New £3.5m facility will help Wakefield becoming a 'leading light' in live events sector

A £3.5m state-of-the-art live events facility will open in Wakefield next year, it has been confirmed.
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The Backstage Innovation Hub, which will be built at Production Park, in South Kirkby, will feature specialist equipment designed to support the live events industry, as well as a business support programme focused on assisting small and medium enterprises.

Production Park have previously provided staging for international names including the Spice Girls, Hugh Jackman, Take That and the Arctic Monkeys.

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It is hoped that the funding from the European Regional Development Fund, which has been secured as part of a joint project between Wakefield Council and higher education provider Backstage Academy, will bring new businesses and investment to the district.

Backstage Academy offers specialist courses and degrees, including live events production, and stage and production management.Backstage Academy offers specialist courses and degrees, including live events production, and stage and production management.
Backstage Academy offers specialist courses and degrees, including live events production, and stage and production management.

Coun Denise Jeffery, Leader of Wakefield Council, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have received this grant funding in partnership with Backstage Academy.

“Wakefield is fast becoming a leading light in the live events sector and this will provide an even bigger boost to create dynamic start-ups in the area and develop innovative products that will be taken worldwide.

“It will help to attract new businesses and investment to Wakefield, as well as developing those we already have here. It’s an extremely exciting project for our district.”

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Located on the site of Production Park, Backstage Academy offers specialist courses and degrees, including live events production, and stage and production management.

The Backstage Innovation Hub, which will be built at Production Park, in South Kirkby, will feature specialist equipment designed to support the live events industry.The Backstage Innovation Hub, which will be built at Production Park, in South Kirkby, will feature specialist equipment designed to support the live events industry.
The Backstage Innovation Hub, which will be built at Production Park, in South Kirkby, will feature specialist equipment designed to support the live events industry.

Students are taught by industry professionals on the Production Park site, and have gone on to secure employment on the Jay Z world tour, the Winter Olympics, the Mumford & Sons tour, Leeds Festival and more.

Rachel Nicholson, Head of Backstage Academy, said: “The new research and innovation centre will be a catalyst for change; not just for the global live events industry, but also in providing support and regeneration opportunities for SMEs and start-ups within the local region.

“This facility is the natural next step for Backstage Academy as we continue to grow our innovative portfolio of specialist vocational training courses and look to develop our own research profile as an independent higher education provider.”

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The new 2,520 square metre building is expected to open in 2021 and will include large scale design and prototype spaces equipped for both physical and virtual environments, as well as multi-use meeting spaces and workshop space and design spaces.

The Backstage Innovation Project, which will begin next month, will also offer industry-specific support to businesses in specialisms such as music, TV, film, sports, theatre and more.

Whilst the centre is due to open in 2021, the business support programme will commence in June 2020.

For more information on the project, find out about the support available and keep up to date on the development, visit www.wakefieldfirst.com/innovation, or contact the project team on [email protected]