What's on | Bradford 2025

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Programme highlights

10 & 11 Jan 2025

RISE

Kirsty Housley & Steven Frayne (formerly known as Dynamo)

Our opening event. Believe your eyes – there’ll be magic in the Bradford air…

Image shows a DJ from behind, performing in front of a crowd. Pyrotechnics explode in front of the stage.

9 May 2025

Bassline Symphony

The sound of our city as you’ve never heard it before.

A girl stands on a train tracks in front of a large steam locomotive, waving a red hankerchief.

16 Jul – 7 Sep 2025

The Railway Children

The classic production heads to the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway.

Coming soon

A man looking menacingly into the camera holding his fingers in the shape of a gun. He has a shaved head and is not wearing a top. The picture is black and white.

15 Jan 2025

La Haine – Live

Asian Dub Foundation

ADF play live to Mathieu Kassovitz’s cult thriller. On sale now.

10 & 11 Jan 2025

RISE

Kirsty Housley & Steven Frayne (formerly known as Dynamo)

Our opening event. Believe your eyes – there’ll be magic in the Bradford air…

Portrait of Richard Hawley wearing sunglasses and a white jacket.

Part of The Big Brass Blowout

12 Apr 2025

Richard Hawley & the Black Dyke Band

Bradford’s brass legends team up with Sheffield’s favourite son for a one-off concert – exclusively live for Bradford 2025.

Musicians Kokoroko stand in a line in front of a wall.

Part of The Big Brass Blowout

13 Apr 2025

KOKOROKO

Plus support

The powerhouse London collective round out our brass weekender in spectacular style.

Black and white image of Bradford City v Newcastle United in 1911

Part of The Big Brass Blowout

11 Apr 2025

Echoes of the North

BD1 Brass play live to an extraordinary film celebrating the way we were.

Artist David Hockney sits on a chair in front of one of his paintings. The artwork is hung on a white wall.

Details coming soon

DRAW!

Supported by David Hockney

A nationwide drawing project.

An image of a woman in a red cape and hijabi with a black and white painted face. She is surrounded by women in blue hijabis facing in different directions.

11 Jan – 26 Apr 2025

Nationhood: Memory and Hope

Aïda Muluneh

A modern-day insight into our four nations.

Animated characters Wallace & Gromit hold instruments, against a background with musical notes.

Part of The Big Brass Blowout

12 Apr 2025

Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers – Live

Back on the big screen for Bradford 2025 – with the soundtrack played live by the City of Bradford Brass Band.

Image shows a DJ from behind, performing in front of a crowd. Pyrotechnics explode in front of the stage.

9 May 2025

Bassline Symphony

The sound of our city as you’ve never heard it before.

9 Sep – 6 Oct 2024

A Portrait of Us

Aïda Muluneh

A photographic celebration of our unsung heroes.

17 Jan – 27 Apr 2025

Fighting to Be Heard

British Library

Boxing, calligraphy and the collections of the British Library.

A row of dancers on a stage. One dancer holds a position away from the others.

24 & 25 Jan 2025

Jungle Book reimagined

Akram Khan Company

Akram Khan Company makes its Bradford debut.

A group of young people singing and looking upwards. All are wearing black.

Dates to be announced

Sing, Dance, Leap

Royal Ballet and Opera, Northern Ballet, Opera North

A major programme to inspire young people’s creativity.

A band playing on stage for BBC Introducing. The lead singer is wearing a a red jumper and the bassist and drummer are in dark clothing in the background.

Multiple dates throughout 2025

BBC Introducing at The Underground

Catch the next big thing live at Bradford 2025.

An image of the sky depicting the galaxy.

Apr 2025 – Feb 2026

Marshmallow Laser Feast

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

A black and white portrait of Saima Mir

Summer 2025

The Book of Bradford

Comma Press, Saima Mir

Ten short stories by Bradford writers.

A woman wearing headphones looking at a film camera and screen.

Dates to be announced

Northern Lens (working title)

Curated by Clio Barnard

A film season exploring the northern female lens.

A group of older ladies sit together holding up placards with phrases including 'I Can Boogie' and Boogie Wonderland' on them.

Dates to be announced

So Far, So Good…

TC Howard & Dance On Bradford

An inclusive new dance show about growing older.

Black and white image of a group of people in a pub. A man sitting close to us is drinking a pint of beer.

Dates to be announced

The Local (working title)

Kim Hopkins

Step inside a Bradford landmark…

Dates to be announced

Bradford Digital Creatives

New digital artworks exploring what it’s like to grow up in 2025.

A yorkshire moorland scene showing heather, grass and bushes. The weather is overcast.

May – Oct 2025

Wild Uplands

Striking new art for the moors above Haworth.

Six young people stand in a line, against a pink background.

Sep 2025

New Focus: Bradford Young Curators

Ten young people curate a major exhibition at Impressions Gallery.

Man with white sunglasses on is looking to his left, he is wearing a black and white striped sports top. He is stood in front of a bricked building and a car

Dates to be announced

Frontline 1984/1985

Victor Wedderburn

A fascinating exhibition exploring Black Bradford in the ’80s.

A person wearing a large powdered wig covered in pearls. They wear white make up and hold a fan, giving us a sultry look.

Dates to be announced

Flesh and Flamingos (working title)

Dominic Leclerc

The hidden history of northern queer culture.

