GRN Insights

Culture and creative industries in West Yorkshire

Insights from our keynote and Q&A with Mayor Tracy Brabin

Chloe Nelson

Digital Communications Officer

Inclusive growth, investment and industrial strategy

Chloe Nelson

Digital Communications Officer

Culture and creative industries contribute £160bn to the UK economy. The UK’s status as the fifth largest exporter of cultural services globally is central to our position on the world stage, both economically and in terms of soft power. Beyond this, culture plays a vital role in our day-to-day lives, shaping who we are as individuals and communities, and contributing to our wellbeing and pride in place.

However, the economic importance of culture has long been underestimated in the UK and too much cultural activity has been concentrated in London. In our latest report, we set out the role that culture and creative industries can play in catalysing inclusive growth. By nurturing cultural clusters and building on local cultural assets, we can develop strong local economies, address regional inequalities, and connect local people to high-quality, fulfilling job opportunities across the country.

Our culture and inclusive growth event

Mayor Tracy Brabin is working hard to make this a reality, placing culture at the heart of her ambitions for the region. The Inclusive Growth Network was joined by Mayor Brabin on Tuesday 20th February at the Leeds Library to celebrate West Yorkshire’s groundbreaking approach to catalysing inclusive growth through culture and creative industries.

'As an actor and a writer, with three decades as a freelancer in the creative industries, I knew the opportunity for our region was boundless.' – Mayor Tracy Brabin

Watch the event here

West Yorkshire has the fastest growing cultural and creative industries sector outside of London, with nearly 9,000 creative businesses and almost 50,000 jobs, injecting £2bn into the economy. For every £1 paid to a cultural professional, another £1.40 is generated in the wider regional economy. West Yorkshire’s cultural renaissance is fuelling inward investment with many transformative projects including Bradford Live, British Library North, the National Poetry Centre, Channel 4’s national HQ, and the forthcoming Brit School North.

The event drew over 70 delegates, including national and regional policymakers, academics, and representatives from cultural institutions such as LEEDS 2023 Year of Culture, Harwood House Trust, Opera North, Leeds Conservatoire, Production Park, and Arts Council England.

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Culture and Inclusive Growth Framework

Our report sets out a new framework for culture and inclusive growth.

Taking insights from Mayor Brabin’s keynote and the Q&A, we have used this framework to explore:

What West Yorkshire is doing to catalyse inclusive growth through culture and creative industries
What places need to go further and faster

What West Yorkshire is doing now – examples of good practice

Place

A strong cultural offer is at the heart of place identity. It helps to create an attractive environment for business, and the kinds of places that people want to live and work in. West Yorkshire’s year-long celebrations of culture are supporting cultural and creative activity across all boroughs: LEEDS 2023 Year of Culture, Kirklees Year of Music 2023, Wakefield’s Our Year 2024, CultureDale 2024, and UK City of Culture 2025 in Bradford.

Productivity

Representation matters. Talent is evenly distributed but opportunities are not. Over two-thirds of Oscar winners are privately educated, despite only 7% of the UK population attending private schools. The Mayor’s Screen Diversity Programme supports young people of all backgrounds to pursue a career in film and TV in West Yorkshire. In the last cohort, 62% of participants identified as female or nonbinary, 43% had a disability, and 38% came from ethnic minority backgrounds.

Public services

Creativity can be harnessed for healthier communities. The Combined Authority is working in partnership with the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership Board on an innovative Creative Health System. The initiative offers tailored courses to individuals of all ages and diverse backgrounds, using art and creativity to address mental health challenges and combat social isolation.

What next?

At the IGN, we are passionate about how culture and creative industries can be a catalyst for inclusive growth. If you are interested in collaborating with us on this topic, do reach out. We are keen to support our members to progress this agenda, so get in touch if it would be helpful to have a conversation.

Download the report here:

Culture and creative industries: A catalyst for inclusive growth

A report to help places put culture and creative industries at the heart of inclusive growth.

3 MB | pdf

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