Bradford District artist-led projects call out: Round two
Deadline: Monday 30 September
Earlier this year we announced the ten projects that were successful in the first round of Bradford 2025 Artist-led Projects Call Out – we are delighted that Round 2 is now open and we are accepting applications from artists and companies in the District to create new work that will excite, inspire and entertain people from Bradford in 2025.
There is lots of detail on this page for applicants – please read all of the sections and dropdowns before your submit your application. The section How to apply at the bottom of this page includes all of the questions you need to answer when you apply.
What are we looking for?
This call out is for artists and artist-led projects to make exciting creative events happen as part of Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture. We want to see new, ambitious, innovative projects that wouldn’t happen otherwise taking place in every part of the District.
All of the projects should offer meaningful opportunities for people from the District to get involved – this could be as audiences, co-creators, participants, watchers, listeners or other ways that put them and their experience at the heart. We want to see projects that have thought properly about how they will reach people, understand the communities they want to work with and are committed to access and addressing the barriers that might usually prevent people getting involved.
Collectively, the ideas and projects we support will celebrate, and be representative of, the diversity of Bradford and the people who live and work here – this includes the team making the project, the stories/ themes/ ideas being explored and the people it is being made for.
We are interested in all artforms including (but not limited to) music, dance, visual art, live art, theatre, sculpture, craft, textile art, poetry literature and spoken word – or something that combines artforms or blurs definitions in the way that we know Bradford’s brilliant creative sector does so well.
If you are a community group or voluntary organisation you should wait for our small project awards – they will be announced later this year and will provide around £400 for you to run something creative in 2025.
How much can I apply for?
You can apply for up to £15,000
We expect to fund 10 to 15 projects in this round – for projects where the final output, exhibition, performance, audience experience will happen in the second half of 2025 (August to December).
Please note: this will be the last Round of these awards.
Who can apply?
This call out is not open to ACE National Portfolio Organisations.
We want to hear from individuals, companies, collectives, groups of artists and organisations living or working in the District.
We will accept applications from companies and organisations outside Bradford as long as the lead artist is based in Bradford and it is clear that they have a central artistic and decision-making role in your creative team.
Artists at any point in their career can apply. However, we need to feel confident that your project can be delivered successfully and on time, so please make sure you tell us why you know you can manage the project effectively. If you are just starting out or earlier in your career you might want to think about finding someone more experienced to work alongside you (such as a producer or project manager) – make sure you tell us about who will be working with you and their experience too.
Artists who applied in the previous Round
If you are an artist or company who applied to the previous Round of Artist-led projects but were not successful, you are eligible to apply again to this Round – either with the same project or a new one. However, please make sure you have:
- Looked at the feedback around why you were unsuccessful last time and thought about how you will address that
- Properly considered your connection to Bradford District and the authenticity of this
- Studied the ‘Things we will consider when making our decisions’ section – and thought in detail about how your project meets this
- Thought about whether there is still enough time to make your project happen, if you were successful in this Round
Artists who have already received support/ commission from Bradford 2025
- This call out is not open to companies or artists who already have a live project in development with BD25
- Artists who have received an Unlimited Micro Commission are eligible to apply to this with the same idea or a different one
- Previous Seed Commissions – if you applied for a seed commission in 2023 you can apply to this call out with the same idea or a new project. If you are thinking of applying with the same idea we would encourage you to make sure you have properly considered the ‘Eligibility Criteria’ and ‘Things we will consider when making a decision’ below
If you are not sure if you are eligible, please email [email protected] to check with us before you make an application.
Please note, we will not be able to advise you on the suitability of your project or idea – only whether you are eligible to apply.
Eligibility criteria
- Aged 18+
- Lead artist or company based in Bradford District (ACE National Portfolio Organisations are NOT eligible)
- Work to be realised January to December 2025 – due to the timescale we imagine that for the majority of projects we support the final public output (performance, exhibition, experience etc) will happen between August and December 2025
- Meaningful opportunities for members of the public to get involved/ experience the work in the District
- The work will premiere in Bradford District; this means the first exhibition, unveiling, performance etc will happen in Bradford
When is the deadline for applications?
We need to receive your application by 5pm on Monday 30 September.
What we can’t support
- The costs of your regular Festival programme; though we can support a one-off commission or special event that wouldn’t happen otherwise
- Applications from companies outside the District unless the Lead Artist is based here
- Community-led projects – our Give Bradford Creative Communities fund is now closed, however later this year we will be announcing some micro awards which will support small community-led activities
- Projects that are primarily about film, filmmaking or the presentation/distribution of film (your project can include film elements, but this should not be the main artform or drive of the project)
Access support to make an application
If you need this information in another format or if you have access needs related to making an application, please get in touch with us straight away to discuss how we can support you. Please email [email protected]
Support in addition to the award
In addition to the award, there will be some additional support available from the Bradford 2025 team – but please note this will largely be in the form of advice, guidance and signposting; this will not be a producing, co-producing or project management relationship.
