Bradford 2025 and Impressions Gallery invited acclaimed photographer Aïda Muluneh to create a major new artwork for Bradford’s year as UK City of Culture.

A Portrait of Us celebrated unsung local heroes from across Bradford and three other UK cities: Belfast, Cardiff and Glasgow. Aïda’s powerful photographs pay tribute to the people who work quietly but tirelessly to make their part of the world a better place. We made sure these community superstars got the recognition they deserve by installing their portraits on Bradford billboards in September and October 2024.

Meet the Bradford local heroes who were featured on billboards around the city:

Alyshea
Alyshea is a nationally award-winning doctor with disabilities who works hard to care for patients with mental health problems at Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust.

Carol
Carol is a health advocate who works tirelessly within Bradford’s Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities – including through Bradford’s Black Health Forum, which promotes health and wellbeing among African and Afro-Caribbean residents.

Julie
Julie is a climate activist and one of the most active members of Bingley Morsbags group. She’s made hundreds of free bags out of donated materials – saving tonnes of material from landfill and reducing our reliance on plastic bags.

Shannon
Shannon runs a food bank and a food waste shop, as well as family events and clubs supporting vulnerable adults. She’s introduced countless families to new cultural experiences, created jobs and built a truly inclusive community.

Riffut
Riffut worked as a social worker in Bradford for 35 years, caring for some of Bradford’s most vulnerable families.

Stafford
Stafford was one of the founders of the Bradford West Indian Parents’ Association, which helped integrate new arrivals from the Caribbean to the UK, and is now the Deacon of Westgate Baptist Church in Manningham.

The project also featured local heroes from:

Belfast
Billy, a community and justice activist; Israel, a Black health advocate; and Susan, manager of a women’s centre.

Cardiff
Mujib, a youth worker and choreographer; Natasha, an activist for disability equality; and Paskaline, a community arts advocate.

Glasgow
Adele, a cultural worker; Anita, a human rights and equalities campaigner; and Linda, a musician, writer, publisher and activist.

Aïda Muluneh’s photography project continued at Bradford’s Impressions Gallery in January 2025. Nationhood: Memory and Hope was a major exhibition featuring many of the portraits featured in A Portrait of Us – plus new work shot in Bradford, Belfast, Cardiff and Glasgow during summer 2024.