A man stands in a red convertible car.
Free

18 Apr – 11 May 2025

Frontline 1984/1985

Victor Wedderburn

A fascinating exhibition exploring Bradford's African Caribbean communities in the ’80s.

Event Details
Date 18 Apr – 11 May 2025
Times Thu, Fri, Sat: open 12-6pm
Sun: open 12-4pm
Mon, Tue, Wed: closed
Location Loading Bay

African Caribbean communities in the 1980s are brought vividly back to life in local photographer Victor Wedderburn’s first exhibition.

Victor Wedderburn Jr arrived in the UK from Jamaica in 1971 at the age of 16, joining his Windrush Generation parents here in Bradford. When redundancy took his job at Crofts Engineers in the early 1980s, he used his pay-off to buy a second-hand camera and film developing kit, then set about documenting life in the city.

Frontline 1984/1985, the first ever exhibition from this self-taught photographer, vividly evokes African Caribbean life in Bradford 40 years ago. From Lumb Lane landmarks such as Roots Record Shop and the Perseverance Hotel to sound system parties and anti-apartheid marches, these photographs tell a story that’s sometimes written out of Bradford’s history.

Don’t miss this powerful evocation of a lost era – a striking snapshot of a community that Victor Wedderburn knew from the inside out.

In Conversation With: Victor Wedderburn & Tim Smith
In this short film, we bring Victor and Tim together for a journey through Victor’s memories of life on Lumb Lane known to locals as 'the Frontline' in the early 1980s, as both photographers look ahead to their respective exhibitions as part of Bradford 2025.

Opening times

Loading Bay is a multipurpose venue and every day is different.

Aside from planned closure times, opening times for the Gallery at Loading Bay are:

  • Thursday, Friday, Saturday: open 12-6pm
  • Sunday: open 12-4pm
  • Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: closed

If you have booked to see an evening performance in the Theatre or Basement, the Gallery will be open up to 15 minutes before the performance start time, so that you can explore the Gallery before your event.

Visit Loading Bay

Loading Bay is a brand new pop-up arts venue in Bradford City Centre for Bradford 2025.

Join us on Duke Street as we bring a true Bradford 2025 buzz to the heart of the city.

Plan your visit using our sustainable travel planner.

Loading Bay
1 Duke Street
Bradford
BD1 3QR

National Science & Media Museum exhibition

There will be a further opportunity to view Victor Wedderburn’s photographs later this year with a selection being exhibited in the foyer of the National Science & Media Museum between 12 June – 29 October 2025.

Credits
Commissioned by Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture.

With thanks to Checkpoint - Bradford's West Indian Community Centre, Dominica Association Bradford and Windrush Generations UK for their support of this project.

The project team, alongside Victor Wedderburn would like to thank all of the individuals and families featured in these photographs who have kindly supported the development of this project.

Lead image: © Victor Wedderburn

Access

Join our access scheme to view access tickets or contact our Ticketing team for more information.
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You can listen to an Audio Described journey through this exhibition. Listen here.

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