Wednesday 25 March 2026
8.45 AM - 7.00 PM
Bradford Arts Centre
St Peter's House, 1 Forster Square, Bradford, BD1 4TY
£0 +
Tickets are priced on a Pay What You Can model
A one-day conference uniting the arts and culture sector to explore the power of place-based collaboration.
Connecting Culture: The Bradford Way is a one-day public conference sharing Bradford’s model for place-based culture.
Bringing together artists, freelancers, producers, funders, policymakers and cultural leaders from Bradford and beyond, the event programme will explore the following themes:
- Learning and Looking Forward
Artists, cultural leaders and policymakers reflect on how Bradford’s collaborative spirit secured and delivered the 2025 UK City of Culture. Includes early findings from the Bradford 2025 evaluation, new research, and sector needs analysis from The Bradford Way. - Connecting Culture
A day-long hub for networking and exchange. Expect opportunity boards, spaces to connect, and a live broadcast with BCB Radio to extend the conversation across the district. - The Bradford Way
Stories of collaboration and creativity in Bradford. Hear 10-Minute Tales of ‘Bradfordness’, discover projects strengthening the local creative ecology, and explore case studies from The Bradford Way partnership. - Start with Art and Close with Culture
Art is at the heart of the day, and creativity will open, punctuate and close the event.
Marking a moment to unite the arts and culture sector, the conference aims to help shape the District’s creative future beyond its landmark UK City of Culture 2025 year. Attendees will hear how collaborative place-based working aids sector stability and raises the ambition of local arts and culture development.
Who this event is for
- Creatives, freelancers and arts and culture organisations
- National policymakers and culture funders
- Representatives from towns and cities invested in cultural planning and placemaking
- Anyone interested in how culture can drive change and raise local creative ambition
Event schedule
Here’s the shape of the day so far:
Timings
8.45: Registration opens
9.30: Conference starts
11:30 – 11:45: Refreshments
13.15 – 14.00: Lunch
15.20 – 15.30: Comfort break
17.30 – 19.00: Networking drinks and performances hosted by Bradford Music Scene
19.00: Conference ends
Learning and Looking Forward
Culture is (Still!) Our Plan
Artists and policy makers reflect on how the collaborative spirit that helped Bradford win and deliver UK City of Culture is now shaping its legacy. Delegates will hear how hyperlocal creativity has shaped a significant national event.
Speakers: Shanaz Gulzar and Dan Bates, Bradford Culture Company with Pete Massey, Arts Council England
Facilitator: Peg Alexander, Executive Chair of the Bradford Way
Beyond the Moment: Shaping Culture that lasts
Hear from Bradford Producing Hub, Bradford 2025 and Centre for Cultural Value on what we can learn from this point in time for Bradford and the wider cultural sector.
Following a conversation between Lisa Mallaghan, Gail Smith and Anna Kime, the session will split into two parallel workshops:
- People, Power, Purpose and Purses – Facilitated by Anna Franks and Lisa Mallaghan
Three artists reflect on Bradford 2025, sparking provocations on power, pay, narrative, and sustainability. Participants will be encouraged to reflect and respond in real time, sharing insights and questions to shape ideas around cultural planning that lasts beyond the headlines. A fast, interactive session for anyone thinking about the future of culture, a key driver for place-based narratives. - Fact, Figures, Fundamentals and Future Finds – Facilitated by Gail Smith
Explore early findings from Bradford 2025 and hear how the difference the Year of Culture has made. This is your opportunity to hear from the Evaluation team about their experience reflecting on 2025, what excites them, and what they wish they’d known sooner.
Connecting Culture
Non-stop Networking
The foyer space will be available throughout the conference to take a break and connect with others. The space will feature opportunity boards where creatives can advertise if they are looking for or offering work, training or other collaborative opportunities. The conference will close with Rewind and Refresh, a networking session where delegates can enjoy food and drink and reflect on the day.
1:1 Development Sessions
Arts Council England and the National Lottery Heritage Fund will host bookable 1:1 sessions for funding application support and development.
Advisers:
- National Lottery Heritage Fund: Guenievre Jacobucci and Hazel Curtis
- Arts Council England: Jenna Holmes, Simon Benger, Hannah Bentley
Northern Neighbours
Three post-industrial creative towns and cities discuss the highs and lows of placemaking with culture at the heart.
