Bradford Artist Tricia Arthur-Stubbs Named International Bridges Fellow in Landmark Cultural Exchange

Bradford Producing Hub has announced that local artist and cultural producer Tricia Arthur‑Stubbs has been selected as one of just ten international fellows for the inaugural Bridges Fellowship.

Tricia’s selection marks another milestone in her rising international profile, having already been chosen earlier this year to represent Bradford in the Nairobi Producer Exchange, a groundbreaking collaboration between the UK and Kenya designed to connect artists of African heritage. Now, through the Bridges Fellowship, Tricia will again represent the Bradford and the UK as a whole, joining a cohort of creative professionals from Kenya, Benin, Egypt, Sudan, South Africa, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe.

The Bridges Fellowship is led by Kenyan producer Karishma Bhagani in partnership with Producer Hub (USA) and Georgetown University’s Laboratory for Global Performance and Politics, and is supported by the Mellon Foundation, British Council, and Stanford University. This global initiative brings together major arts organisations and institutions, with Bradford Producing Hub acting as the UK host.

As part of the programme, Tricia has been paired with Kenyan artist Wanjiru ‘Ciru’ Njoroge for a two-way international residency this November 2025. The pair will each spend a week in Nairobi and Bradford, hosted by Bradford Producing Hub and supported by Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture.

Tricia said:

“I feel so honoured to represent Bradford and the UK in this important new fellowship,” said Tricia Arthur‑Stubbs. “My practice is rooted in the power of Black-led arts, community-driven festivals and dance. Being part of this international cohort will give me an incredible opportunity to immerse myself in Nairobi’s cultural scene. It also offers me the chance to deepen my work while building powerful connections across the African diaspora.”

Raised in Bradford and of Trinidadian heritage, Tricia is known for her work in Caribbean Carnival Dance (Soca) and as the founder of BRAVE Festival (Black Roots and Voices Expressed), which returns to Bradford on the 18th and 19th of October 2025. Her practice centres around joyful, accessible performance rooted in African and Caribbean culture, and she currently leads the Black Arts Network within the Bradford Cultural Voice Forum.

This new international appointment not only elevates Tricia’s own practice but also shines a spotlight on Bradford’s growing cultural significance.

Lisa Mallaghan, Executive Director of Bradford Producing Hub had this to say:

“We’re thrilled that Tricia’s work is being recognised on a global stage, this is exactly the kind of opportunity we want to make possible: one that grows local leadership and connects Bradford artists with international peers, in the spirit of collaboration and creativity. We can’t wait to welcome Ciru to Bradford and to support continued opportunities for black-led arts”

The Bridges Fellowship further solidifies Bradford’s role as a northern powerhouse for creative talent, with Bradford 2025’s international programme continuing to open new doors for locally based artists.