Bradford 2025: City of Culture plans for 'lasting change'

The Bradford district, currently the fifth most income-deprived in England, is facing 'economic inequality, health disparities, and barriers to social mobility'.

However, as the city gears up for its year as the UK City of Culture 2025, a new initiative, Bradford 2025’s Creative Health programme, aims to tackle these issues head-on.

This project is more than just a celebration of Bradford's cultural heritage, says Bradford 2025. 

It is a commitment to drive 'lasting change', with an impact on the health and well-being of local communities.

The Creative Health programme is designed to target 'priority groups' identified by the Bradford District & Craven Health & Care Partnership.

These include individuals with long-term health conditions, dementia, severe mental health conditions, refugees and asylum seekers, Gypsy and Traveller communities, and people experiencing homelessness.

By incorporating creative practices such as music, drama, and visual arts into healthcare settings, the programme hopes to offer holistic ways to support physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

This programme is designed to target priority groups identified by the Bradford District & Craven Health & Care Partnership (Image: David Lindsay)

Bradford 2025’s Creative Health programme includes large-scale public art projects, targeted social prescribing financial awards, and community outreach.

One of the initiatives is the Social Prescribing Awards, offering two tiers of support for arts-led health initiatives in 2025, with 18 awards of up to £6,000 and eight awards of up to £30,000 available.

The programme also features a Community of Practice, which brings together local artists, healthcare professionals, academics, community leaders, and voluntary sector organisations.

This initiative focuses on 'supporting connections, building capacity, and driving innovation' in Creative Health by encouraging cross-sector collaboration.

The Healthy Minds Partnership is another key component of the programme.

It aims to expand access to culture by training 100 creatives to work effectively in mental health settings.

An access fund will also be established to support a buddy scheme, travel assistance, and accessible sessions within the Bradford 2025 events programme for people living with 'severe or complex mental health'.

Wild Uplands 'connects people to nature, reduces stress, and promotes physical activity through art in the outdoors' (Image: David Lindsay)

Shanaz Gulzar, Creative Director of Bradford 2025, said: "Bradford 2025’s Creative Health programme demonstrates the vital role arts and culture play in enriching our well-being.

"We aim to inspire healthier, more resilient communities by showing how creativity can bring people together and support personal and collective health."

Projects in the current Bradford 2025 programme that champion Creative Health include Wild Uplands, Meet Our Mothers, Bradford on Foot, and PLAY.

These projects aim to connect people with nature, celebrate cultural heritage, encourage physical activity, and strengthen family bonds through creative activities.