“Some people think Yorkshire’s all cobbled streets and whippets,” says musician Corinne Bailey Rae, who was born, educated, and lives in this vibrant region. “It’s so condescending when people ask me, ‘Why do you still live in Leeds?’ It’s a really exciting city to be part of.”
Forget “that London” – Yorkshire, known for its rolling dales, hearty puddings, and fine brews, is experiencing a cultural renaissance. Three Yorkshire acts made the Mercury music prize shortlist in September: Rae, Bradford’s Nia Archives, and Leeds-based English Teacher, the first non-London band to win it in a decade. Hull comedian Amy Gledhill and Huddersfield’s Joe Kent-Walters won awards for best comedy show and best newcomer at Edinburgh, respectively. Sheffield author Catherine Taylor recently won the TLS Ackerley Prize for her memoir, The Stirrings, about South Yorkshire. Tom Cruise has been filming in North Yorkshire, Shane Meadows in Calderdale, and York’s Britpop veterans Shed Seven celebrated their second No. 1 album this year.
“Is there something in the water?” chuckles Shanaz Gulzar, creative director at Bradford 2025 City of Culture. “Actually, there is. It flows down from the limestone cliffs, making it very fertile.” More seriously, Gulzar states that Yorkshire has long been a cultural hub, from the Brontës to Zayn Malik, nurtured by its innovative industrial heritage. “Our cities are edgy yet beautiful,” she explains. “The landscapes can give you a warm hug, but there’s a brutality to them. The weather changes on the moors is almost science-fiction, and there’s a diversity that goes beyond multiculturalism. Together, these aspects mean creativity and imagination are in our DNA.”
This sentiment is echoed by award-winning playwright Chris Bush, creator of the South Yorkshire-themed play Standing at the Sky’s Edge, featuring a Richard Hawley soundtrack. “The interaction between big cities like Sheffield and Leeds with historic places like York and charming towns like Harrogate is the magical fertilizer for Yorkshire culture.”
This cultural boom is not sudden; it’s the result of long-term investment, strong relationships, and solid infrastructure. “There’s an ecology that starts with music education in schools and includes dedicated civic heads and community leaders,” says Pete Massey, northern director of the arts council, noting the importance mayors Tracy Brabin of West Yorkshire and Oliver Coppard of South Yorkshire place on culture as an economic driver.
“We’ve increased our funding into Yorkshire by £14.3 million this year,” Massey shares, also highlighting successful events like the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival, which showcases talent comparable to that in Paris or New York. Bailey Rae attributes much of her success to the arts investment at her school, which has faced significant cuts nationally. “I grew up in a working-class family,” she recalls, “but I learned to play the violin, joined a choir, and eventually led an orchestra, all for free, which boosted my confidence immensely.”
Black Rainbows, her Mercury-nominated fourth album, was inspired by a black history exhibition in Chicago, but her musical roots were formed in the Leeds band Helen and during nights spent at the city’s Brighton Beach club, dancing to Britpop, funk, and soul. “When I went to university, there was a real bohemian scene,” she remembers. “All these northern jazz kids were sharing houses or driving rundown cars.”
For James Smith, of the 2022 Mercury-nominated band Yard Act, the current creative momentum in West Yorkshire comes from a nurturing DIY scene. “There’s a network of rehearsal spaces and small venues, allowing bands to frequently perform and grow.”
English Teacher formed at Leeds Conservatoire, which has also produced Mercury winner Badly Drawn Boy, playing early shows at the nearby Hyde Park Book Club. “There’s a collegiality to the Leeds music scene,” says co-founder Jack Simpson. “A lot of us have known each other for over 20 years. There may be some frictions, but generally, everyone’s on the same team, something I haven’t seen in other cities. So when a band like English Teacher starts drawing 300 people, we know they’re ready for the Brudenell.”
Artists can often remain under the radar for a while, as Bush notes, “Yorkshire doesn’t shout about itself. There’s a sort of Yorkshire reserve.” However, Smith believes this can be advantageous. “We have room and venues to experiment – or fail. I spent a lot of time playing in half-full rooms with friends, but that’s how you improve.”
Gulzar, a Keighley-born visual artist and city of culture director, was the first in her family to attend university, studying fine art at Leeds Met, where Soft Cell met in 1978. “Yorkshire is tenacious and resourceful because it has to be,” she explains. “The Brontës used male pseudonyms to get published, and David Hockney transported his art materials in a pram.”
Bradford poet and playwright Kirsty Taylor staged her first musical in a former frozen food shop after struggling to find a theatre. “We converted it into a pawnbroker’s, and people kept coming in to sell things!” she laughs. Like Gulzar, she was the first in her family to attend higher education and found her voice in poetry later in life. “When I returned home from university, I gained a new perspective on Bradford, and it just flowed out of me.”
“Success demands determination,” says Bush, who balanced playwriting with low-paying jobs for years. “In London, I wouldn’t have survived due to the costs.” She studied at York University and made her name with the premiere of TONY! The Blair Musical at York’s Theatre Royal, which coincided with the prime minister stepping down, leading to overwhelming publicity. However, the recognition didn’t translate to immediate work, and it took years before she could quit her day job.
Bush notes that the hyper-local themes of her plays translate well nationally. The rise of bands like Pulp and Arctic Monkeys demonstrated that success isn’t confined to London. Although she reluctantly moved for her partner’s job and the abundance of theater opportunities, she frequently returns to Sheffield, stating, “Regional theatre is as good as anything in London.”
EMI and Channel 4 have recently opened offices in Leeds, and Production Park, near Wakefield, serves as a secretive space where international artists prepare for world tours. “They’ve hosted Glastonbury headliners and more,” shares Massey, adding humorously about Lady Gaga’s visit to a chip shop. Meanwhile, Hull aims to become a UNESCO City of Music, with a new performing arts school opening in Bradford.
Ultimately, it’s clear that Yorkshire is a fantastic place to live and work. “There’s a humble nature to Yorkshire life,” reflects James Smith of Yard Act. “It’s very different, very defined, and unique.” Having moved from Lancashire for his studies, he declares, “I consider myself a Yorkshireman now.”
