forefront of public discourse. “In our inaugural year we’re in Leeds, the geographical heart of the UK. It’s an ideal place to bring together creative media people from across the country to discuss the issues affecting them. This includes how the government’s new Industrial Strategy might benefit the creative industries outside London and also how Channel 4’s plan to move hundreds of jobs across the nation can benefit the industry and our audiences creatively, culturally and commercially. “We have secured a fantastic line up of speakers from across the industry and we’re looking forward to welcoming them to the wonderful surroundings of the refurbished Leeds College of Music.” Jennifer Young (pictured), head of ConferenceLeeds, adds: “We are delighted that Leeds has been chosen to host the very first Creative Cities Convention this April. The city is already home to the BBC Yorkshire and ITV’s Leeds Studios, and is an established digital hub with over 3,500 digital and technology companies located here. It is one of the fastest growing cities in the digital, film and TV sector currently and not only this, Leeds is now a hub for young, diverse digital and creative talent and it is hoped this convention will only strengthen this. “Finally, this new convention further highlights the Leeds City Region as being a creative powerhouse outside of London, helping to lead the way for innovation in the creative and digital industries in Yorkshire and beyond.”