The festival kicks off with an acoustic set of Red Shakes’ original indie rock songs. Sam Da Silva, known as Red Shakes, is a musician whose lyrics are inspired by real life experiences, British culture and growing up in the 21st century. He’s been championed by BBC Introducing, This Feeling and ITV!

Get ready to laugh your socks off with a performance from Alex Dunlop. With nearly a decade of experience, Alex is a successful stand-up comedian running many hilarious comedy nights across West Yorkshire, including Bradford 2025’s Loaded Laughs.

Content warning: may contain strong language.

Join us for the final performance of the day from award winning spoken word artist, Kirsty Taylor. Her work is heavily inspired by her beloved hometown of Bradford, which shines through in her poetry. As a passionate storyteller, she has performed across the country with her various projects, including to an audience of over 20,000 at RISE Bradford 2025’s opening event.

Content warning: themes of genocide, fascism and racism.

Nicola Storr is an illustrator with over 25 years of experience working across a diverse range of creative projects, including fabric design, set design, and children’s books. Nicola is  passionate about arts education and is dedicated to making art accessible, engaging and transformative. She has extensive experience in both teaching and workshop facilitation, working for over seven years within an arts charity, teaching art and design across all levels, and leading creative workshops for people of all ages and abilities.  

Nicola believes in the power of creativity to inspire learning, build confidence, and foster community. Her practice is rooted in the belief that art is not only a tool for self-expression, but also a means of connection and conversation.

Designing and working together to create surprising, whimsical characters that are guaranteed to make you smile.  

Inspired by the playful Victorian parlour game Exquisite Corpse, this collaborative drawing workshop invites everyone to contribute to a shared creature – without knowing what the others have drawn!  

Fantastical, funny, and always unexpected, participants will use drawing and illustrative design skills, as well as creative thinking, collaboration, and a sense of play to bring these strange and wonderful creatures to life.

Kirsty Taylor is a writer and educator. Her work is inspired by her beloved hometown Bradford. She is passionate about story telling through poetry and has performed all over the country telling tales about people, class and the realities of ‘Broken Britain’. Kirsty was a BBC Verb New Voice in 2017 and was awarded the Apples and Snakes & Jerwood Arts Poetry in Performance award in 2020. She is the creator of the imitable Front Room Poetry, which takes nanna style living rooms and world class poets to unusual settings such as car parks and housing estates. 

Kirsty appeared in RISE, Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture’s opening event in January,  performing her words to over 20,000 people in City Park.  

This practical workshop dives into scriptwriting –  focusing on character and dialogue. You’ll learn how to create authentic characters rooted in their world, using place, community, and everyday life to shape voice and personality. Through prompts and exercises, you’ll experiment with dialogue that feels real, bringing your characters and stories to life on the page and stage. 

Short Supply is an artist-led organisation based in the North of England, championing early-career and underrepresented artists, especially queer, working-class, and regional creatives by creating radical, joyful, and accessible pathways into the art world. 

Founded in 2019, Short Supply have become a trusted platform for cultural equity, supporting hundreds of artists through exhibitions, commissions, public programmes, resources, and partnerships. We bridge the gap between emerging artists and established institutions, ensuring talent doesn’t go to waste just because it sits outside of traditional networks. 

Want to work in the creative industries but don’t know where to start? This high-energy, practical session from Short Supply breaks down how to use digital tools and social media to actually get noticed — without selling your soul to the algorithm. 

We’ll cover the real skills that make a difference: how to present yourself online, grow a network, and turn your creative energy into a career path that’s true to who you are. 

Learning Outcomes 

Participants will leave with: 

• A clear sense of how to position themselves as a creative professional online 
• Simple, effective strategies for growing visibility 
• Tips for showcasing creative work on various platforms 
• A starter plan for building a personal brand that aligns with their values 
• Confidence to reach out to collaborators, opportunities and employers 

Natalie is an award-winning actress. Her numerous stage and TV productions include Ashley in Hullraisers (Channel 4),  Tabani in The Full Monty Series (Disney) and Mrs Uddin in Vicar of Dibley (BBC),Through It All Together, Humbug Wrongsemble, North Country Freedom Studios and Pick N Mix (Leeds Playhouse), Jabala and the Jinn (Lyric Hammersmith). and Batgirls and Bangla Bantems (Radio 4).   

She received a BBC Audio drama nomination for her role as Leyla in The War After The War with Sir David Jason and her biographical show Full English won Best Stage Production at the Asian Media Awards in 2021. Natalie’ s new show Bring It Back will debut on 23 October at Bradford Arts Centre as part of the Bradford 2025 programme. 

