Cultural Industries Quarter, Sheffield

Sheffield’s CIQ was one of the UK’s first serious developments planned to implement strategies and policies designed to support the growth of the cultural industries sector.  Adopting a very run down area close to the city centre and clustering around existing organisations such as the Leadmill venue and Yorkshire Artspace, development started in the mid 80’s with the opening of Red Tape Studios and the Audio Visual Enterprise Centre, which attracted the Untitled Gallery, Sheffield Independent Film, the Human League, Comsat Angels and Fon Studios into new, bespoke accommodation.  This was followed by 70,000 sq.ft of managed workspace for the cultural/media sector in the Workstation, and an adjoining Independent Cinema and Media Centre, the Showroom – still one of the biggest and most successful creative industry building complexes in the country.  ci:p founder Matthew Conduit was at the forefront of the development of the cultural industries in Sheffield from the early 1980’s to 2000 (see Profile).