BRADFORD 2025: The Beacon pops-up to transform park into creative playground
The Beacon, a towering, glass-fronted rectangular building, merging retro-futuristic aesthetics with cutting-edge modular construction, may have the eye-catching look and feel of a new iconic, permanent structure. But it is a temporary pop-up space that will move on after just one month.
It will be dismantled and rebuilt as it tours local parks, taking art and culture into communities as part of Bradford 2025 UK City Of Culture.
The Beacon has opened in Wibsey Park with a packed line-up of free and pay-for events until May 5, before it moves to Bowling, Keighley and Manningham, to engage communities and spark imagination during Bradford’s year-long celebrations.
Standout events at Wibsey include BBC Introducing, the music discovery platform, showcasing an open mic night of live music. There’s An Evening with Jacqui Dankworth, daughter of the late great jazz duo Dame Cleo Laine and Sir Johnny Dankworth, a CBeebies Bedtime Stories Day, with George Webster and Evie Pickerill, community events and much more.
GET TICKETS: For a full list of events, see below, with more details and tickets at bradford2025.co.uk/programme/the-beacon.
Meanwhile, The Great Adventure Build, running in the park next to The Beacon until April 9, offers children a chance to build their own playground with tools like hammers, saws and a truckload of wood. Guided by UK’s masters of constructive play, the Woodland Tribe, youngsters have the opportunity to design and construct a space they can play in, turning their ideas into reality.
After Wibsey, The Beacon will pop up at Bowling Park from May 22 to June 22, then Cliffe Castle Park, July 10 to August 10, and Lister Park August 28 to September 28, with a programme in each location to be announced soon.
The initiatives reflect Bradford 2025’s goal to bring art, creativity, and culture into communities, with Wibsey Park serving as a prime example of how culture can enrich the lives of residents and visitors alike, explains Shanaz Gulzar, Creative Director of Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture.
She told us: "We are the first UK City Of Culture that is a city and district. So it's incredibly important that our events not only invite people, our audiences and residents, to come to where we are, but that we also come to our residents themselves, where they are.
"The Beacon is so called because it’s a beacon for culture, creativity and imagination, bringing brilliant events, gigs, shows and more.
"It's a temporary pop-up space, but it takes about a week to two for it to be popped-up. This is what great technology and great engineering does. We're able to create a venue that looks almost permanent, but is actually movable. You can travel with it, and you can take it to other spaces. It's going to be here for four weeks, and then it's traveling to our other parks.
"We have a brilliant programme and hope communities will feel like this has delivered something amazing. We are also hosting events in our community centres and other cultural centres across the city and district. This is about creating great, lasting memories that could only happen as a result of being a UK City of Culture.
"We've also got the brilliant Woodland Tribe here at Wibsey Park, working with primary school children who are literally sawing, nailing and designing their own adventure playground with skills they might not have had the opportunity to learn in school. That's what being a UK City of Culture can do. These opportunities can be creative. It's science, technology, engineering, arts and maths. So we are absolutely steam powered here at 2025
She added: "I think Bradford 2025 is the greatest thing that has happened to Bradford. And I think all communities, hopefully will feel that.”
Kerry Campbell, a producer for Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture, told how The Great Adventure Build is part of Bradford 2025’s PLAY programme, which aims to ignite the imagination of young people, encouraging people of all ages to celebrate creativity and the joy of playing.
Earlier this year, Damart Mill was transformed into an immersive wonderland called GRUE, which was the first event in the year-long PLAY programme, with more projects to follow throughout the year. The Great Adventure Build will return to Bradford in August at Ladyhill Park in Allerton.
Kerry said: "It's being led by Woodland Tribe, who are adventure play specialists. We're engaging local schools, community groups and the general public.It's completely free, and children have access to tools, resources and the training.
"This is a really important part of our PLAY program. We are really passionate about the role that play has in children's creativity and helping them reach their potential. Here local children have access to tools and resources to build the adventure playground of their dreams.
