Weekender: Creative Convention to head to Leeds
A brand new meeting place for creative media people across the UK will hold its inaugural event at the College of Music in Leeds on April 25 and 26.
The Creative Cities Convention will be hosted by broadcaster and journalist Kirsty Wark and will provide a platform for anyone interested in the business of content creation and growth across the nations and regions. Each year the event will feature an Olympic-style pitch from several other big cities seeking to hold the event the following year.
‘There is vibrant content production across the UK and this new convention will ensure we have a platform to engage with broadcasters and producers who are creating great content wherever they happen to be based’, said Pact CEO John McVay, who is fully backing the CCC, along with Channel 4, the BBC, ITV and Channel 5.
Creatives, industry leaders and commentators will celebrate the richness and diversity of talent and the growth of global production across the UK. They will also examine how the Government’s new industrial strategy can benefit the creative industries outside London and reflect on the discussions about Channel 4 increasing its contribution to the nations and regions.
Roger Marsh OBE, chair of Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership, said: “The news that the inaugural industry-backed Creative Cities Convention will be held in Leeds is confirmation that the region is on the cusp of a transformation. It’s a massive vote in confidence from the screen industry that Leeds City Region is a vibrant hub for the TV, film and digital media sectors.
“A Channel 4 relocation here could be the spark that takes our creative sector to the next level. We’ve a young, diverse and digitally enabled population who are the next generation of content makers to make this happen. I look forward to hearing more about this exciting event.”
