It can be hard to understand what each organisation does, what they might be able to support you with, and how best to approach them. We spoke to the people with power, and/or purses, in order to simplify this process and hopefully help you (and them) save time when trying to get the best support for your idea or project.
Bradford BID (Business Improvement District) is a not for profit organisation representing over 600 member businesses with an aim to make the City Centre a place that flourishes, is clean and safe, well promoted and delivers animation and activation events throughout the year.
We have a number of projects running at any one time, which are specifically linked to our business plan that was voted on in 2018. However, we are often approached by the brilliant minds of Bradford with ideas and proposals that meet our ethos of driving footfall into the City Centre and supporting our people, place and businesses.
We work hard on the following: Clean/safe/alive/promoted/business engagement/ evening and night time economy.
→ Bradford BID love sharing peoples events and projects on our social media platforms as well as on our monthly newsletter.
→ We can quite often put people in touch with the right stakeholder in the City Centre, such as landlords of buildings, Council services and other organisations who are committed to a vibrant and welcoming City Centre.
→ We can consider sponsorship of events and projects which meet our business plan priorities, drive footfall, raise profile, promote a positive perception of the City Centre and support the local economy both day and night.
→We can’t purchase equipment or organise events on behalf of others.
→ We can’t work or fund activities that take place outside of the BID demise area.
Please feel free to contact the BID Office via email or phone:
01274 308072
→ Arts, Culture and Heritage Grants.
→ Culture is Our Plan. The ten-year cultural strategy for Bradford 2021-2031.
→ Events in City Park and across the district.
→ Provide the Cultural Strategy – Cultural Place Partnership.
→ Support how culture feeds into policy throughout the council to affect change.
→ Support creative processes through conversations- they have an open door to hear about ideas.
→  Signposting and connecting with other organisations and creatives.
→ Finances- new grants programme coming.
→  In kind support- space, relationships, networks, resources.
→Supply or pay for equipment.
→ Pay for production or printing costs.
→ Provide payment retrospectively for something that has already happened.
Email Nic Greenan, also see twitter @nic_greenan
She advises you to be prepared and think through what you might need:
Prepare an outline that includes: who you are, what you are bringing to Bradford, why is it relevant and what are your needs.
Nicola.greenan@bradford.gov.uk
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→  Bradford Literature Festival: a celebration of events every summer which is a reflection of Bradford, national and international literature.
→  BLF see literature as an art form, written and spoken word in all its forms including theatre.
→  Work with schools all year round.
→  Focus on young people and community groups.
→  Book Clubs.
→  Out of festival events eg- Words in the Winter.
→  They want to hear about what people are doing locally.
→  Creative sector industry days and sessions- support local artists to develop practice.
→  Provide industry information, guidance and development sessions within the festival, eg- publishing, representation, agents etc.
→  Commissioning- with a focus on children’s theatre/storytelling.
→  Networking and signposting.
→  Volunteer opportunities.
→  There is no open call out/commissioning process.
→ BPH is a live arts development project. We are here to help the Bradford live arts sector to thrive and grow.
→ By live we mean a live performer to a live audience member (but they don’t have to be in the same room!), and we support anyone involved in making that happen, including creatives, companies, on and off ‘stage’.
→ We provide sector support, training & development, and some direct funding.
→  We act on the gaps we find – so tell us what you need: Even if we can’t respond to your specific need immediately (though hopefully we can!), we are constantly evaluating what we’re finding out and adapting our plans for the next few years.
→  Regular funding and opportunities:
• Spare Bob – £500 for development projects.
• Mentoring – we find (and pay) creative or business related mentors.
• Make Work – an annual Grant making strand, grants usually ranging from £3k – £15k.
• Transforming Spaces – a small annual seed-fund (£5k) to support the development of new space for creatives in Bradford.
→ We are specifically about LIVE arts: so we can’t fund or support artists or projects that are solely about none-live forms: digital / film / screen, visual arts, recorded music, etc.Â
→ We can’t provide ad-hoc funding for creative projects or events: This is because we need to be transparent and fair about who gets funded to do what, so there always needs to be an open and inclusive process. We mainly use our Spare Bob and Make Work rounds for this.
→ If your idea doesn’t really fit with those strands, we will help in other ways: such as identifying other funders, advising on funding applications, helping you develop a plan, finding partners, etc.Â
→ We try to be really clear about each of our opportunities, and we always welcome and respond to feedback.
Just drop us an email and let us know what it is you need , your ideas, your questions, to arrange a meeting.Â
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→ Kala Sangam is an intercultural arts hub which aims to reflect the diversity of contemporary Britain through the work they present, the artists they support and the communities they engage.
→ They are an arts centre that programme performances throughout the year.
→ They have specialist studio and theatre spaces.
