Bradford 2025 Highlights 1980s South Asian Daytime Parties

Exploring the legacy of Bradford’s Daytimers through immersive installation

As part of Bradford’s year as the UK City of Culture, a new mixed reality installation titled Built by Sound is set to explore the experiences of British South Asian youth culture from the mid-1960s through to the 1980s. The installation runs from 21 November to 14 December 2025 and offers audiences an immersive journey culminating in the underground daytime parties known as Daytimers.

About Built by Sound

Built by Sound is a world premiere project created through collaboration between Emmy award-winning immersive story studio No Ghost, the artist-led initiative Dialled In, and Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture. The installation is scripted by author Nikesh Shukla, narrated by presenter Anita Rani, and directed by immersive producer Shehani Fernando. It features an original score by DJ and music producer Provhat Rahman and includes personal testimonies, archival footage, and photography by Tim Smith and Tony Walker.

Immersive Experience

Visitors experience the installation in groups of six, equipped with headsets that guide them through a series of scenes combining real-world elements such as sets, sound, and lighting with virtual and augmented reality graphics, film, and oral histories. The journey begins in the domestic world of second-generation South Asian teenagers in 1970s Bradford, moves through the Belle Vue photography studio and the streets of 1980s Bradford, and culminates in the Daytimers parties.

Historical and Cultural Context

The Daytimers were underground daytime parties that emerged as a form of cultural expression and resistance among young British South Asians in Bradford. These gatherings provided a space to celebrate identity and community in the face of social challenges, including opposition from far-right groups such as the National Front.

Voices from the Project

• Anita Rani, narrator and Bradford native, reflected on the emotional significance of the project and the importance of sharing these stories to preserve British social history.
• Nikesh Shukla, author and scriptwriter, described the Daytimers as a formative experience for many young South Asians, highlighting the themes of joy, safety, and resistance embedded in the parties.
• Shehani Fernando, producer, emphasised the resilience and creativity of Bradford’s Asian community during this transformative period and the intention to honour their legacy through the installation.

The installation aims to provide insight into a significant cultural movement that shaped the identities of British South Asian youth and contributed to Bradford’s social history.

For more information, visit the Bradford 2025 website.