The SAE Institute (SAE) and The Institute of Contemporary Music Performance (ICMP) are set to make their mark in Yorkshire for the first time with a major multi-million pound investment into a new collaborative campus in Leeds, helping support the next generation of creative talent in the region.

The brand-new SAE and ICMP campus will be located in The Switch building with 17,000sqft within the historic Electric Press development. Combining SAE’s cutting-edge creative media courses with ICMP’s expertise in music, the higher education offerings provide a comprehensive range of hands-on, industry-focused degree programmes.

The Institutes will launch their presence in the city with a series of open days, the next of which will take place at the iconic Headrow House on 18th January 2025, with more dates to roll out throughout the coming year.

The SAE Institute, which was founded in 1976, provides a range of hands-on creative media programmes from audio production to film production, content creation and game design. It boasts more than 12,500 students across 47 campuses globally.

Established in 1986, ICMP is one of the UK’s leading contemporary music schools and has been at the forefront of contemporary music education for more than 35 years. Its reputation for excellence and innovation has seen thousands of graduates forge successful careers in music and creative industries.

Some of the most popular courses across the two institutions include audio and music production and mixing, songwriting, artist development as well as film, game art animation, game design, visual effects and animation and live event management.

SAE industry giants include Grammy Award winners Rob Kinelski: Multi-Grammy mixer for Billie Eilish, Beyoncé, Drake, Tracy Young: First female Grammy winner for Best Remixed Recording and AyoJuan Peña: Grammy-winning engineer (DJ Khaled, Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar).

The open days are designed to provide students and parents with valuable insights into what life will be like on campus. Attendees will have the opportunity to interact with specialist tutors, all of whom are practising industry professionals. Visitors can also explore the innovative curriculum, designed to meet current industry demands and prepare students for real-world challenges and future careers in technical creative fields and contemporary music. SAE and ICMP set the standard for excellence in creative education, ensuring that students are fully equipped for successful careers in their chosen fields.

Steffan Davies, Chief Executive of AD Education UK, which includes SAE Institute and ICMP, said:
“We are excited to be expanding and making our mark on 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 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 next year.”


ICMP’s Northern expansion will also see the Provider open an expanded new campus in Liverpool, where SAE has had a presence for over 20 years.