Look at the full picture... City of Film has given buzz to Bradford

PEG Alexander runs the world's first and only City of Film from an office with just two staff

But she insists Bradford City of Film has already achieved a great deal, despite what it might lack in funding.

As well as a film trail around the city, achievements – set out in last year’s strategy document – include supporting four film groups with screening facilities and licences, such as the Shipley Film Society and Saltaire Film Society.

It has also organised work placements with Leeds-based film company Talking Lens Productions and Bradford creative music and video production group Pocket Projects.

Other developments include summer screenings at six local events, such as the Ilkley Summer Festival and an eco-fair in Haworth, and sponsorship of a category at the Bradford Young Citizens Awards.

Director Ms Alexander said: “Although the challenge seemed quite big, it’s been a good thing to write a strategy in this changing financial situation.

“It’s not about money changing hands. A lot of our City of Film work is that people are using the tag to really help create a Bradford that buzzes on film, and to help achieve what they need to achieve.”

Edinburgh City of Literature, which was the first city in the Unesco Creative Cities Network, has two full-time staff and received 170,000 in the last year from a variety of grants and fundraising. Glasgow City of Music, the only other UK city in the network, also employs only two staff.

Bradford has been supportive of Sydney, which is bidding to become the next City of Film, with the hope that they can work together.

“We don’t want to be the world’s only City of Film,” Ms Alexander said. “We were really supportive of the Sydney bid and we’ve been having conversations about what we could do to create a link-up.”

Bradford Council said 96,463 of the 200,000 funding was spent in the first year, with 31,000 of that on staff costs and 65,000 on set-up and activity costs. 134,321 had been spent as of last month, with 30,000 sub-contracted to local community and voluntary organisations.

The contract with the council includes requirements for City of Film to give 16 people voluntary roles, put on 16 film workshops and develop a film literacy strategy.

Yorkshire Forward’s 15,000 and 14,000 from Welcome to Yorkshire went towards promotions such as banners and posters, the website, a launch event and consultancy on developing local film tourism.

Peter Myers, Welcome to Yorkshire’s area director for West Yorkshire, said: “It’s still early days, but we are pleased with how our financial support has been spent. The funding has been used to look at the viability of this project and draft a delivery plan, which is of benefit to everyone.

“Our job now is to continue to work with the City of Film to attract even more visitors to Bradford and bring more money into the city’s economy.”

The 30,000 from Screen Yorkshire is for the 48 Hour Film Challenge later this month, giving amateur film-makers the chance to produce short films from scratch.

Other events include Shooting Stars, a project showcasing young people’s cinematic talent, with workshops about working in the film industry.

“I think we’ve done a huge amount with the money that we’ve had,” Ms Alexander said. “I think we’ve made that money go a very long way and put it into lots of different areas.”

Doyun Lee, the Unesco Creative Cities Network co-ordinator, said Unesco would not withdraw the status of City of Film for Bradford if they were to struggle with funding.

“It hasn’t been that easy for Bradford as they are the only City of Film,” she added. “It draws more attention to them and there are expectations for them. It’s an interesting city for us because they are a good model case of urban renewal and regeneration.”

Comment: Page 14.