Mini Seed Commissions

January 20, 2023 Off By admin

Our vision is to make Bradford one of the most welcoming places in the UK where artists, producers, audiences and creative entrepreneurs can flourish.

We’re thrilled to annouce we have Mini Seed Commissions available to support artists, makers and organisations in the Bradford district to have dedicated time to research and develop project proposals and ideas for Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture.

This funding is time limited, and the activity will need to be completed by March 14 2023.

The proposals should relate to one of our 4 themes, which we developed in collaboration with people across Bradford, during our bid period. We are seeking to find the artists and ideas we have yet to discover and support the ideas which some of you have submitted to our website which may need to be revisited to fit with the following themes.

Themes

CITY OF THE WORLD Inspired by the stories, journeys and origins of our population, who stand on the shoulders of the migrants who powered our mills and today drive our high-tech international trade. Our diverse heritage allows us to explore the future of cultural, social and economic exchanges nationally and internationally, and giving us the opportunity to welcome home the great talents that Bradford has given to the world.

COMING OF AGE Inspired by our young people we focus on shaping the future of our district and our country. With the youngest population in the UK, this theme will be curated and delivered by young citizens and artists of generation 2025, focusing on new talent, fresh thinking and digitally empowerment inspiring our children to be the new generation of UK digital creatives.

EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED Inspired by the motto of Bradford’s Institute for Health Research, the home of our Born in Bradford study, we will bring art, science, medicine, and technology together, triggering new commissions and extraordinary tech art and media projects for all ages. BD25 offers the UK an unprecedented research and evaluation platform, as nowhere else has access to our depth of citizen health and wellbeing data. This will also be where we focus on sustainability, explore alternative methods of cultural consumption and where we address barriers to physical connectedness and travel across the district and beyond.

WELCOME HOME SEXY Inspired by legendary graffiti on the approach to Bradford Interchange station, we celebrate the honesty, directness, and warmth of Bradfordians, to foreground our values and qualities: family, friendship, the sharing of food, caring for neighbours and taking joy in hosting visitors. This is also where we celebrate our heritage of non-conformism and social reform from the campaign for free school meals to the legions of outsiders, contrarians and innovators who have defined our district.

Mini Seed Commissions

Can be for an idea already submitted to Bradford 2025 and that may need further development, a new idea or a new collaboration
Can take place in the district in the UK City of Culture year
Can be for any artform, craft form, indoors, outdoors, day or night, in an arts venue, a found venue, a park, a community centre, your street or even your garden or house
Can involve collaborators and partners but must be led by an artist or maker based in the Bradford District

Please note: this funding is time limited, and any activity will need to be completed by March 14 2023, together with a more detailed project proposal and budget.

How to Apply

Your proposal can be submitted in video or document format:

Video of no more than 2 minutes
Document of no more than 2 pages of A4

Make sure you include your full contact details, including an email and phone number and the title of your proposal

Your proposal should include a biography or description of what you do, together with an overview of the idea that you would like to develop further into a full pitch plus details of the grant amount you are requesting and how you will spend it.

This is an open call to any artist, maker or organisation working in any medium, living in the Bradford District.