Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture continues this summer with a packed programme of large-scale public art, immersive theatre, music, exhibitions, open-air cinema, and community events—many of them free—celebrating the city’s rich heritage and contemporary culture.
Highlights include the RedBall Project by Kurt Perschke (25–31 May), with a 15-foot red ball appearing across the city; and a steam train journey to a site-specific staging of The Railway Children at Oxenhope station (16 July – 7 September).
A one-off performance, Memories of the Future, will bring together over 70 participants aged 8–79 in a collaboration between Akram Khan Company and Dance United Yorkshire (5 July). A Good Yarn, by Luke Jerram and Bloomin’ Buds, will wind community textile stories into a giant yarn ball rolled through the streets. Also featured is Zee and the City, with a 4-metre puppet exploring Bradford’s past and future—both headline events at BD:Festival (26–27 July).
Bradford’s UNESCO City of Film status will be celebrated with open-air screenings at Ilkley Lido and Thornton Viaduct in August, a travelling Incredible Moving Cinema (7–15 June), and curated programmes from the National Science and Media Museum.
Exhibitions include Ice Age Art Now at Cliffe Castle Museum (21 June – 14 September), showcasing objects from the British Museum and local collections; and Tu i Tam / Tyt i Tam, exploring Polish and Ukrainian migration, at Loading Bay (3–27 July).
The New Music Biennial (6–8 June) will feature free performances across the city, broadcast by BBC Radio 3 and recorded for release. Benin-born Angélique Kidjo will perform a special BBC Proms concert at St George’s Hall (7 September).
Bradford’s food culture will be celebrated through projects like The Bradford Selection biscuit tin, the Meet Our Mothers cookbook, and the World Curry Festival in mid-September, with pop-up dinners, markets, and tours.
The Beacon, a touring venue, will host family events, music, and comedy at Bowling Park and Cliffe Castle, including Blankets & Wine, a Kenyan cultural celebration, and Summer Sounds with Nitin Sawhney. Bradford on Foot invites exploration of the district’s 144 square miles.
Other events include Channels, audio art inspired by local waterways (from 31 May); Pink in the Park, celebrating LGBTQ+ histories (28 June); RIDE, a fusion of rap, dance, and theatre with Gypsy and Traveller communities (19–20 September); Bloom, a circus show in Shipley (26–27 September); and STRIKE!, a light and sound show on the 19th-century Manningham Mills protest (3–5 October).
Shanaz Gulzar, Creative Director, said Bradford 2025 invites people to “experience our city in ways they’ve never imagined.” Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy praised the energy and talent in the district, and Darren Henley, CEO of Arts Council England, celebrated the transformative impact of cultural investment.
Bradford 2025 is delivered by Bradford Culture Company, with support from government bodies, National Lottery funds, and other partners.
