Loading Bay
Exhibitions, theatre, music and more in Bradford City Centre.
Loading Bay reopens in October 2026
For Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture, we turned an old storage depot into an arts hub for Bradford – home to two performance spaces and a gallery.
See what’s coming up at Loading Bay below.
Coming soon at Loading Bay
Fri 9 Oct - Sun 20 Dec 2026
(Thu - Sun) • Thu - Sat: 12pm - 5pm
Sun: 12pm - 4pm
Radical Joy
An exhibition exploring the wonderful world of street performance and outdoor arts.
Fri 23 Oct 2026 • 7:30pm
Loaded Laughs
BFD Comedy
Our ever-popular comedy night returns to Loading Bay
Sun 25 Oct 2026 • 1pm - 4pm
Cosy Willow Lantern Making
Cecil Green Arts
Have a go at lantern making in this workshop for young people
Mon 26 Oct - Sun 1 Nov 2026 • Mon - Sat: 12pm - 5pm
Sun: 12pm - 4pm
Radical Joy – Half-term
Free half-term activities to celebrate the exhibition Radical Joy exploring street performance and outdoor arts.
Mon 26 - Tue 27 Oct 2026 • 1pm - 4pm
Lantern Crafts Workshop
Cecil Green Arts
Give a go to lantern making this half-term with a free, community workshop.
Mon 2 Nov 2026 • 5:30pm - 9pm
Building a Festival
Networking and Panel Event
Part of the Bradford and Nairobi Music Development Programme.
Tue 3 Nov 2026 • 5:30pm - 9pm
United by Bass
Networking and Panel Event
Part of the Bradford and Nairobi Music Development Programme.
Thu 5 Nov 2026 • 7pm
Palingenesis and Non-Ordinary Services – Double-bill
D_Antidote Production
A double-bill of contemporary dance from Taiwan by The Stage award-winners D_Antidote Production.
6 Nov 2026 • 7.30pm
Flat & the Curves: Rosé Tinted
Award-winning comedy girl band Flat & the Curves return with their well-aged cabaret, Rosé Tinted!
Thu 19 Nov 2026 • 12pm - 4pm
Radical Joy – Mischief Making
Hear conversations and stories from the world of street performance and outdoor arts.
Fri 20 Nov 2026 • 7:30pm
Transglobal Underground
A joyful night of the diverse sounds of global fusion
Thu 3 Dec 2026 • 7:30pm
A Christmas Carol
The Book of Darkness & Light Theatre Company
Marley was dead… to begin with.
Fri 11 Dec 2026 • 7:30pm
Eggs Collective’s Festive Dark Night
Twisted cabaret returns for one final, festive descent into the darkness.
Wed 16 Dec 2026 • 7:30pm
Awake Arise
Lady Maisery and Jimmy & Sid
A Midwinter Show For Our Times
Plan your visit to Loading Bay
Loading Bay is in Bradford City Centre. Our address is:
Loading Bay
1 Duke Street
Bradford
BD1 3QR
Find out more including travel information and accessibility on our Plan your visit page.
Visit Bradford District
Plan your next visit to Bradford, including where to stay, how to get here, and more things to do across our district.
Past events
In 2025 this multi-story venue hosted exhibitions, dance, live music, supper clubs, comedy nights, and lots more, welcoming over 40,000 people through its doors.
13 Mar – 6 Apr 2025 • Thursday – Saturday: 12-6pm
Sundays: 12-4pm
Closed Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
Extraordinary Portraits with Bill Bailey
Breathtaking portraits – incredible personal stories.
15 Mar 2025 • 7.30pm
Ginger Johnson’s Fun House
Welcome to the House of Fun.
16 Mar 2025 • 8pm
Lady Maisery with O’Hooley & Tidow
A double bill of English folk music royalty.
21–23 Mar 2025 • Various times
Dracula
Blackeyed Theatre
It was fright night at Loading Bay!
26 – 30 Mar 2025 • Wednesday – Sunday: 12-6pm
Unspun Stories
509 Arts
An immersive installation that explored Bradford's textile heritage.
5 Apr 2025 • From 1pm
7 hours, 30 minutes (with intervals)
asses.masses
Patrick Blenkarn & Milton Lim
This was a live video game played by you, the audience.
9 Apr 2025 • 7.30pm (80 minutes)
Toxic
Nathaniel J Hall
Sometimes, survival means knowing when to leave.
24 & 25 Apr 2025 • 7.30pm
Little Wimmin
Figs in Wigs
An unorthodox, apocalyptic, cosmically catastrophic adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s classic novel.
26 Apr 2025 • 7pm
Lanre Bakare – ‘We Were There’ book launch
Bradford writer Lanre Bakare joined Victor Wedderburn in conversation, chaired by Dawn Cameron.
11 May 2025 • 2pm
1hr15 show + 45 min Q&A
The 56
LUNG
‘Nobody dies in football matches'
31 May 2025 • 10pm-2.30am
Public Interest Bassline Night
Bailey P, Mush & IFB
Common/Wealth presented a Bradford Bassline night like no other, including special guest performances from the Public Interest cast.
22 May – 15 Jun 2025 • Thursday – Saturday: 12-6pm
Sundays: 12-4pm
Tape Letters
Modus Arts
An exhibition that explored migration on tape.
11 & 12 Jun 2025 • 7.30pm
TESTO
Wet Mess
Wet Mess, Wet Messified transitions, testosterone and the edges of drag.
14 Jun 2025 • 3pm - 11.30pm
Everything for Everyone!
Home of Metal
A celebration of resistance and building cooperation.
17 Jun 2025 • 7.30pm
Language: no broblem
Marah Haj Hussein
A theatrical journey into multilingualism.
27 Jun 2025 • 6.30pm
The Pahari-Pothwari Literature Project
Nabeela Ahmed
New writings created in the rarely-seen Pahari-Pothwari language and English.
Purple Flag status
Bradford City Centre has been awarded Purple Flag accreditation for its dynamic, safe and vibrant night-time economy.