A one-hour workshop exploring self-taping and audition techniques, followed by a Q&A with Bradford actor and writer Natalie Davies. In this practical session, each participant will have the chance to create a self-tape using material from Natalie’s upcoming show Bring It Back. Natalie will introduce the context of the scenes, offer tips on how to approach them, and provide insights into the auditioning process.  

Whether you’re just starting out as an actor or looking to sharpen your skills, this is a great opportunity to gain practical experience and hear first-hand about Natalie’s industry journey. 

Catch a FREE screening of some of the UK’s most exciting short films made by talented 16–25-year-olds. This is your chance to see next-level short films that people your age are making. More importantly, we’ll tell you exactly how to get involved – uncovering pathways, courses, and real-world opportunities for young filmmakers right here in Yorkshire. 

As the former Head of Religion and Ethics at both Channel 4 and BBC and Head of Multicultural Programming at Channel 4, Aaqil has won numerous awards including Emmy and BAFTA’s. Learn about a career in producing in broadcast from Aaqil.

Programmer and booker for Manchester’s legendary comedy club, the Frog & Bucket and the annual Women in Comedy Festival – Aimee’s the one to chat to if you’re interested in getting into stand-up comedy or want to know about a career off-stage.

Alex specialises in site specific immersive theatre – working nationally and internationally including working with renowned Punchdrunk and as the current Artistic Director for Riptide. Speak to Alex about a creative career in directing and producing.

Alison is a Bradford based artists whose practice spans collaborating with communities on exhibitions, selling work online and creating work for corporate customers. Speak to Alison about developing a career as an artist.

Originally a trained actor, Rachel worked in theatre, film and TV before moving into screenwriting. She has written TV series scripts for BBC and Channel 4, and audio dramas for BBC Radio 4. Speak to Rachel about a writing/acting career in TV and radio.

Neil is an Art Director and Graphic Designer currently working at Bradford 2025. His role involves coordinating all aspects of the creative process to deliver high quality and strategic campaigns. Speak to Neil to learn more about design within the arts and culture industry. 

With over twenty years of experience in film and television, Matt has worked as a coach, producer, and consultant on numerous productions, training and representing thousands of actors worldwide. As a multi-award-winning acting coach and entrepreneur, speak to Matt about a career in the TV and Film industry. 

Ellie freelances in local radio for BBC Radio Leeds as a Broadcast Assistant for the sport team where she assists in outputting football and rugby league matches and with the social media coverage. She also produces for the breakfast show helping to output and co-ordinate planning. Speak to Ellie about freelancing and local radio.

Andy’s role at BPH bridges creative design with practical delivery. His expertise across education, the arts and heritage sectors means he is well placed to support the needs-led programme at BPH. Andy is the one to speak about charting participant experiences, operational planning and creative programming. 

Bradford based Arfaan is a stop motion animator and digital creator. Through his platform Battle Stories, he’s collaborated global brands such as Mattel and DC Comics. Speak to Arfaan if you interested in a career in animation and digital arts.

Helen is a Leeds based Producer currently working at Bradford2025 and has a varied skillset including Programming, Production and Event Management with a background working in outdoor events including light art festivals, one off spectacles and artist commissions. Talk to Helen about live events, programming and producing.

As a theatre maker, Bradford-based Nicole has extensive experience in directing, dramaturgy and producing, working with both communities and professional theatre companies. As a Writer, she is currently a Playwright Mentor with the National Theatre and recently worked with Sheffield Theatres and the BBC. Speak to Nicole about how to bring stories alive on stage.  

With over 30 years of experience in the beauty industry, Lisa Dawkins is a highly respected freelance makeup artist working in editorial, television, commercial, and bridal for renowned organisations such as Hello! Magazine and MAC Cosmetics and such renowned actors Helen Mirren, Celia Imrie, Brooke Shields, and the Emmerdale cast. Speak to Lisa about a career as a Makeup artist.  

Elishia is originally from Bradford but currently based in London as a West End Performer in the original cast of The Devil Wears Prada. She is also a dancer and has been featured in a range of music videos for artists such as Stormzy. Speak to Elishia to learn about being in the performance industry.

Alia leads the reporting of impact for the AI Skills Hub and the firm’s “Women in Work” report, which highlights the UK’s gender equality progress and its lag behind other OECD countries. Alia collaborates across sectors to provide strategic insights through economic impact analysis and has been featured in the BBC, Financial Times, and The Guardian. Speak to Alia for insights on emerging themes from the AI skills Hub and wider impacts relating to gender equality and economic growth.

