One of the first organisations set to move in has already announced grants for disabled artists in Wakefield.

Wakefield Council's Corporate Director for Regeneration, Mark Lynam, speaking on The Regeneration Show on Rhubarb Radio said that the new hub will host up to four major events a year and bring 300,000 people into the city.

"Wakefield Exchange is one of those flagship projects which was outlined in the Wakefield City Centre Masterplan, which we are really excited about. We hope to support over a hundred local creative businesses through this building, through the creative industries workspace we hope to create. Bringing that additional footfall into the city will support the vibrant food and restaurant sector and the wider retail offer as well,” he said.

Renovation of Wakefield Exchange is due to begin in March and is expected to be completed in May 2024. In the hub, creative and digital businesses will have access to workspaces, to opportunity to programme exhibition spaces, and wider resources to develop their businesses.

One of the first tenants will be Nova Member, Unlimited, an organisation that commissions disabled artists which has relocated to Wakefield from London.

“Wakefield is a place with so much potential, it is on the cusp of really developing its cultural offer. There's going to be so much happening over the next five, six years in Wakefield and we really wanted to be a part of that,” said its director, Jo Verrent.

‍Find out about projects in your area, and sign up for your local regeneration newsletter to receive the latest updates straight to your inbox.