"Play has an intrinsic relationship to creativity. We know that play is universal, and that a lot of the families in the district really engage with this form of culture. we're building on that rich heritage to bring more extraordinary opportunities to play across the district this year."
Listings for The Beacon and other events in Wibsey Park:
The Great Adventure Build with Woodland Tribe 3 – 9 April 2025 Wibsey Park. Free. Age 4+.
Eliza Carthy, 5 April 2025, 7.30pm, The Beacon at Wibsey Park. £20, Seniors: £17, Youth Pass: £5.
Eliza Carthy’s music effortlessly crosses boundaries of genre and style. Whether performing a centuries-old ballad or a self-written song, her powerful voice, fiercely beautiful fiddle playing and mesmerising performances have influenced countless young musicians. Twice nominated for the Mercury Prize and winner of innumerable other accolades, this ‘modern English musician’ is one of the most impressive, engaging and important performers of her generation.
Let’s Make, 5 April & 5 May 2025, 10am–3pm, The Beacon at Wibsey Park. Free. All ages.
Bradford-based artist Lou Sumray invites you to join her in Wibsey Park to create a gigantic new artwork inspired by Bradford’s open spaces. We’ll be installing a huge blank canvas outside The Beacon, Bradford 2025’s touring venue, and we’d like you to fill it with art. Drawings, doodles, sketches, paintings – anything goes at this family-friendly drop-in. Everyone’s welcome, admission is free (no need to book), and we’ll provide all the pens, paints and materials you need to make your mark. Lou will be running more art-making sessions later in 2025, when The Beacon makes its stops in Bowling Park, Cliffe Castle Park and Lister Park – and at the end of the year, the works created by you in all four parks will be combined into one enormous artwork.
Claytime, 6 April 2025, 11.30am & 2pm, The Beacon at Wibsey Park, £5, under 16s free. Age 3+.
Claytime is a play made from two things: clay and children’s imaginations. Award-winning theatre company Indefinite Articles invite children to help them make up a new play on the spot – you dream up a story, they’ll create it with clay. Each Claytime is totally unique, creating its own world, its own characters and its own stories inspired by its young audience. So join Indefinite Articles and help to make a new world of fabulous forms, amazing animals and morphing monsters.
Palette(s), 7-9 April, various times. The Beacon at Wibsey Park, £5, under 16s free. All ages.
The humble pallet is the centrepiece of this unique show from Swiss performers Cédric Gagneur and Marc Oosterhoff, which blends dance, theatre and contemporary circus to hypnotic effect. Palette(s) is an ode to balance, and to falling. It’s a show about trying, failing, trying again and succeeding. And it’s a homage to things we all take for granted – like a simple wooden pallet, an object we all usually ignore but that here is the star of the show. Beautiful, mesmerising and suitable for audiences of all ages, Palette(s) shows how even the most mundane items can be used to make magic. You won’t have seen anything quite like it.
Roshni, 10 April 2025, 7.30pm, The Beacon at Wibsey Park. Age 3+.
Roshni is a beautiful blend of South Asian dance and music, inspired by the stories and experiences of everyday people. Created by Sonia Sabri Company, The UK’s leading South Asian dance and music company, this feel good show is the perfect introduction for newcomers to the Kathak classical dance tradition – and offers something quite different for fans of this radiant artform. Roshni – a Persian word meaning ‘light’ or ‘brilliance’ – is a trilogy of three short dance pieces performed with live music: The Call, The Light and The Wave. Separately, each piece explores the highs and lows of life today. Together, they form an emotional journey that brings us hope for the future. And your journey will be unique: improvisation is a central part of Kathak dance, which means no two performances are ever the same.
The Big Beacon Family Welcome, 11 Apr 2025, 1pm - 6pm, The Beacon at Wibsey Park. Free. All ages.
We’re welcoming children, young people, their parents and carers to Wibsey Park for an afternoon of family-friendly workshops, activities and performances during the school holidays. Including a Climbing Wall provided by Creative International Adventures, United Art Project will be helping set your inner artist free in a creative workshop, Bradford libraries will be providing craft activities for families as well as facepainting and outdoor games.