11–21 Jun 2025

Right/s

Common Wealth

An urgent immersive show on youth culture.

Three individuals standing over a cooking hob, where two of them are flipping chapatis in the pan. One is being tossed in the air.

Autumn 2025

Meet Our Mothers

Deepa Mann-Kler

An interactive cookbook celebrating Bradford’s heritage.

A behind the scenes image of a film shoot. The camera is in the foreground focussed on two people walking up some stairs.

Dates to be announced

FORGE Shorts

Three new films from Bradford writers and directors.

Person in blue gilet with hands in pockets walking away from the camera down a country path, a field is to the right of them.

From Apr 2025

Bradford on Foot

Walk a mile or more in our shoes…

Sep 2025

Wandering Imaginations

The Brontës’ imaginary worlds reimagined for 2025.

Three people stood behind an ice cream counter, holding an ice lolly / ice cream. There is a pink sign in the background which reads the ice cream menu.

From Spring 2025

The Bradford Selection

Edible Archives

Take a bite out of Bradford with our magnificent biscuits.

A girl stands on a train tracks in front of a large steam locomotive, waving a red hankerchief.

16 Jul – 7 Sep 2025

The Railway Children

The classic production heads to the Keighley & Worth Valley Railway.

A chorus of singers all dressed in dark blue perform on a balcony above the orchestra.

24 & 26 Apr 2025

Simon Boccanegra

Opera North

Opera North’s first performances of the Verdi classic.

A dark moorland scene with rocks in the foreground and a reservoir in the background. Laid on the moorland are fluorescent lighting tubes.

May – Oct 2025

Earth & Sky

Opera North

An immersive sound walk over the moors above Haworth.

A piece of carved bone depicting a mammoth spear thrower

21 Jun – 14 Sep 2025

Ice Age Art Now

British Museum

Travel back in time at this British Museum Partnership Exhibition.

A shot of four people performing at Contains Strong Language

18–21 Sep 2025

BBC Contains Strong Language

The UK’s biggest poetry and performance festival comes to Bradford.

Andrea Dunbar sat leant against some stair railings. The image is in black and white and she is wearing long sleeve shirt and trousers.

Dates to be announced

The Dreams I Had: Andrea Dunbar

Celebrating one of Bradford’s most distinctive voices.

Large image of Mikey Roots, a Bradford community legend. Artist, Peachzz is stood in front of the image facing right with a paint brush and palette in her hand.

Part of BD: Walls

On display now

Roots

Peachzz

A vibrant street-art homage to a Bradford legend.

A treated image of a group of dancers mid jump. The figures are in black and white with a green circle behind them.

5 Jul 2025

Memories of the Future

Akram Khan with Helen Linsell

An ambitious dance work starring the people of Bradford.

A black and white image of a man in a car. He wears a determined expression.

Dates to be announced

The Ceremony

Jack King

An award-winning debut feature set in Bradford.

A man in a black mac and black rain hat plays a double bass on some rocks in the countryside.

May 2025

The Bradford Progress

Paraorchestra with Charles Hazlewood & Jeremy Deller

A musical journey created with the people of Bradford.

Artist, Nespoon, is crouched in front of the mural she has painted, with a paintbrush in hand. The mural is a white lace pattern that sits on a purple background. There is a historic building in the corner of the image.

Part of BD: Walls

On display now

The Portal

NeSpoon

New street art inspired by old traditions.

A group of adults and children stood a priest who is reading from a book.

Dates to be announced

Tu i Tam/Tyt i Tam

Tim Smith & Marta Szymańska

An exhibition documenting our Polish and Ukrainian communities.

A young girl wearing a bright pink hoodie using a hammer on some wood.

2–8 Apr & 11–17 Aug 2025

The Great Adventure Build

Woodland Tribe

Build the playground of your dreams – then play!

Sep 2025 – Feb 2026

Turner Prize

We’re teaming up with Tate to bring the Turner Prize to Bradford.

A mum and toddler walk through two glass doors into a soft play area

Dates to be announced

REPLAY

The Herd

Enter an endless world of play in this interactive experience.

A bug holding a lantern with lit up wings against a forest style backdrop, all of which is made out of cardboard

8–23 Feb 2025

Grue

Wintercroft & ARCADE

Explore a wintry world built by the people of Bradford.

A group of musicians performing on stage. They are all stood in a line silhouetted by white light behind them.

6–8 Jun 2025

New Music Biennial 2025

Fresh sounds from the UK’s most exciting composers.

A crowd of people with their hands in the air in a dimly lit room, dancing to a DJ set.

2 Aug 2025

Dialled In

A celebration of South Asian music and culture.

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Collections

Black and white image of a group of people in a pub. A man sitting close to us is drinking a pint of beer.

Film

Celebrate cinema in the world’s first UNESCO City of Film.

A young boy in an orange onesie with green hair is building with wood.

PLAY

Our year-round programme for children and families.

The Beacon

Everyone’s welcome at The Beacon – our very own touring venue.

Yellow and green spray painted words 'MAPA', sitting on a red background. There is a ladder to the left of the picture and artist, Peachzz with her back turned to the right.

BD: Walls

We’re turning the streets into galleries for Bradford 2025.

From the mills to the hills

We’re taking culture right across Bradford District in 2025.

Close up photo of a DJ's hands.

Bradford artists

Brilliant Bradford artists are at the centre of our programme.