How £3.5m of funding is helping Bradford build on City of Culture success
Putting a price on heritage might be a difficult task. And in a city with as much history as Bradford it could be nigh on impossible.
But £3.5m is a good start, say campaigners who are happy at funding to build on the success of the city’s 2025 UK City of Culture.
It’s thanks to a number of national organisations.
Arts Council England through the National Lottery Project Grant: Place Partnership fund, Department for Culture, Media and Sport, The National Lottery Heritage Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund have all committed continued investment into Bradford’s cultural sector to create more opportunities for local people.
Totalling more than £3.5m this funding will support cultural events for children and families to run throughout the summer across the district as well as the return of the city-centre outdoor arts event Bradford Festival and pop-up community venue The Beacon.
Funding will support Saltaire's Peace Museum and see National and international artists produce and present work in the city.
Bradford creatives will also be commissioned to develop new projects and, through the continuation of the Our Patch programme, community organisations throughout the District will have improved access to heritage and culture.
This funding will also help cultivate the leaders of the future through the continuation of Bradford Culture Company’s Youth Panel to empower young people and grow their skills in governance and leadership, and Bradford Made’s free place-based cultural learning resources will be embedded into schools and other learning environments.
DCMS investment has been directed towards vital works at The Peace Museum as well as new city centre venue Loading Bay.
Bradford 2025 was a year-long celebration of Bradford city and district, which laid the foundations for long-term transformation through its cultural programme, training opportunities, education initiatives, artist-development and capital investments.
Events took place in its city, towns, villages and greenspaces, with early estimates showing that more than three million people attended 5,000-plus Bradford 2025 events, with audiences coming from all 30 wards of the district, across the UK and around the world.
Coun Susan Hinchcliffe, Leader of Bradford Council said: "The success of 2025 has obviously given them confidence to invest and means we can look forward to more quality cultural events and activities all across the district into 2026 and beyond, showcasing the district at its best.”
Dan Bates, Executive Director of Bradford Culture Company, said: “Through this investment we can build on the momentum and impact of last year to create more opportunities for people in the district and further shape its future.”
Pete Massey, Director, Yorkshire and the Humber, Arts Council England, said: “I look forward to seeing how this funding will support communities from across Bradford to continue to build creative careers in the place they call home and to keep telling their stories through arts and culture.
"None of this would be possible without the investment from National Lottery players - thanks to them.”
Phil Chamberlain, England Director at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “We’re delighted to invest a further £200,000 to our existing £2.5 million of funding, supporting Bradford 2025 to extend its Our Patch programme.