Popular searches:
Railway children Access What's on Learning Visit
The black form of a figure interrupts projected faces on pieces of fabric hanging from the ceiling.
Free

26 – 30 Mar 2025

Loading Bay

Unspun Stories

509 Arts

An immersive installation that explored Bradford's textile heritage.

Past event

This event has passed. Share your feedback.

We explored the district’s late 20th century textile heritage through this immersive installation created by 509 Arts and the Colour Foundry in partnership with The Space.

Unspun Stories was an immersive digital journey into Bradford’s late 20th century textile heritage, created by 509 Arts and the Colour Foundry for Bradford 2025. 

Bradford’s textile industry dates back more than 700 years, but its history isn’t only ancient. Unspun Stories looked at life in the mills during the last decades of the 20th century, when people travelled to Bradford from around the world to work in an industry that played a central role in the economy of the district. 

This immersive installation lasted around 20 minutes, blending archive film footage, projections and soundscapes with audio recordings from those who worked in the mills during the ’70s, ’80s and 90s. Produced by 509 Arts as part of their Lost Mills and Ghost Mansions project, the result was an evocative journey back to a pivotal moment in Bradford’s recent history. 

A musical addition

On Saturday 29th March and Sunday 30th, parts of the Unspun Stories soundtrack were performed live in the installation. Two brass musicians from the City of Bradford Brass Band and the composer, Nick Lewis, brought an added musical dimension to the immersive experience of Unspun Stories.

Credits
Funded by Arts Council England, The Space and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
A projection of archive footage is projected onto fabric, suspended from the roof. It shows buildings and architecture on the projection
© Tim Smith
A figure looks at the projections - colourful blurs light up the image.
© Bec Smith
A projection of archive footage is projected onto fabric, suspended from the roof. It shows a woman handling a large amount of cloth

Past event

Were you at this event?

Complete our feedback form and let us know what you thought.

Share your feedback

Related Events

What's on →
A photo of a man lifting paper from a printing press with the words HOPE and ACT printed on it in black and pink
FREE Artist Award

Until 31 Dec 2025

HOPE/ACT

People Powered Press

Installations from the world’s largest letterpress printing press.

Artist Award

Until 31 Dec 2025

Augmenting Bradford’s DNA

Razwan Ul-Haq

Homegrown artworks, made using calligraphy and community participation.

Until 4 Jan 2026

The Art of The City Gent

An exhibition celebrating the artwork of the UK’s longest-running printed fanzine.

FREE Part of Turner Prize 2025

15 Jan 2025

Turner Lates: January

Celebrate the thriving artistic communities of our district.

FREE

27 Sep 2025 – 22 Feb 2026

Turner Prize

We’ve teamed up with Tate to bring the Turner Prize to Bradford - tickets available now.

A woman with short grey hair in a red lightweight jacket stands on a moor with the sun rising in the distance.
FREE

16 Oct 2025 - 22 Feb 2026

Hardy and Free

Carolyn Mendelsohn

The Kirkgate Shopping Centre turns gallery for a monumental exhibition celebrating Yorkshire women and the natural world.

A detailed view of the Tower of Now sculpture, against a blue sky.
FREE

From 26 Apr 2025

Tower of Now

Saad Qureshi

This soaring sculpture explores what it means to be British – and celebrates Bradford’s dazzling diversity.

Two children infront of a bright close up image of the sun

3 Apr 2025 – 22 Mar 2026

YOU:MATTER

Marshmallow Laser Feast

Explore how we’re all connected at this spectacular immersive experience.