We are proud to celebrate the recognition of our Exec. Director, Lisa Mallaghan, who was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of Bradford College during their 2024 Graduation ceremony last week. This prestigious title acknowledges Lisa’s outstanding contributions to the arts and her commitment to Bradford’s creative community.
This accolade reflects Lisa’s remarkable achievements which include her work leading Bradford Producing Hub. Since our establishment in 2019 as a pilot project funded by Arts Council England, our mission has been to nurture local talent, forge meaningful partnerships, and champion the arts across the district. Lisa’s leadership embodies these values to her core, and this recognition fills our team with immense pride.
Lisa, reflecting on the milestone, shared
“It really means the world to me. I’ve been working so hard in the Bradford arts scene for over 20 years now, to know that it’s been noticed and recognised means so much to me and my team.
“I’ve worked with Bradford College in a wide variety of ways and I actually sing in a band with one of the lecturing staff, but my relationship is mainly through Bradford Producing Hub. We have ‘Bradford’ in our title, so naturally, the first thing we wanted to do was reach out to all Bradford-based institutions, where people are developing their skills, to see how we could help students with a wider understanding of the sector. Everything’s just built from there!
“We’ve spoken to hundreds of students through sessions and workshops. The standard of work I’ve seen from Bradford College students is so impressive. When I came to the School of Art Summer Show I was blown away. People need to know about this College providing tutoring and teaching of a professional quality, with students graduating industry-ready.”
As Bradford approaches its year as the UK City of Culture, Lisa sees this as a transformative moment for graduates.
“This cohort is in a position that so few graduates experience, as they step out of their studies straight into our year as City of Culture! If they really grasp this and get involved, it could fast-track their careers in a way that might not have been possible before.”
Vice Principal Alina Khan, who was named ‘Noor Inayat Khan Muslim Woman of the Year’ at the British Muslim Awards earlier this year, acknowledged Lisa’s achievements during the ceremony, saying
“We are incredibly grateful for your commitment to Bradford College, our city, and the next generation of creative talent, so today we are delighted to bestow upon you the title of Honorary Fellow.”
For Bradford Producing Hub, this recognition is a moment of pride for the entire organisation and a celebration of Bradford’s vibrant arts scene. We are honoured to continue this journey of supporting local creatives, with Lisa’s leadership inspiring our shared vision for the city’s cultural future.
We extend our sincere congratulations to Professor Rosie McEachan, Director of Born in Bradford, another inspiring female leader in Bradford awarded an honorary fellowship for her work in Applied Health Research. Professor McEachan’s impressive work includes holding a leadership position at The Bradford Institute for Health Research and being co-lead of The Healthy Families theme of the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Yorkshire and Humber. Born in Bradford is one of the world’s most extensive research programmes. The project aims to find out what influences the health and wellbeing of families by tracking the lives of over 40,000 Bradfordians, some of whom are now students at Bradford College.
“Bradford is an amazing place to live and work, I’ve nearly reached the 25-year mark to properly become a Yorkshire girl! We’ve worked with the College and its students for years, they are the future. What always strikes me about Bradford is the people, communities and how everyone works together – it’s so vibrant. I love the multiculturalism of the City, there’s just an amazing passion and vibe.
“The work we do at Born in Bradford tries to champion Bradford as an incredible place to be and helps to recognise the region internationally. There’s an exceptional bunch of graduates here, the future of Bradford is in safe hands.”