→  A focus on supporting music and dance primarily, but also theatre and poetry.
→ Specialise in supporting Classical Indian music/dance and South Asian art forms.
→  They can offer specific spaces suitable for dance.
→ Organisational development support.
– Arts Council funding/bid writing/project grants support.
– In kind studio space, mentoring and working desk space.
→ Programming opportunities (12 months in advance- work has to align with at least one of our strands)
→ Paid performance opportunities.
→  The commissioning budget is very limited.
→ They cant support work that doesn’t link to strands.
Email Alex Croft – reach out to discuss your idea or project. Alex advises you to outline the idea and think about how it aligns to the strands of a Bradford based arts centre.
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→ Mind the Gap is one of Europe’s leading learning disability led theatre companies.
→ Make bold, cutting edge performance & live art events with people with learning disabilities or autism at the heart of the artistic process.
→ Talent development for artists with learning disabilities or autism.
→ Collaborate with other organisations to create an inclusive, accessible arts sector.
→ Fully accessible studio spaces for R&D and rehearsal.
→ Open Space programme for disabled artists and artists from Bradford, which includes 2 weeks access to rehearsal space; advice on producing, tech, marketing or fundraising; opportunities to work with MTG’s ensemble of artists.
→ Advice/mentoring on accessible working and inclusive practice.
→ Collaborations where there are work opportunities for learning disabled artists.
→ Commissions.
→ Programming.
→ Support or present full productions.
→ Offer space during term times.
Contact Jess Boyes with an idea of what you’re working on, what you need and why it would sit well with MTG.Â
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→ Theatre in the Mill is an arts venue and artist development organisation.
→ They are committed to developing, supporting, and presenting socially responsible work that reflects Bradford and the wider world, and amplifying the voices of those who lack a platform.
→ They develop and present creative work across a range of forms: digital arts, dance, installation, comedy, spoken word, VR, theatre, interdisciplinary performance and many more.
→ They support artists at all stages of their career and are committed to amplifying the voices of marginalised groups.
→ Funding (commissions up to £5k).
→  Support in applying for funding.
→ Rehearsal space and residencies.
→ Producer support.
→ Accessing digital equipment and programmes.
→ Learning digital technologies and tech support.
→ Marketing, advocacy and sponsorship.
→ Scratch performance opportunities.
→ National and international partnerships.
→ Programme visiting or touring work.
→ Programme or fund full, finished plays or ‘new writing’.
→ Offer commissions over £5k.
→ Programme or produce massive shows – they may be able to contribute though, if it fits with the core values.
The TiM team advise you to read the Programming Policy on their website, and get in touch with them early on in your idea process.Â
Drop an email to:
Rich Warbuton, Artistic Director R.Warburton@bradford.ac.uk
Jyothi Giles, Senior Producer J.Giles1@bradford.ac.uk
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The Leap is an Arts Council England, Creative People and Places programme. The Leap is for community-led culture, making space for the ideas, talent and energy of local people; increasing leadership and participation in arts and culture in across Bradford & Keighley.
The Leap is particularly focussed on supporting individuals, groups, communities and artists who can make an impact in Bradford Moor, City, Manningham, Keighley Central, Keighley West and Tong.
Current programme includes:
Pioneer Programme: Working in partnership with communities, organisations and artists to develop
uniquely Bradford co-commissions and co-created projects of scale and ambition.
People Make Change: Putting people at the heart of leading new, local arts and cultural activity in hyper local areas.
Radical Social: A programme of support for young people to lead on creative social action projects that are entrepreneurial.
Small Steps to Giant Leaps: Growing the eco-system of support by training other organisations to lead their own culture support programmes.
Knowledge Networks: Network development and learning that bring artists, communities and decision makers together, to grow and embed new and ways of demonstrating the social benefits of community-led culture.
→ The Leap are particularly interested in projects that bring communities and artists together in collaboration to make high quality work.
→ Financial and non-financial support for arts and culture projects that increase community leadership and participation in arts and culture.
→ Peer support and networking opportunities.
→ Capacity building support for selected individuals and groups to develop new or grow existing arts and cultural initiatives.
→ Opportunities for volunteering.
→ Opportunities for artists and organisations to collaborate and work with communities to deliver arts / cultural programmes.
→ Support projects that do not have communities at the heart of their design and delivery.
→ Support projects that do not set out to increase leadership and participation in arts and culture in areas of Bradford District where this is currently low.
→ Ad-hoc funding support for individuals and projects. This is because The Leap need to be transparent about how we make decisions about who is supported. All decisions about funding and support are taken by The Leap community-based assessors.
In the first instance please get in touch via email to arrange a chat:
Contact us
Bradford Producing Hub
Assembly Bradford
20 North Parade
Bradford
BD1 3HT
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