Cameron works for BBC News and has been based across Yorkshire, Wales and the South West of England. He has worked on news and current affairs programmes and was also part of the massive BBC team that work at Glastonbury. His career started right here in Bradford after studying at Bradford College with a background in Editing, camera operation and directing. Speak to Cameron about a career in Broadcasting.

Since winning New Voices in 2024 Humaira has worked as a broadcaster, content creator and voice-over bringing stories and scripts to live. Humaira continues to practice her trade as an Optometrist and clinic supervisor, spending her weekends helping people see better and mentoring Optometry students.  

Irene is a dynamic force bringing passion and energy to every role she does – whether as a presenter, singer-songwriter, performer or Zumba/fitness instructor. Initially self-taught from a young age, Irene went on to achieve a 1st Class BA Honours in Dance and Musical Theatre. Since then, he has appeared on stage and screen and in 2024 won BBC New Voices, promoting Bradford during the UK City of Culture. 

As filmmaker and photographer Kimia has worked on documentaries, commercials, festivals and weddings. Key projects have included telling the untold stories of Muslim women in prison, the struggles of young people during Covid, collaborating with SKT Welfare to support orphans in Turkey and Syria, and photographing King Charles visit to Bradford in 2022. 

Born in Bradford Jess has always been an avid reader and writer, going on to write thrillers after studying English Literature at University of Huddersfield. Her latest book, The Life Experiment, published by Simon and Schuster, is a commercial fiction love story – with a twist! Born is Bradford, Jess now lives in Australia, and her work has been published internationally.  

Known by the stage name Red Shakes, Sam Da Silva songs are influenced by real life experiences, British Culture and growing up in the 21st Century. Championed by BBC Introducing and This Feeling, supporters of new talent, Red Shakes have played at festivals with the likes of Noel Gallagher, Jake Bugg and The Cribs, creating heartfelt music and captivating visuals.  

Rhiannon-Skye Boden is a spoken word artist, poet, workshop facilitator and creative copywriter, living and working in Leeds. Goodnighttheskye recently came fourth in the 2023 UK Slam Championships, and their collaboration with abstract sound artist Cam Naylor, “Edinburgh to Leeds”, was shortlisted by BBC Sounds as one of their top five podcasts.

Matt currently works at Bradford 2025 as a Creative Technologist.

As the former Head of Religion and Ethics at both Channel 4 and BBC and Head of Multicultural Programming at Channel 4, Aaqil has won numerous awards including Emmy and BAFTA’s. Learn about a career in producing in broadcast from Aaqil.

With over twenty years of experience in film and television, Matt has worked as a coach, producer, and consultant on numerous productions, training and representing thousands of actors worldwide. He is a multi-award-winning acting coach and entrepreneur, and the founder of Matt Zina Acting.

Arzu is a multi-media journalist, working across platforms to deliver stories from the heart of the community. Happiest with mic-in-hand, you can hear Arzu on the Monday evening show on BBC Local Radio across Yorkshire where she brings audiences up-to-date with  South Asian culture and music. Speak to Arzu about career in Journalism and being a woman from working class, minority background in the creative industry

In 2012 Paul performed at the Olympic Stadium as part of the closing ceremony for the Paralympic Games, performing alongside the likes of Coldplay, Rhianna and Jay-Z. He then joined Mind the Gap in Bradford as a performer, progressing as a student in the Performance Academy, to later joining the professional Artist’s cohort. He eventually became the company’s Assistant Producer.

Since, he has been the driving force behind the delivery of Bradford’s first Disabled Artist’s Networking Community Event (DANC), a collaboration between Mind The Gap and Triple C earlier this year.

Let’s create together in this joyful, collaborative art session where we’ll co-create vibrant, expressive artworks on shared canvases. No experience needed – just a willingness to play with colour, explore creativity, and connect with others. A perfect space to let go, work big and have fun making art just for the fun of it. You’ll experiment with mark-making, collage, overlay and typography whilst also building teamwork, spontaneity, and confidence in your creative expression. 

Discover the power of words in this uplifting workshop where we’ll create our own mini mantras using cut-out text, empowering phrases, and poetic play. Whether it’s a self-affirming quote, a bold catchphrase, or just a few words to make you smile. This session blends visual composition with wordplay, design, typography, and collage techniques alongside self-expression, emotional reflection, and mindfulness – this is your space to craft something unique. 

Abstract fabric self- portrait workshop is about creating a self-portrait on how we see ourselves, focusing on certain facial features or expressions that we may use, that makes us unique as individuals. Creating the abstract self– portraits out of  scrap fabrics, materials and anything with interesting textures, patterns and colours.