£10 million funding for Bradford, UK City of Culture 2025

The government has announced £10 million of funding for Bradford as the UK's City of Culture for 2025.

The money is intended to support delivery of the city's programme of cultural activity over the year including live performances in existing cultural venues to pop-up experiences in a bespoke touring venue, Beacon.

Around 1,000 are scheduled for 2025, developed alongside and in collaboration with local artists and creatives. It is hoped they will attract 15.5 million visitors and bring an additional visitor spend of £136.9 million into the local economy over the course of the year.

The increased cultural and economic activity is expected to deliver up to £389 million of growth for Bradford as UK City of Culture 2025 and create 6,845 new jobs and opportunities by 2030.

Stuart Andrew, culture minister, said: "With its unique culture and young and vibrant population, Bradford will be a fantastic host for the UK City of Culture 2025.

"We are investing £10 million in the city this year to help prepare for the event so we can make sure it stimulates new jobs and growth in the local economy through culture.

"We want to open up access to the arts, create opportunities for young people, and inspire our next generation of writers, artists and performers."

Cllr Susan Hinchcliffe, leader of Bradford Metropolitan District Council said: "The funding announced today by DCMS, National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England is welcome good news. It’s further evidence of the willingness to invest not just in a global Bradford and in the cultural and physical regeneration of our city, but in the young people who will help shape its future.

"Now is our time, time for Bradford to shine and become a beacon for what’s great about Yorkshire, and about the North.  We will also be the largest, most ambitious and the first district wide City of Culture bid ever so we also remain optimistic that we will see more funding of this sort from Government in the near future to help us fully realise the opportunity that being the UK City of Culture in 2025 brings."

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