Bradford School of Art celebrates City of Culture Shortlist

Bradford School of Art has joined the rest of Bradford in celebration after the city was named one of the final eight in the bid for the UK’s City of Culture 2025.

Nathan Kelly, Dean, School of Art said: “This is brilliant news for Bradford and the network of creative and cultural organisations in the city that have worked so well together to get to this point. We are so proud that we are so heavily involved in the bid through the Art School but also across the wider college too.”

In the national spotlight

This is an important development for Bradford, which is now the only Yorkshire city left in the bid. If it is awarded City of Culture status, the city will be placed in the national spotlight for arts and culture. It will attract investment and creating jobs and new opportunities for people who live and work in the district.

Nathan added: “The School of Art has been embedded in the process of the bid for the City of Culture from the beginning. We work very closely with our industry partners to develop the skills pipeline for jobs and careers in industries including fashion, music and television.

“Now we can’t wait to show the rest of the world how fantastic Bradford and the School of Art is.”

A unique and growing arts sector

Bradford School of Art aims to boost the city’s unique and growing creative and cultural sector by working closely with the region’s creative industries, employers and arts organisations. The aim is to drive the development of skills for the next generation of talented creative professionals. In recent years it has supported productions including The Duke, Peaky Blinders, Gunpowder, Girlfriends, The Syndicate and Ackley Bridge. As recently as January 2020, students worked on set of the Duke (released February 2022). They supported make-up artists and worked in the costume department and as runners. Meanwhile, BA Hons Media Make up for the Creative Industries has been accredited by Screenskills, the industry body for training and development. 

Bradford School of Art

Bradford School of Art, part of Bradford College, is one of the founding colleges of Connected Campus. This is a consortium of colleges launched by Screen Yorkshire in February this year to make the creative industries more accessible to young people in the region.

Its courses have been designed with industry to meet the skills gaps and needs of the regions creative industries. The courses include many disciplines related to the film and TV industries, as well as fashion, music and art and design.

Its Further and Higher education courses range from Film and Media Production, Performance and Production Arts to Fashion and Textiles and Music, Performance and Production. It works with organisations including the National Science and Media Museum, Royal Shakespeare Company and Bradford Theatres to develop future industry professionals.

Partnerships

Its partnerships with local creative organisations play a major role in the city’s arts scene. Students and staff have taken part in events at South Square Gallery in Thornton, which was developed by a group of School of Art graduates in 1982.

For over 100 years the Bradford School of Art has provided an inspiring and supportive learning environment for budding artists, designers, musicians, performers and other creative professionals.

Find out more about the opportunities available, and how to apply, at https://www.bradfordcollege.ac.uk/bradford-school-of-art/