12 Nov 2025
Bradford Live
Bradford Made Conference
In November 2025, we celebrated cultural learning and local stories at this one day conference for educators.
On 12 November 2025, at Bradford Live, we brought educators, cultural, practitioners and heritage organisations together for a rich and inspiring day of professional development.
Delegates ranged from primary and secondary teachers, SEND and alternative provision leads, through to museum and archive professionals, community‑arts organisations and local historians. The day offered a chance to connect across sectors, share practice and engage with new resources launched by Bradford 2025.
It’s been really inspiring to see how stories are being used to connect young people with Bradford’s history and identity. It’s made me think differently about how we can use local heritage in the classroom, and it’s been great to meet other educators who are doing the same.”
Sessions included workshops exploring inclusive pedagogies (led by Creative Briefs), introducing drama tool “The Empty Chair” (led by Alive & Kicking), and discussing key topics such as how to talk about migration in the classroom led by Bradford Schools of Sanctuary. Panels included ‘Rooted in Place: Arts, Heritage and Cultural Learning’ – a broad discussion featuring leading UK experts on how we use stories to engage learners in compelling narratives, and ‘Changing the Narrative’ focusing on topics that can be challenging to talk about for educators and learners alike such as race, faith, and LGBTQIA+ histories.
The conference served as the official launch of the Local Stories for Learners suite of free activity‑packs – designed for use across Primary, Secondary, SEND and Home‑education settings, via collaborations between Bradford 2025’s Cultural Learning Team and local artists, educators and cultural organisations.
Explore the Bradford Made activity packs
Download these free learning resources designed for teachers and educators.
A Spoonful of Sugar: Bradford’s Sweet Traditions
Learn about two significant Bradford migration histories through the stories of two families - and food!
Behind the Brontës: The Life of Nancy de Garrs
Uncover the life of Nancy de Garrs, the Brontë family Nanny and housekeeper.
Bradford’s Gay Switchboard
This pack explores the rich history of LGBTQ+ activism in Bradford and the development of Bradford Gay Switchboard.
Fighting To Be Heard: Calligraphy, Courage and Community
This pack explores surprising connections between the ancient art of calligraphy and the noble art of boxing through the stories of three British South Asian Muslim men living in Bradford today.
Lost Mills: Working Lives in Bradford and Keighley’s Textile Mills
Explore the voices and experiences of Bradford and Keighley’s textile workers in the 1970s and 80s.
Hidden Hands: Learning Disabled Workers of Bradford’s Mills
In this pack, learners will find out about real people who lived and worked in Bradford in the 1800s, who had a Learning Disability.
Sirazul and the Rohingya Community: A Bradford Sanctuary Story
This pack shares the story of Sirazul Islam, born in a refugee camp in Bangladesh after his Rohingya family fled conflict and persecution in Myanmar.
Victor Wedderburn: Bradford in Full Colour
Find out about the life and work of Victor Wedderburn, who took photographs of the community living in Manningham, Bradford, in the 1980s.
These are stories about Bradford people, Bradford places, Bradford history and communities. Our hope is that learners across the district can see themselves reflected here. Not in a ‘tick-box’ way but in a way that creates a genuine feeling of belonging and connection. In this city, community is our strength, culture is our strength, welcome is our strength, humour is our strength. And that positive truth about Bradford can and should be right at the heart of our classrooms.
As educators, we know that good stories function as incredibly powerful machines for creating empathy. And right now, the empathy generated by stories has never been more needed.”
The day included:
- Hands-on workshops showcasing how to use Bradford Made resources in real-life settings
- Panels and keynotes exploring heritage, identity and creativity in the curriculum
- Practical sessions on inclusive pedagogy and tackling difficult subjects
- A cultural learning marketplace with local partners including museums, archives, artists and education organisations
- Networking opportunities with peers and cultural educators
Thank you to everyone who attended, spoke, facilitated and participated. The momentum from this conference can be carried into everyday practice - schools and settings embedding these local stories into planning, culture and heritage organisations deepening partnerships with education, and learners gaining richer, more inclusive experiences. The conference set a strong foundation - now the challenge and opportunity lie in sustaining that energy.”
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