Kickstarting the countdown to 2025
We've got big plans for Bradford 2025…
We’ve announced some major news about our plans for 2025, including Zayn Malik’s new role as Bradford 2025 Ambassador.
We’re also excited to share three special events coming up in 2024, a brand new identity and host of new partners – plus opportunities for the people of Bradford District to get involved.
Our 2024 events
If you can’t wait for the Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture to kick off next year, you can get a flavour through three special events announced for 2024. Each event brings an internationally-renowned artist to Bradford District and will be free to all.
Where It Began – Osman Yousefzada
Friday 3 May – Sunday 13 October 2024
Cartwright Hall Art Gallery & Lister Park
Free
British-Pakistani artist Osman Yousefzada is presenting a special solo exhibition, bringing together works from his recent solo show at the V&A with work created especially for Bradford.
Image: Untitled 2022, © Francesco Allegretto
Les Girafes – Compagnie OFF
Saturday 24 August
Bradford City Centre
Free
French street theatre company Compagnie OFF are bringing seven larger than life-size scarlet giraffes to lead a magical free family-friendly parade of performers, musicians and an opera singer through the centre of Bradford.
Image: © Enzographe
Four Nations: Bradford
September 2024
Around Bradford District
We’re capturing photographs of the nation’s population to create a striking photographic record of the UK today. The portraits of Bradfordians will be shown in public places across Bradford District to coincide with the Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture programme launch in September – and then all the portraits will be displayed at Bradford’s Impressions Gallery and galleries in Glasgow, Cardiff and Belfast in 2025.
Image: © Nathan McGill
A new brand for Bradford
We’ve also revealed a new brand and identity for Bradford 2025. Created by Leeds-based design studio Rabbithole, the brand is a celebration of our district’s distinctive character, beautiful architecture and rural landscapes. Rabbithole worked closely with the Bradford 2025 team and the people of Bradford to capture what the city and district means to them. The brand includes a new ‘Love Bradford 2025’ logo, which works Bradford’s BD postcode prefix into a heart emblem.
Opportunity for Bradford filmmakers
Short Film Lab & Fund is a new opportunity for Bradford filmmakers to develop and create fiction and documentary short films.
In partnership with Screen Yorkshire and The Unit, an open-access production space in Keighley that’s co-funded by Bradford Council and Channel 4, we’re offering eight filmmakers or project teams the chance to take part in a 10-week development lab to incubate their ideas through a series of masterclasses, mentoring and workshops led by TV and film industry professionals. Three of the teams will be selected to produce and premiere their film in 2025 as part of Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture.
“ In 2024, we’re gearing up for a district-wide cultural programme that will put Bradford on the national and international stage.
I’m thrilled Bradford’s very own superstar Zayn Malik is joining us on this journey – his creative vision and passion for his hometown strongly aligns with our brand values. Zayn’s involvement, three special events in 2024 and the collaboration with Screen Yorkshire and Channel 4 is just a taste of what’s to come in 2025. This is the start – our countdown has begun.”
New partners come on board
Home-grown retailer Morrisons, which is backing Bradford 2025 as a Major Partner having also supported the bid campaign, is one of the first companies to use the new brand in an imaginative way. A special Bradford 2025 delivery van will be making deliveries to people’s homes across the district in the coming months and throughout 2025. Morrisons will also be championing Bradford 2025 to its staff and thousands of customers who shop in its stores every week.
“ We know that we must also take advantage of this moment on a national scale. All eyes will be on Bradford next year, and as a national retailer, we are looking at how we can raise the profile of UK City of Culture to our customers further afield.
Given our role as a food maker, we are exploring ways in which we can showcase the district's diverse culinary heritage, including new products celebrating Bradford created at our innovation centre in the city, which officially opens this week. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Bradford and we look forward to working with partners across the district to make it a resounding success.”
We’ve also announced a new partnership with Bradford City AFC. Building on the football club’s support throughout the bid stage, the Bantams will be proudly displaying the Bradford 2025 name on its kits and the Bradford 2025 logo across tickets, social media and the stadium big screen – as well the team coach, which travels the length and breadth of the country, reaching thousands of fans each year.
“ We are delighted to be working with Bradford 2025, celebrating a fantastic achievement for our city. It is a really huge success for Bradford to have obtained UK City of Culture status for next year. At Bradford City, we always champion significant Bradford brands and organisations. Working together with key pillars across the district is a huge part of our strategy at the club – and this partnership represents an extension of that.
We will be carrying wording with a nod to the UK City of Culture below the crest on our playing shirts for the next two seasons, which will be worn with huge pride in what Bradford has accomplished. The new brand looks fantastic. and is one we are excited to be working with and implementing across several areas of the club over the coming years.”
Volunteering opportunities
We’ve also just revealed plans for our Bradford 2025 volunteer programme – recruiting more than 3,500 people from across Bradford to be the welcoming faces of Bradford 2025, and helping out behind the scenes at more than 1,000 shows, exhibitions and events in 2025. People can volunteer as much or as little time as they have available, and all volunteers will receive full support and training. The volunteer programme is also open to businesses that are keen to take part through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
Applications will open from 10 April 2024. Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer can find out more at a series of volunteer events throughout spring and summer, with the first cohort of volunteers supporting events that we’re presenting in 2024.
“ To welcome Morrisons as a Major Partner, alongside the Bradford City AFC partnership, is a fantastic show of confidence in our designation as UK City of Culture. Together, we have exciting plans for ways in which we can reach thousands of people across the district and nationally to create further excitement and anticipation for what will be a once-in-a-lifetime celebration.
Our people powered the winning bid – and through our Volunteer Programme, we’re inviting them to play a part in delivering what we hope will be a transformational year for all of us. Along the way, we’re inviting everyone – from artists to businesses, from schools to community groups – to help us bring to life a year of culture that could only happen here.”