LOUD & PROUD Dhol Drumming, 12 Apr 2025, 11am, The Beacon at Wibsey Park. Free. All ages.
Make some noise! Punjabi Roots are bringing their dhol drums to The Beacon in Wibsey Park, and everyone’s invited to come and have a bash. The two-headed dhol drum is a true icon of South Asian music, absolutely central to the unmistakeable sound of bhangra. Punjabi Roots are Bradford’s masters of bhangra beats, and they’ll be passing on their knowledge at this free workshop in Wibsey. Discover the history of this classic instrument, explore how it’s used in music today, learn how to play it properly – then pick up a pair of sticks and get drumming.
Curious Investigators, 13 April 2025, 11am & 2pm, The Beacon at Wibsey Park, £5. Under 16s free. Age 3+.
Scribble and Clipboard have a job to do: sort the recycling. But Scribble keeps finding new things to investigate. When she discovers a mysterious egg hidden in the rubbish, the pair needs the audience’s help to rescue an unborn chick. Can we save a mysterious egg from a smashing? And what will we discover along the way? Curious Investigators is a cracking new adventure from the award-winning One Tenth Human, who make brain-stretching shows with extraordinary artists, scientists and kids. Created in collaboration with engineering experts from Lancaster University, don’t miss this delightful, surprising and egg-citing adventure for children aged 3–7.
CBeebies Bedtime Stories Day, 15 & 16 April 2025, The Beacon at Wibsey Park. Free.
George Webster and Evie Pickerill are leaving the CBeebies House for just one day – and they’re coming to The Beacon in Wibsey Park as part of Bradford 2025 to tell us all some stories. Babies, toddlers, parents and carers are all welcome, whether it’s your bedtime or not! Simply cuddle up and tune in…
Hall Royd Band, 12 Apr 2025, 4.30pm, The Beacon at Wibsey Park. Free. All ages.
Bradford 2025’s weekend-long celebration of brass music heads to Wibsey Park for a special concert by one of the region’s oldest community bands. Hall Royd Band was founded at Hall Royd Methodist Church in Shipley in 1945 – exactly 80 years ago. The church may have changed (it’s now Northcliffe Church) but the band is still going strong, playing music from across the ages at regular concerts around the district.
It's Your Round,17 April 2025, 7.30pm. The Beacon at Wibsey Park. £5. Age 18+.
It’s quiz night down The Beacon! Join quizmistress and pub landlady Pat Pinch for a fast-moving pub quiz with a cabaret twist, featuring live music, audience participation, prizes and, of course, a few drinks… Pat’ll ask: how local are you? So down with the town that you can taste it? Test yourself with the Jumping Juke Box, tackle movie and music rounds with a difference, flex your general knowledge – and get ready for the obligatory bonus round. Whether you’re a liver-bashing barfly or a strict abstainer, a quiz mastermind or an absolute beginner, don’t miss a pub quiz like no other.
POP, 19 April 2025, 12pm & 2pm, The Beacon at Wibsey Park. Free. Age 3+.
Pop! is inspired by what Bradford-born dancer–choreographer Vince Virr calls ‘my vivid memories of adolescence, from my voice surprisingly breaking mid-word to the relentless growth of hair in new places’. This colourful all-ages dance show focuses on the moment when our bodies burst with hormonal euphoria – unknown feelings, unseen challenges, unexpected sensations. But it’s also a show about friendship, and about understanding that this individual journey is something we can share together.
An Evening with: Jacqui Dankworth, 19 April 2025, 7.30pm, The Beacon at Wibsey Park. £15, Seniors: £12, Youth Pass: £5. Age 14+.
