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We’re joining Authors Abroad to bring the joy of poetry to 2,000 pupils across Bradford – and find the region’s most exciting new voices.

Matt Abbott, Donavan Christopher, Andy Craven-Griffiths and Sharena Lee Satti will be hosting poetry workshops in 25 primary and secondary schools during 2024–25. After performing their own work and offering tips on writing, they’ll invite pupils to create poems on the theme of play.

At the end of each day, the poets and teachers will pick a team of six pupils to represent their school at the Slam Finals 2025 – where they’ll battle it out in front of a packed house for the title of Bradford Poetry Slam champions.

The Royal Ballet and Opera, Northern Ballet and Opera North are presenting a major education programme in Bradford schools – ending with a mass performance.

Sing, Dance, Leap is a major schools programme to inspire the creativity of young people across Bradford. Led by the Royal Ballet and Opera with Northern Ballet and Opera North, the nine-month programme launches in schools this month – leading up to a mass singing and dancing celebration in June 2025.

Sing, Dance, Leap gets under way in September 2024 with ‘Dreamcatching’ sessions in nearly 50 schools, capturing the hopes and dreams of more than 2,400 young people – dreams that will go on to shape and inspire the project. The three companies will then run over 80 workshops in writing, singing and dance, working with students across the district. Schools and teachers will also be offered training and digital resources designed to support music and dance education in schools, creating a tangible legacy from the programme for future years.

The 2024–25 programme will culminate in June 2025 with a mass performance of opera, ballet, song and dance celebrating the hopes and creativity of Bradford’s young people, with pupils and students performing alongside artists from the three companies.

But that’s not all. Royal Ballet and Opera, Northern Ballet and Opera North have committed to delivering education programmes here in future years – ensuring young people will continue to experience the life-giving joy of creativity and the arts in schools across Bradford.

Lead image: © Olyvon Productions