Company which will transform Wakefield's Rutland Mills site to host free creative industries event at The Hepworth

Tileyard Studios, which has acquired Rutland Mills in Wakefield city centre and plans to turn it into a hotel, restaurants and music and arts studios, will hold the event at The Hepworth tomorrow.

It will include talks, panels and networking opportunities for people in music, film, television, design, art, games and digital arts.

Businesses and professionals across Wakefield and the wider Yorkshire region, as well as members of the community, are invited to attend.

The event, called Future Creativity at Rutland Mills, comes 18 months after Wakefield Council revealed it had agreed to sell the derelict mills to Tileyard's parent company City and Provincial Properties.

Director Paul Kempe plans to transform the mills into 'Tileyard North', a creative centre for the music, film, television, design and media industries, providing up to 1,000 new jobs.

He told The Express last year that his initial ideas also included the creation of a small boutique hotel, offices, an events space and a courtyard with bars and restaurants.

Coun Peter Box, leader of Wakefield Council, said “I am are delighted they have chosen Wakefield and Rutland Mills as the site for Tileyard North, to create a hub and turn the city

into a centre for cultural industries.

"Tomorrow's event will support the drive to attract investment, bring new jobs and help to boost the local economy by transforming the waterfront into a vibrant area of the city.”

Nick Keynes, Managing Director, Tileyard Studios added: "We bring like minded people together and provide them with the spaces, services and community events to connect,

collaborate and grow their businesses.

"Wakefield and the wider region has a huge network of creative talent throughout and we look forward to meeting and working with as many of them as we can fit into Rutland Mills.”

Tileyard Studios is currently based in King's Cross, London and is the largest professional music and entertainment community in Europe. It has 82 recording studios and has worked with 120 music and entertainment businesses, as well as 1,200 creative professionals and entrepreneurs including Mark Ronson, The Prodigy and Lily Allen.

Paul Kempe, Director, City and Provincial Properties, said “Tileyard has become one of the biggest creative hubs in Europe and we are excited that Wakefield will be our Tileyard flagship for the North where we look forward to transforming Rutland Mills into a vibrant destination for creative and collaborative partnerships”.

Tomorrow's event takes place from 10am until 6pm. Free tickets can be obtained at http://bit.ly/2wMnws8Companies and speakers include Dave Beer, Michael Harwood, Leeds University, Backstage Academy, Game Republic, Arts Council England and DMF Digital.