Which UK city is the most creative? Leeds?

There’s something about the small scale of the city and the proximity of urban to rural that inspires ideas. Unlike much larger cities, the compact nature of Leeds acts as a cultural Petri dish and cultivates ideas.

Leeds epitomises the can do attitude of the North and this permeates all aspects of the city, including its cultural output. Like many cities in the North, Leeds has been transformed in the past ten years into a truly sophisticated city with all the trappings of a modern city underpinned by the unique Leeds attitude: a combination of sheer bloody mindedness and creativity.

Of course, many cities would claim they could deliver this – but Leeds has plenty of examples of this in action. If I was putting together the Leeds bid for UK City of Culture, I’d be lifting the lid on the city’s diverse cultural scene and shining the spotlight on some of the most creative and inspiring work in the UK.

Design in Leeds has a rich heritage and to this day, the design scene in the city is as strong as ever, constantly changing and diversifying. From successful international design companies like Elmwood to design collectives like Nous Vous, Leeds has it all. Our reputation as grounded but highly creative rightly attracts talent and clients from all over the UK.

The digital sector in Leeds is growing apace with some of the most innovative thinkers in the country plying their trade in the city. At the very cutting edge of digital inspiration are digital agencies like Numiko, madebypi and fuse8, that’s just the tip of the digital iceberg.

Our vibrant creative industries are a vital component in the city’s success and unlike other cities, they are valued and significant contributors to the growth of the city.There’s also a groundswell of highly creative art and cultural fusion happening in the city right now with artists, photographers, sculptors, writers, film makers all collaborating on projects and engaging with the wider population. It’s these collaborations that are building a real sense of cultural boldness.

Musically, Leeds has made its mark too with arguably the UK’s most exciting and vibrant music scenes as the Guardian said “forget Manchester, Liverpool or Sheffield, Leeds has the most happening music scene outside of the capital.” Enough said.

Of course, Leeds has always been internationally renowned for its artistic heritage and is home to Opera North, Northern Ballet Theatre, The Northern School of Contemporary Dance, West Yorkshire Playhouse and the Henry Moore Institute – all cultural powerhouses, part of one of the strongest and most influential arts scenes in the UK. Alongside the usual things many cities do which allow them to lay claim to being a cultural centre (film festivals, music festivals, art/literary stuff), I think it’s also the influence of technology that’s making things so interesting round here right now.

In Leeds, we’re not just doing cultural things; we’re finding new ways of doing cultural things. The various ‘camps’ that happen in the city (Barcamp, Photocamp, etc) are blurring the lines of creativity in a cultural, ‘arty’ sense, and creativity in the industrious, innovation sense.

Leeds has a long history of industrial innovation that has improved our cultural lives, and that spirit certainly thrives today. Temple Works - once a socially-conscious, industrial building is now transforming into a colossal art space, which will attract national and international attention.

Leeds isn’t perfect – and no city is. Ultimately creative people thrive on the mash up that is the modern city – the mess, the humanity, the contradiction. We need to feel we’re at the heart of something vital. And what we also crave is the escape from this that comes from being close to nature and of course Leeds delivers this – in spades.

LEEDS (II)

Paul Mallett, managing partner, Swamp

On the surface Leeds is all about gloss and money. And it is, not just on the surface but pumping through its veins.

The city has always been an economically strong place relying on entrepreneurship rather than arts funding. This in itself has produced sustainable creative scenes rather than the flashes-in-the-pan typical of other cities.Leeds has many creative big hitters which have spawned nationally and internationally successful productions such as Opera North, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Northern Ballet and Phoenix Dance Company and not forgetting our very own iTV Yorkshire and their gem of tea-time-TV, Countdown.

However, there are also many secret treasures which feed and nurture creative life in Leeds. Some of the most exciting creative activities are not where, or when, you would expect. From Leeds Light Night (www.lightnightleeds.co.uk), a magical journey on a cold October evening which opens up dark lonely spaces in Leeds and brings light, theatre and entertainment to the website Secret Leeds (www.secretleeds.com) which gives access to places, stories and adventures to those who want more than just the gloss.

Other places that capture this sense of creative playfulness include Meanwood Park and the Hollies. JRR Tolkien was a lecturer at Leeds University and many people believe that his inspiration for the landscape for The Hobbit was based on this park. With its magical little bridges, secret gates, mill stones half buried in the ground and plants collected from all round the world by Victorian industrialists, it is an amazing escape in the middle of the city.

The Story of O is based on Emily’s shop in Bagpuss, objects are found and discovered and fixed, cleaned and polished to reveal their stories and true beauty. In essence it is a vintage shop but with such imagination it almost seems like a dream when you leave. The shop has irregular opening times and is hidden below a wonderful hairdressers (which is also part of the shop).

If you see something you love then buy it because you will never see it or a thing like it again.Then we have Nous Vous (www.nousvous.eu) where entrepreneurial students have set up their own little design studio. The work is quirky, fresh and often available for sale as artwork. They are darlings of Culture Vulture (www.theculturevulture.co.uk), a special site which allows all those excited by creativity to be given VIP access to building openings, artists work, happenings and general fabulousness.

So, for me anyway, you can find creativity of the highest levels with Leeds’ obvious cultural big boys, but the real beating heart of the city is (and always has been) in the hidden parks, backstreets and yards which are home to the underground publishers, musicians, film makers, fashion designers and which will fuel the city’s future.

(Photography courtesy of Richard Moran)

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