Something exciting is happening in Bradford District

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Young person looking in wonder at a live performance taking place out of picture. Image Credit ©Tim Smith

8 out of 10 people rated culture as important to them. Crowd cheering at concert at St Georges Hall. Image ©Nigel Hillier

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We are the fifth biggest local authority in England and, while we are proud of our many famous cultural attractions, we don’t have the range of cultural activity a place this size demands.

We have historically underperformed in attracting national investment and our existing arts, culture and heritage organisations lack the power to engage all our diverse communities. We are determined to use our resources to solve these problems and to work in partnership with national investors to level up the District.

94% said culture makes Bradford District a better place to live. Billy Pearce on stage in the Alhambra Theatre Pantomime. Image ©Nigel Hillier

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We are experiencing a cultural renaissance and facing the future with new-found confidence and hope.

Culture is important in everyone’s lives. It can make a sustainable contribution to the prosperity and happiness of everyone in the District and it is vital as we recover from COVID-19 and strive to level up with the rest of the UK.

88% said it improves their wellbeing. Two young women laughing and showing off a craft art work they have made. Image ©Tim Smith

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With the support of our national partners and the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, we have a huge opportunity to mobilise our creative communities to drive our recovery. We can become an incubator for creativity, a globally renowned place with a diverse cultural workforce brimming with innovative ideas. We can attract more artists and help people realise their creative visions.

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And we have a set of conditions that make us uniquely placed to succeed:

1. We’re the youngest place in Europe —  More than 30% of the District’s population are currently under the age of 20. Young entrepreneurial populations create the technologies, businesses and jobs of the future and stimulate wider economic

Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe. Image ©Bradford 2025

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Susan Hinchcliffe, leader of City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council and chair of the Bradford Cultural Place Partnership

‘I am delighted to see the fruition of Culture Is Our Plan, which has been made with the people of our District over a two-year period. The plan doesn’t pretend to have all the answers. But it offers a ten-year vision, ten ambitions and ten targets to help us on a journey of culture-led recovery and regeneration.

Every two years there will be a gathering of our growing cultural sector. It will be made up not only of artists, curators, designers, box-office assistants and conservators, but also of those key workers who are the bedrock of our communities – doctors, transport workers, hairdressers, factory workers; in fact anyone and everyone for whom culture is a part of life.

At these cultural events we will share our progress and reset our targets to create the next edition of the plan. We will reaffirm our collective belief in the power of creativity to benefit the lives of everyone in the District. So, pencil May 2023 in your diary.

Halfway along our journey we aim to become the UK City of Culture 2025. Winning this designation would put rocket fuel in our tank and accelerate our journey to a better future. But whether we win that accolade or not, Culture Is Our Plan will stand, and will be our guide to a better, more creative, inclusive and successful Bradford District for everyone.’

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

‘Now is exactly the moment, as we emerge from COVID-19, to unlock Bradford’s untapped creative potential’

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Group photograph of members of the Cultural Voice Forum, cheering and waving at the camera. Image ©Karol Wyszynski

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Alex Croft and Kirran Shah, Co-Chairs – Bradford Cultural Voice Forum

'Too many times, in too many places, cultural strategies have been developed for the creative sector, rather than with them, and we all know what that leads to – a plan that sits in a drawer, ignored or forgotten, until the next one comes along to take its place. Culture Is Our Plan feels different. Right from the start, the views, ideas, thoughts and dreams of Bradford District’s cultural sector have been at the heart of developing this plan. It’s a plan that’s packed with hope and big aspirations, and one that feels relevant.

To support the plan’s development, we held regular weekly consultations on specific aspects of the plan with Cultural Voice Forum members.

These meetings proved again and again how talented the workforce we already have in the District is, and what huge drive and passion there exists to help achieve the ambitious goals of Culture Is Our Plan. It feels like this plan will deliver real change – both to the lives of people throughout Bradford District and to the makeup of the cultural sector to ensure it’s truly representative of our diverse population. Time will tell, but we hope in ten years’ time it will mean access to the arts, culture and heritage is opened up to everyone in the District – be that as audience members, participants, or through increased opportunities to study creative subjects and enter into a career in the arts.'

‘Ultimately, it feels like all of us in Bradford can be proud to say – yes, this is OUR plan. Now let’s get started’

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