Boost for Leeds music and creative scene as higher education provider invests in major new campus

Higher education provider AD Education UK is moving into the Electric Press building in Leeds city centre.

ADE UK is opening its 17,000 sq ft Leeds Campus at Switch, a ‘dynamic’ new office space within the Electric Press.

The 15-year lease deal was brokered by the Leeds office of global property consultancy Knight Frank.

Switch is now the home of creative media and music education in Leeds.

Eamon Fox, partner and head of development at Knight Frank, said: “Leeds has long had a reputation as one of the UK’s most innovative cities and a vibrant hub of Northern creativity. On top of being renowned for its vibrant music scene, the city’s tech sector is growing at a rate more than double the national average, meaning areas such as gaming, film, animation and digital marketing – all of which are closely affiliated with the music industry –
are booming.

“Switch is the perfect base for the institute, its contemporary design matching the institute’s cutting-edge culture and ethos.

“Part of the Civic Quarter’s iconic Electric Press building, ADE UK’s Leeds Campus is a symbol of the city’s continuous reinvention and dedication to creativity. Blending historic charm with modern facilities, the industrial building has been repurposed as a creative and cultural hub and is shared by many artistic organisations.”

He added: “More generally, this letting is another excellent example of the influential role that educational establishments are now playing in Leeds city centre. Over the past two years, Leeds Trinity University has opened a new campus at Trevelyan Square in Boar Lane and the Mathematics School of Excellence has moved into a bespoke space in Albion Street. This adds to the vibrancy of the city and to increased graduate retention.”

Steffan Davies, Chief Executive of AD Education UK, which includes SAE Institute and ICMP, said: “We are excited to be expanding and solidifying our presence in the North of England and can’t wait to welcome eager artists and creatives to our open day, giving them a feel for our values and offering as a higher education provider.

“Many of our graduates have gone on to become household names including Fraser T Smith, Clean Bandit and The Vaccines. Our alumni have also made their mark behind the scenes, designing cutting-edge tech for the Rolling Stones and shaping industries by winning Oscars and receiving BAFTA nominations in film, TV, Content Creation and gaming. This new chapter in Leeds gives us an exciting opportunity to develop the next generation of talent in
one of the UK’s most vibrant cities. We can’t wait to see this come to life and welcome our first cohort of students this year.”

Leeds is already home to a host of legendary artists and bands from Kaiser Chiefs, alt-J, synth-pop duo Soft Cell, superstar Spice Girl Mel B, to Chumbawamba.