Bradford 2025
2025 is Bradford’s year.
Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture will transform our city, showcasing and celebrating the rich culture and heritage found in our communities and injecting a huge boost of confidence and investment into our strong and diverse cultural sector.
The University is a major partner of Bradford 2025. Part of our role will be evaluating the impact of the year-long celebration to ensure we have a meaningful legacy that will drive strong economic and cultural growth for years to come. We will be delivering culturally embedded research that impacts people's lives locally and nationally, we will be developing learning, placement and volunteering opportunities to enhance our students experience and we will be co-creating a programme of events with our partners that will engage people with the University and the city.
We do this already.
The University launched its Cultural Plan in 2024, and we are one of the few universities to have a working theatre – Theatre in the Mill - on campus. In addition to giving the cafe a £200,000 makeover, Theatre in the Mill have launched Untitled, a programme to support artists development and ‘You’re Havin’ a Laff’, a comedy workshop for global majority women.
Our academics have already used cutting edge science and technology to create Virtual Bradford, a digital twin of the city, the first of its kind in the country, which has already been singled out by the Arts and Humanities Research Council as an exemplar in showcasing how science and technology can enrich cultural experiences.
The University of Bradford is an anchor institution in the city. We have a track record of working with other cultural organisations, large and small, including Bradford Literature Festival and the National Science and Media Museum, to deliver activity that enhances our teaching, research and innovation and makes a positive difference in people’s lives.
Harnessing our world-leading academic expertise, research and innovation, we aim to create a legacy during 2025 that will benefit our university, the city and our communities for years to come.
Why it’s important for the University to get involved in City of Culture - Professor Shirley Congdon
Later today, Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture will launch its programme of events. The University of Bradford is proud to be a strategic partner of Bradford 2025.
Workshops aim to create centre for female comedy
A University of Bradford project aims to become the northern hub for comedy from global majority women after securing a national grant for their comedy programme.
Stories from Valley Parade
Bradford City fans have been invited to share their memories of supporting the club for a virtual reality (VR) inspired project from that will be revealed during Bradford 2025 to mark the 40th Anniversary of the fire at the stadium.
This honour is for the whole city, says Bradford 2025 Bid Director
Bradford City of Culture Bid Director, Richard Shaw, has dedicated his Honorary Degree of Doctor from the University of Bradford to the city.
Bradford wins #CityofCulture2025
The city prepared a compelling, energetic, and dynamic bid that impressed the judges, who praised the ambition and inclusivity of Bradford’s plans to welcome the world in 2025.
This is a pivotal moment for the city and the district. As a strategic partner of UK City of Culture 2025 and an anchor institution in Bradford, we have a unique role to play. This is an opportunity for us to show how science and technology and academic research and innovation can both inform and shape culture and how we, as a university, can make a real difference to people’s lives.
Who's involved
Get in touch
To find out more go to the Bradford 2025 website, or get in touch with our Events team if you have a question.