Support includes:
- Production advice from BD25 Production/ technical team
- Access to BD25 producing team for guidance and support in delivering project
- We really encourage you to seek match funding and make the most of this award – and our Development Team can read and provide feedback for other funding bids e.g. Arts Council England Project Grants, National Lottery Awards for All
- Advice on access and sustainability from specialists in the team
- Advice on evaluation from the BD25 Evaluation Team
- Inclusion in BD25 social media and programme
- ‘Supported by’ logo for your event
Audiences and marketing
It’s essential that people from Bradford District can experience your project in 2025. If you are given an award then it will be included in planned marketing and PR activities from 2025. But you should not rely on this alone; in your proposal we want to see that you have your own marketing or engagement plans in place and the costs for this are included in your budget.
Things we'll consider when making our decisions
There are a number of factors we will think about when assessing applications and when looking overall at the range of applications we will support. This includes:
Quality
Does the application give confidence that the project will be high quality and ambitious.
Inclusivity, access and representation
That the work actively considers and celebrates the rich diversity of our District and the communities, backgrounds and lived experiences here. And that you have thought about accessibility for yourself, your team, participants and audiences with a range of needs as central to the work and not an ‘add on’.
Environmental sustainability
That you’re thinking about environmental and sustainability standards and are making decisions accordingly. (We understand that this will be realistic and relative to the scale of the project, and that environmentally conscious decisions can be more expensive and therefore this will be reflected in your budget)
Audience focused
That there is clear thought and understanding around who the work is for, how these people will experience the project and where there may be opportunities to deepen or extend this engagement.
Relevance
An understanding of communities (of place and/or shared experience) in the District, and an ambition to create work that reflects their interests and what matters to them.
Match funding
Whilst it is not essential, we strongly urge you to consider where you can generate match funding for your project to enable you to realise the full potential of your idea in this landmark year. We will look positively on applications that have clear and achievable plans to draw income from other sources as well. And we can release 10% of the award to go towards fundraising activity.
Match funding does not have to be confirmed at this point, but please make sure you tell us about your other fundraising plans in your application and why this is realistic/achievable.
The award can be used as ‘match funding’ for funders like Arts Council England and National Lottery Heritage Fund and Awards for All.
Access
We want to see that you have thought carefully and with real care about how you will make your project accessible and welcoming to people with a range of needs and from various backgrounds. If your project is selected we can support you with advice and guidance from an access specialist to think about what is relevant and proportionate to your project and where Bradford 2025 might be able to help – but we need to know that you are thinking about this too and appropriate costs are included in your budget.
Location
We want to see amazing creative things happening across the District and we will consider the spread of activity when deciding which projects to support.
Activity could happen in parks, on the street, in shops, social clubs, community centres, schools, people’s houses, places of worship, online or wherever will make it easiest for the people they are designed for to get involved.
Bradford 2025 will have a number of dedicated performance spaces where we will be sharing work and events across the year of culture. We expect some (but definitely not all!) of the projects we support through this round of grants will be realised in one of these spaces – so if you think your project should/could happen here, make sure you tell us about this in your application.
We understand that you might not know yet where the project will happen, or might know where you want it to happen but haven’t yet had conversations, finalised this, sought permission etc. This is fine – but please make sure you set out in your application how you will secure the location (including relevant experience of you/your team) and alternatives/contingency you’ve thought about in case you can’t make this happen.
Bradford 2025 performance spaces:
Beacon
A touring performance space, Beacon will be resident in 4 parks in the District in 2025
Meanwhile performance and exhibition space
We will also have a meanwhile performance space in Bradford city centre with a capacity of c200 end-on for performances plus a small gallery/exhibition space
The selection process
Your application will be considered by a panel of both independent artists and members of Bradford 2025 team.
Timeline
- Online Q&A: Monday 23rd September, 12pm – 1pm
- Application deadline: Monday 30 September at 5pm
- Date we’ll let you know if you’ve been successful by: 1 November
- Project start date: Anytime after 18 November
How to apply
Your completed application should be emailed to [email protected] by 5pm on Monday 30 September.
Please download our ‘How to apply’ document below which has all the information about how to tell us about your project.
About you
Please make sure you also complete our online About You form using the link below.
This is to help us understand the range of people our programmes are reaching and will not affect the selection process.