The Team
Our team are here to deliver Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture for audiences across the nation.
From creating our shows and events, to reaching out to local communities, Bradford 2025 is bringing culture to every corner of our beautiful district.
About our team
56% of the team live across Bradford District and we are proud to be delivering an exciting, diverse programme of events, exhibitions and activities to the people who call Bradford home. We also work with many local freelancers, including photographers, producers, artists, performers, filmmakers, production managers and so many more creatives, who are helping us to achieve our plans in 2025! 20% of our team are in training undertaking level 3 and level 4 qualifications.
Leadership
Our Leadership team are Dan Bates, Executive Director and Shanaz Gulzar, Creative Director, who are working closely with our Board of Trustees. Dan Bates leads our business plan following 13 years as the Chief Executive of Sheffield Theatres and was ranked #16 in The Stage 100 list of most influential people in theatre. Shanaz Gulzar is an acclaimed artist, producer and presenter from Keighley, Bradford, whose career spans from film and visual arts to public art, theatre and media. She is responsible for creating the programme that will showcase the unique heritage and character of Bradford District.
They are supported by the Executive Support team.
Audiences
Our Audiences team consists of five areas: digital, press, marketing, ticketing and visitor experience. Their focus is to ensure that everyone knows who we are, what events we are organising and how they can get involved with Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture. They manage our social media and website as well as working with journalists, broadcasters and freelancers to produce content that tells stories about our district and the artists we’re working with.
Ticketing ensures the process in purchasing tickets is smooth, easy and fast via our website and at our Tickets & Info Hub. Visitor Experience ensures that the customer experience at each event is as excellent as the event itself! We have employed 10 Networkers, who attend events and activities within each constituency, ensuring that we reach every corner of Bradford District.
Audiences are also responsible for the evolving brand and visual identity of Bradford 2025 and sharing great stories about the work we do – online and in person. Contact us at [email protected].
Creative Engagement and Participation
Our Creative Engagement Team are responsible for maximising the creative opportunities for everyone to take part in the programme and move beyond a traditional audience relationship. This includes communities or schools taking part in events and activities that improve or celebrate existing skills or give people the chance to try something new!
Their aim is for more people to see culture as something that is part of them creating safe and creative spaces during Bradford 2025. The Our Patch team including the Our Patch Producers sit within this team, ensuring there is opportunity to take part across the District. Contact us at [email protected].
Development
Our Development team are responsible for raising the funds to deliver Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture. People give to people, so we’re managing relationships to cultivate, engage and steward our supporters throughout their journey with us. This includes statutory support from organisations such as Arts Council England, Bradford Metropolitan District Council, Department for Culture, Media and Sport and National Lottery Heritage Fund and private giving from charitable trusts and foundations, or sponsorship from our corporate partners in either cash or in-kind form (for services). They keep our funders up to date, including financial and impact reporting, with the goal of encouraging grant makers, sponsors and individuals to develop cultural-giving habits in Bradford beyond 2025.
If you’d like to find out more about how you can support Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture, contact us at [email protected].
Evaluation
The Evaluation team is responsible for ensuring that data is collected from a wide range of sources to provide evidence of the activities, outcomes and impacts of Bradford 2025 UK City Culture. Evaluation activities include collecting and analysing data on audience and participant experiences, cultural and creative engagement across the district, creative sector jobs and skills, volunteering, tourism, visitors and local pride.
The Evaluation team work closely with our Strategic Partner, the University of Bradford, as well as University of Leeds, Bradford Metropolitan District Council, Bradford Institute for Health Research and many other evaluation and research partners. The team is keen to work collaboratively to leave a legacy of improved cultural data, insight and shared learning in Bradford.
Please read our Evaluation Strategy to find out more about our principles and approach, our story of change, indicators of progress, methods, timeframe and resources. Contact us at [email protected].
Freelancers
Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture is dedicated to helping creative people of Bradford thrive, employing local freelancers to work with us across our programme in various roles. This includes artists and performers helping us deliver events and activities, backstage roles from production and event managers to sound and lighting engineers and runners, working within our brand guidelines to create beautiful designs, managing our social channels, helping us reach Bradford District’s communities and so much more!
If you would like to join our freelancer database, sign up here or contact [email protected].
Finance & Procurement
Our Finance team are responsible for ensuring that the budget for Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture is well managed through processing, budgeting and forecasting. They make sure all of our suppliers get paid and handle our financial controls, processes and production of management and statutory accounts. Finance also liaises with auditors and supports budget management and financial reporting for internal and external stakeholders. Contact us at [email protected].