Speakers: Helen Goodman, Oldham Coliseum and formerly Hull 2017; Deborah Bullivant and Leanne Buchan, Rotherham Children’s Capital of Culture; Charlotte Steeles, Culture Burnley 2027.
Connecting Culture Live
Broadcasting live from BCB Radio across the Bradford district throughout the day.
The Bradford Way
What is The Bradford Way?
The Bradford Way is a collaborative network of cultural partners working together to ensure every artist, creative freelancer and organisation in Bradford has clear, connected pathways to the support, skills and opportunities they need to develop and sustain their practice. Hear how this network is making Bradford a place where anyone who wants to be a creative is supported to be one.
Speakers: Alice Withers, Bradford Cultural Voice Forum and South Square Centre; Osman Gondal, The Leap; Jo Hinchliffe and Karen Lewis, Bradford Council; Lisa Mallaghan, Bradford Producing Hub.
Our Time, Our Place, Our Future
An exploration of what else is growing and changing in the Bradford District to support – or that could be supported by – creativity and culture. The session will explore 3 emerging themes:
- Economy
- Wellbeing through culture
- Creative education and skills development
After a short presentation from the speakers, questions will be posed from participants in the Youth Strand who will be drawn from the Youth Sub Network and Bradford Young Ambassadors.
Speakers: Alex Willans, Skills House; Beth Sidwell, Brit School; Bradford Council Economic Development, Gaby Lees and Estelle Cooper; Bradford 2025
Facilitators: Youth Sub-Network and Richard Dunbar
10-Minute Tales
Tales of ‘Bradfordness’ will begin each conference session. We will hear about projects delivered with kindness, collaboration, dynamism, straight talking, and a DIY spirit.
Speakers:
- Charlotte Furness, Bradford Music Scene
- Mohammed Joynal, Bangladeshi Youth Organisation
- Carolyn Mendelsohn, Photographer
- Amer Saral, Bradford Arts Centre
- Noshina Kiani, Yorkshire Women’s Forum
- Tom Branfoot, Poet
- Adam Blackwood, Mek Summat
Screen Time
A screening of Yorkshire Film Archive’s moving image legacy of Bradford during City of Culture 2025 will be accessible throughout the day.
Start with Art and Close with Culture
Taking inspiration from the Cultural Voice Forum, we will start the conference with a short art activity or performance. There will be another short activity or performance to restart the event after the lunch break, and space for creative displays in the foyer.
From the morning break onwards, delegates can print a reflection from the conference through a heritage craft activity.
The conference will close with music from Bradford Music Scene during networking drinks.
Artists:
- Naomi Parker
- Bradford Music Scene
- Darcy Wymark
Quiet Space
A quiet space for prayer, contemplation and time out will be available throughout the conference.
Book now
To ensure this event is accessible to all, tickets are priced on a Pay What You Can model. Custom donations are also warmly received to help continue the work of The Bradford Way – thank you.
More about The Bradford Way
The Bradford Way is one of the largest Arts Council England-funded Place Partnerships, bringing together Bradford Producing Hub, Bradford Cultural Voice Forum, The Leap and Bradford Council.
This long-term partnership is building a sustainable, inclusive and resilient cultural ecosystem – creating opportunities for local creatives, supporting grassroots projects, and laying strong foundations for a thriving cultural future across the Bradford district.
Established in 2024, the programme was designed to strengthen the district’s cultural community – including those behind the once-in-a-generation achievement of securing UK City of Culture status. Each partner is deeply embedded in the city and district, making them perfectly placed to deliver a plan for culture that goes far beyond 2025 – and one that fosters cultural and heritage development, creates positive change, and lays strong foundations for a thriving cultural future that feels authentic to and for the people of Bradford.
“Bradford is young, ambitious, and creative – and we do things our own way. The Bradford Way is our lasting commitment to our district and how we celebrate that uniqueness. This conference is about the bigger picture for Bradford and what comes next. 2025 has been an outstanding, transformational moment in our story. Through The Bradford Way, we will continue to celebrate and inspire our ‘Bradfordness’ for years to come, using culture as the hook to prove what’s possible.”
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