In 2022, Bradford was announed as City of Culture for 2025, an accolade which is expected to boost
the local economy and create 6,500 jobs across the district.
Now the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has pledged an extra £5m in funding which takes the amount of economic support for Bradford’s year to £15m. This extra boost will help the Bradford Culture Company deliver a programme of events and support a legacy of cultural regeneration.
Minister of state for creative industries, arts and tourism, Sir Chris Bryant said, “I cannot
wait to experience the spectacular programme of cultural delights next year
that will tell Bradford’s story to the world, showing off the district’s rich
cultural heritage and diverse artistic talent, from the Brontë sisters and
David Hockney to artist Deepa Mann-Kler’s interactive cookbook celebrating
Bradford’s best recipes.”
Of the estimated 1,000 events taking place across Bradford in
2025, highlights include:
- An opening event on 10 January 2025, curated by magician Steven
Frayne (formerly known as Dynamo), will kick off Bradford's year as City of Culture
- A year-long celebration of drawing supported
by David Hockney
- The annual Turner Prize being hosted at
Cartwright Hall
- The immersive Marshmallow Laser Feast
(experiential artist collective discovering our connection to the universe) at
the newly reopened National Science and Media Museum
There will also be a reimagining of the Jungle Book by the Akram
Khan company, a celebration of the sounds, stories and voices of the South
Asian creative underground - Dialled In, visual artworks on display in the
moorland that inspired Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights and a residency with
Opera North.