Our Procurement policy is available here. The team ensure that opportunities are advertised and that the policy is upheld. Our policy states that we always look to Bradford, then West Yorkshire and then beyond for our procurement. For more information, contact [email protected].
Operations
Our Operations team make sure that Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture is a safe and comfortable place to work and visit. Their responsibilities include front of house services, opening and closing the offices, health and safety, security, insurance and managing the meeting spaces. They also look after our office systems and give a warm welcome to all our visitors to the offices.
Contact us at [email protected].
People
Our People team are here to help staff throughout their time working at Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture. They ensure a smooth onboarding experience for new starters and support staff during their lifecycle at the company. People are responsible for creating and managing all the necessary documentation, from employment contracts to company policies and ensuring that our people have access to essential information. They are passionate about making Bradford 2025 a great place to work, helping to create a supportive, inclusive, positive and engaging environment.
Supporting with all aspects of recruitment, they get jobs out to the public, support during interviews and shortlisting as well as making offers and welcoming new people to our team. They can also provide advice and guidance on any HR related issues! Contact us at [email protected].
Programme and Production
Our Programme and Production team lead on the development and delivery of the artistic and cultural content of Bradford 2025. This includes a huge range of projects, events and activities – from exhibitions, gigs, films and theatre shows to digital installations, festivals, TV and radio broadcasts, food art and large-scale spectacles. Our programme will take place in a range of spaces, from theatres, galleries and concert halls to moors, parks, community centres and libraries, across the district.
They are developing projects with artists and communities, liaising with the local sector and making sure we have a really full and exciting programme of activity that’s relevant to Bradford that stretches across the year.
Contact us at [email protected].
Skills, Volunteering & Wellbeing
Our Skills, Volunteering and Wellbeing team look after our amazing volunteers and are dedicated to maximising the creative opportunities for people to take part in the programme moving beyond a traditional audience relationship. The wellbeing of our staff, volunteers and audience is incredibly important to us so we create and share helpful resources.
If you are interested in becoming a Bradford 2025 volunteer, sign up here. Contact us at [email protected].
Youth Panel, Young Creatives and Apprentices
Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture is committed to training the young minds of the future through our Youth Panel, apprenticeships and our Young Creatives programme. Providing on-the-job training and qualifications to young people in Bradford so that they will be able to go on and apply to their future roles.
Our Youth Panel is a group of 17 young people between the ages of 16 and 22, they provide a younger, fresh perspective that can influence decision making at Bradford 2025 and receive opportunities to get involved with awards shows and other events.
We have a wide range of apprenticeships across the company from marketing to operations, with education provided by Access College.
Our Young Creatives programme is a privately funded scheme, giving young people placement opportunities at partner or sponsor companies, such as the Bronte Parsonage and National Science and Media Museum, as well as hands on skills working within the wider Bradford 2025 team.
Contact us at [email protected].
Board of Trustees
Chair: Kersten England CBE DL – Chair of The Young Foundation, Trustee of the National Literacy Trust, Director of Screen Yorkshire, Hon President U3A Bradford
Vice Chair: Phil Batty OBE – CEO Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, Chief Commercial Officer of NEWSUBSTANCE and SKYMAGIC
Adeeba Malik CBE DL – Deputy Chief Executive of the QED Foundation
Alex Hudson – Journalist, previously Executive Editor of Newsweek, Deputy Editor of Metro, and long-time producer and reporter at BBC News
Dr Asif Qasim MB, Bchir, MA, PhD FRCP – Consultant Cardiologist, Governor of Bradford Grammar School, Founder and CEO of MedShr
Carol Dewhurst OBE – Chief Executive Officer, Bradford Diocesan Academies Trust
Debbie Jukes – former General Counsel of Eversheds Sutherland (International), LLP (ESI)
Kamran Rashid – Founder & CEO of Impact Hub Bradford CIC and England Committee member of The National Lottery Community Fund
Mary Dowson – Director & Co-Founder of Bradford Community Broadcasting
Mel Pickup – Chief Executive Officer of Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Ruth Ibegbuna – Founder of Reclaim, the Roots Programme, and the Rekindle School
Sabbiyah Pervez – Senior Investigative Reporter at BBC Look North
Sasha Bhat – Programme Director for Mental Health Transformation and Deputy Director of Integration for the Bradford District & Craven Health and Care Partnership)
Stuart McKinnon-Evans – University of Bradford, and Non-Executive Director & Chair of the Audit Committee at Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust
