Duke Studios: the creative space set to give Leeds a right royal shake up

duke of deck chairs

In an unusual step we’ve cut and pasted the press release below. We’re based in the Munro House and can’t wait for the final bits and bobs to come together so that Duke can hurry up and be crammed with talented creative people.

If Leeds creatives think they have to travel as far as London to ‘make it’, then they haven’t met the Duke. Proving that you don’t have to go far to think big, this winter sees the launch of Duke Studios: the multidisciplinary creative space which looks set to give Yorkshire’s brightest minds all the thinking space they need.

In an ambitious urban regeneration project, the 7000sq ft. space in Munro House overlooking Leeds bus station which used to house Auto Trader’s offices is being transformed into an open plan, design-led haven for creative collaboration.

The project is based on co-working, a revolutionary concept that provides freelancers and companies with an exciting alternative to the isolated humdrum of working from home or the inconvenience of travelling to out-of-town studios. At Duke, creatives can focus on doing what they do best: creating. What’s more, in a co-working environment individuals are surrounded by a supportive network of innovative thinkers who provide each other with a constant stream of inspiration.

duke of wood chip

With incredible views over Leeds city centre, Duke Studios offers a co-working area, desk rental and studio spaces. For those looking to really impress their clients, the Not Bored Room provides creatives with opulent surroundings for pitch-winning meetings.

Multidisciplinary Space
But it’s not just an office. Duke Studios is a place where the two most incompatible of human elements – productivity and creativity – collide. This office-cum-studio boasts a mezze of facilities that will satisfy even the hungriest of artistic appetites, including vinyl and laser cutting, a photographic studio and a fully-equipped workshop.

From a business perspective, Duke Studios’ appeal is simple: the opportunity for networking is limitless. Co-workers will be able to gain work they never even knew existed, be that from passing work between each other within the studio or using their collective power to win contracts that couldn’t have been achieved single handed. Duke Studios will also act as an agency, actively seeking to find new business for the talent within its walls.

The tiered membership scheme means that people can choose the solution which is best for their budget, but even the most expensive studio rental package is cheaper than renting a small city office. Everyone has access to all the facilities, so by working at Duke Studios anyone can instantly expand their business with a whole array of new technology, meeting space and service areas which they may otherwise not be able to afford.

Interesting Minds Make for Ideas

The twenty something entrepreneurs at the heart of the project are boyfriend/girlfriend duo James Abbot-Donnelly and Laura Wellington. James is a well known photographer and co-owner of eventograpyUK.com, a local event and nightlife photography website; and Laura – a talented design graduate – is the current face of the Leeds Metropolitan Alumni, featuring on billboards across the city. Laura’s ‘Hula’ lighting design recently captured the imagination of the nation on BBC2’s Britain’s Next Big Thing (presented by Dragon’s Den’s Theo Paphitis ) landing her an international supply contract with the home and interiors retail giant Habitat.

Laura understands the struggle that young creatives face when trying to turn their passions into a viable business, and she believes that a huge part of the problem, particularly in smaller cities like Leeds, is the lack of a professional creative space.
“It’s massively important to have a space that inspires, encourages and supports the companies within to be able to grow and collaborate. I also think that as a city we need to create opportunities and aspirations for the university graduates. We need to encourage them to stay in the city as it’s vital to growing and expanding the creative economy within Leeds.”

The guys at Duke Studios don’t just stop at facilities and talent management either. They believe that a creative education is key to nurturing a creative community, and will be offering innovative courses ranging from photography, design, electronics and hands-on making. Given the duo’s design credentials and enthusiasm for the project, it seems that whatever the Duke offers, it guarantees to be nothing less than inspiring.

Duke Studios Offers:
 10 Studios Spaces
 8 Desk Rentals
 Co-Working for 30+
 Fully equipped workshop facilities
 Hireable Photography Studio
 Photography Services
 Design Studio
 Laser cutting service and hire
 Vinyl cutting service and hire
 Meeting Room
 Event Space