Jacqui Dankworth is one of the country’s leading vocalists. A member of the Dankworth jazz dynasty (daughter of Dame Cleo Laine and Sir John Dankworth, brother of bassist Alec), her music shows her mastery not just of jazz but also soul, folk and the blues, as well as her acute sensibility as a songwriter and lyricist – and we’re thrilled to welcome her to Bradford. ‘Windmills’, her latest album, sees Jacqui interpret classics such as ‘Windmills of Your Mind’, ‘Send in the Clowns’ and ‘Some Other Time’. We’ll hear some of them at this intimate one-off concert at the Beacon, Bradford 2025’s pop-up venue, alongside other songs that Jacqui has made her own during her storied career.
Easter Party in the Park, 20 Apr 2025, 6pm, The Beacon at Wibsey Park. Free. Ages 13 - 17.
Prep your sunnies, dust off your bucket hat and tighten your belt-bag: Teen Scene are coming to The Beacon in Wibsey Park for an Easter Sunday special. Easter Party in the Park features live music, DJs, a neon make-up artist, a glitter booth, LED accessories, a 360º photobooth and much more – including some can’t-miss Easter giveaways. It’s all run by Teen Scene, the region’s leading producer of parties for young people. And it’s all free.
Say It As It Is, 22 April 2025, 7.30pm, The Beacon at Wibsey Park. On sale soon. Aimed at 14+.
Speak up and listen in – Kirsty Taylor hosts a special open mic night for Bradford 2025. Say It As It Is is a night for bold voices, open hearts and truth-telling. A space to speak, listen and connect. Whether you’re a poet, a storyteller, a rapper or a musician, this is your chance to share something raw, real or brand new. No fancy stages and no big egos – just voices, words and proper Bradford flavours. A night for bold voices, open hearts and truth telling. Step up, speak out, and connect through words, community and the power of shared stories. The mic is open. Come to perform. Come to listen. Come to be part of something.
BBC Introducing at The Beacon, 25 Apr 2025, 8pm, The Beacon at Wibsey Park. £3. 18+.
Whatever your experience and whatever your genre, you’ll have the chance to sign up on the night and showcase your skills and talent. Outstanding acts on the night could potentially hear their performances broadcast on BBC Introducing in Leeds and Sheffield, alongside some of the best up-and-coming talent from West and South Yorkshire. The night will also feature up-close-and-personal performances from musicians championed by BBC Introducing.
Share Your Story: On Board at The Beacon, 26 Apr 2025. The Beacon at Wibsey Park. Free. Ages 5-11.
We’re teaming up with our friends at the National Literacy Trust in Bradford to bring the magic of storytelling to Wibsey Park. Join us on board the Bradford Stories Bus, a classic American school bus transformed into an inspiring space for reading, writing and storytelling. On Board at The Beacon features a full day of story workshops and activities for children aged 5–11. Could you be a poet – or would you rather be a rapper? Would you like to write a novel – or are you hoping to create your own comic book? Whatever your tastes, we’ve got your ticket into a world of stories. Simply come along and share your story.
West Yorkshire Young Poet Laureates – Open Mic, 26 Apr 2025, 1.30pm, The Beacon at Wibsey Park. Free. All ages.
Bradford poet Sharena Lee Satti is your host at The Beacon for a celebration of the written and spoken word – featuring some of the best young voices in Yorkshire. Poetry Afternoon at The Beacon will feature performances from the two newly crowned West Yorkshire Young Poet Laureates: Max, a year 4 pupil from Pontefract, and Ayeshah, a year 9 pupil from Calderdale. They’ll be joined by more brilliant young poets who made the shortlist for this year’s competition, plus other young voices from the district and some of Bradford’s finest professional poets.
A Night at the Musicals, 26 Apr 2025, 7.30pm, The Beacon at Wibsey Park, £6. All ages.
Catch tomorrow’s stars today at this one-off show, a celebration of stage and film musicals performed by young people from across Bradford. There’ll be singing, dancing and live music – and plenty of songs you’ll recognise from stage and screen. The performers are all associated with Youthology, a Bradford-based non-profit organisation that works with young people across the district to help them find and realise their personal goals. So why head to the West End when you could join us in Wibsey?
