The UK’s youngest city counts down to 2025
January 22, 2024We’re marking the 12-month countdown to UK City of Culture 2025 by launching programmes to ensure young people from across the district are at the heart of the development and delivery of Bradford 2025.
The passion and drive of our district’s young people was instrumental in helping us secure the title – and opportunities for the younger generation remain the focus with the launch of a range of paid work, training placements and a Youth Panel that will inform planning and decision-making.
Youth Panel
In December, almost 50 young people from all corners of the district applied for a role on Bradford 2025’s Youth Panel, which offers people aged 16–22 the unique opportunity to help shape and plan activities across programming, education and training, audience engagement, and beyond.
17 young people have now been recruited from a diverse range of backgrounds, including GCSE and A-level pupils; university students studying film and Artificial Intelligence; a care-worker and a finance apprentice.
“Bradford is a really big thing for me, being born here and living here and, I love seeing Bradford getting amazing things. Bradford 2025 is going to change my city and I joined the Youth Panel so I could be a part of the change” Noor, member of the Bradford 2025 Youth Panel
Young Creatives
An 18-month Young Creatives scheme, supported by a £250,000 grant from the Bradford-based Harry & Mary Foundation – which focuses on improving the education and wellbeing of the under 25s – will offer 10 young people the opportunity to work in Bradford 2025’s producing and engagement departments. Paid at the Living Wage Foundation rate, these young people will have the unique opportunity to work behind the scenes on the creative programming and events planning for Bradford 2025.
This initiative will be delivered in partnership with Bradford School of Art and Bradford College, enabling the cohort to gain vital on the job experience whilst working towards a Level 4 Professional Diploma in Creative Enterprise. These roles will be advertised for application in late February/March.
“Our Young Creatives initiative aims to kick start Bradford’s young people on their career paths in the cultural sector, which will empower them and help create a new generation of homegrown, cultural leaders” John McMahon, Head of Engagement – Skills and Volunteers at Bradford 2025
Apprenticeships across Bradford 2025 departments
As part of our remit to enhance skills and training opportunities for young people, we’re announcing 6 paid apprenticeship roles across various departments including marketing, digital, producing and operations in partnership with Access Creative College, the UK’s industry-led creative college. These full-time paid apprenticeships will equip young people with skills in their chosen fields, offering hands-on experience working on a once-in-a-generation cultural programme on their doorstep. These roles will go live for applications at the end of January, with further apprenticeship opportunities to be announced throughout 2024.
“We are creating opportunities for young people throughout our year of culture, and this is one of many. I was very impressed when I met the youth panel applicants, they demonstrated the breadth and depth of talent in the district” Shanaz Gulzar, Creative Director at Bradford 2025
Photography by Nathan McGill
