University puts arts and humanities at centre of its Bradford 2025 plans 

The University is a strategic partner of Bradford 2025 and will inform and support the evaluation of events over the next 18 months, particularly with a view to creating a meaningful legacy that will drive strong economic and cultural growth for years to come. 

The University of Bradford’s programme of activities focuses on three themes: 

The Space In-between

• Engaging people in conversations on topics important to the city, using art and technology to explore issues including heritage, identity, artificial intelligence and faith 

Engines of Change

• Examining our relationship with technology, how we use it and how it defines who we are through diverse mediums including film, theatre and other media, reaching out to people young and old across the district 

How are you?

• Leveraging the University’s world-leading research in health and wellbeing to lead conversations about culture through the lived experiences of people from a range of backgrounds, encompassing initiatives including Born in Bradford, Whole Schools Physical Activity and Dying to Talk cafes, together with cutting edge research into cancer therapeutics, dementia care and SMART cities

Professor Karina Croucher, the University of Bradford’s Academic Lead for Bradford 2025 City of Culture, said: “One of the crucial aspects of our approach to Bradford 2025 is to use culture to support and inform economic development. We also want to show how the arts and humanities can work alongside science, technology, engineering and maths – which the University of Bradford is already well-known for – to tackle societal challenges. Harnessing our world-leading academic expertise, research and innovation, we aim to create a legacy – one which includes arts, humanities and cultures – that will benefit the city and our communities for years to come.”  

More about the University’s events activities 

The University of Bradford will stage numerous vibrant, thought-provoking events and activities across the district, some of which are listed below. 

• Our campus-based Theatre in the Mill is developing a range of events linked to Bradford 2025, together with a £200,000 cafe refurbishment to create a relaxed space for hosting shows, performances, workshops, craft activities and more 

• There will be an archaeological dig in Lister Park on the site of a Somali village that formed part of the famous 1904 Great Exhibition 

• Dying to Talk cafes will be taking place to spark conversations and disseminate knowledge about death, dying and bereavement among young people, culminating in a ‘Festival of the Dead’ 

• University academics and students will use ‘responsible AI’ to ethically (i.e. anonymously) ‘crowd map’ events, an approach that has already been tested at the Les Girafes event in August – the resulting research will help improve our understanding of crowd behaviour, traffic movement, litter build-up, light and noise pollution and will inform discussions on decarbonisation, sustainability and economic growth 

•  Academics will work with small-to-medium-sized businesses (SMEs) to study information that will be crucial to encouraging future growth in the regional economy, for example in through tourism 

• 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 

• Students are also part of numerous projects linked to Bradford 2025 and three students are members of the Bradford 2025 youth panel, while two of our graduates have been employed by the Bradford 2025 Company 

University of Bradford Vice-Chancellor Professor Shirley Congdon, pictured above, said: “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 the arts and humanities can work with science and technology and academic research and innovation to both inform and shape culture and how we as a university, can make a real difference to people’s lives.” 

Visit our Experts' Directory to find academics involved with Bradford 2025.