Sticky Dance, 27 April 2025, 11am, The Beacon at Wibsey Park, £5, Under 16s free. Age 3-5.
Three dancers shimmy through the audience, weaving a tapestry of sticky tape. We’re invited to tape, stick and groove, to see and feel sound – or just to be still, watch and listen. Explore the space however you like! Second Hand Dance produce joyful, inspirational performances and digital dance films for children and adults, collaborating with dancers, filmmakers, animators, musicians and audiences in a co-creation process.
Lay Down Your Burdens, 29-30 April 2025, 7pm, The Beacon at Wibsey Park, £10, Youth Pass: £5, Seniors: £17. Ages 16+.
Explore the beauty of humanity and community in Rhiannon Faith’s powerful dance theatre show, nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Dance at last year’s Olivier Awards. Step into an evening at the local pub. Every night, it’s the same landlady, the same regulars, the same shots – until suddenly, a stranger gets blown in from the cold. This joyous, funny and radically tender show draws together the isolated, the estranged and all those who never even dreamed they were connected. With extraordinary physical performance, brave testimonials, live music and riotous pub games, we’re invited to join in the fun and revelry, as much or as little as we’d like.
Peace Picnic: Wibsey, 4 May 2025, 11am - 2pm, The Beacon at Wibsey Park. Free. All ages.
Come together at The Beacon to celebrate peace at this special free community picnic hosted by the Peace Museum, the only museum of its type in the UK. Bring some lunch, dress for the weather and join us in Wibsey Park as we picnic for peace. The Peace Picnic is inspired by the famous protests against nuclear weapons at RAF Greenham Common in the 1980s, a landmark moment in the history of peace and protest in this country. Rain or shine, there’ll be plenty to see and do. Explore historic protest banners and posters from the museum’s collection, make your own badges and banners, take part in family-friendly activities and creative workshops – and help to decorate the event space with messages of peace.
Les Enfants Terribles - A Gameshow for Awful Children, 4 May 2025, 2pm, The Beacon at Wibsey Park. £5, Under 16s free. Ages 6-12.
Marcel Lucont, the UK’s favourite French comedian, channels his razor-sharp humour and quickfire wit into a crazy family game show, pitting kids against adults – and each other! – to try and find Bradford’s most awful child. A five-star hit at the Edinburgh Fringe and winner of the Best Kids Show Award at the UK Kids Comedy Festival, Les Enfants Terribles invites children to tackle a series of tricky tasks that are just as entertaining for adults as children. Watch in wonder as your kids get to try being politicians, pests and pétomanes to win this badge of dishonour…
Marcel Lucont's Whine List, 4 May 2025, 7.30pm, The Beacon at Wibsey Park. £5 Age 18+.
Marcel Lucont, the multi-award-deserving deadpan French comedian, serves up a unique Whine List of your past gripes, moans and misdemeanours – while also dishing out some of his premier erotic poetry. Arrive early to write down some of your worst experiences, then watch as misery-guts Marcel makes comedy from your tragedy live on stage at The Beacon. Expect louche musings, dry wit and Gallic superiority. Red or white?
Bradford Belles, 5 May 2025, 12pm & 2pm, The Beacon at Wibsey Park. Free.
Bradford Belles are an absolutely fabulous collective of older women – both professional artists and community performers – who use humour, creativity and play to challenge stereotypes around age in society. They’re an inspirational mainstay of community events in Bradford, and we’re thrilled they’re coming to The Beacon. The Belles will be bringing their new walkabout act to Wibsey Park, followed by a show incorporating dance, clowning, comedy and much more… including some of the Belles’ trademark surprises. Come and say hi to one of our favourite only-in-Bradford groups.
READ MORE:
LISTEN: Check out Shanaz Gulzar’s exclusive Big Interview podcast chat about Bradford City Of Culture with Graham Walker below or - CLICK HERE.
For more information about the events for Bradford 2025 and to buy tickets visit: https://bradford2025.co.uk/whats-on/