Shared Ground: Our Patch Gathering in Bradford

Community event reflects on socially engaged arts in Bradford

On 25 February 2026, Bradford Arts Centre will host Shared Ground: The Our Patch Gathering, a day dedicated to reflecting on and celebrating the impact of the Our Patch programme across Bradford. The event forms part of the official City of Culture 2025 activities and aims to bring together participants, artists, producers, and community members interested in socially engaged creative practice.

About the event

Shared Ground will run from 9:30am to 5:30pm, with an optional Community Iftar meal until 7pm. The gathering is designed to be inclusive and participatory, featuring a series of talks, panel discussions, workshops, performances, and practical sessions. It offers attendees the opportunity to share stories, ideas, and learning from a year of collaborative work across the Bradford district.

The programme will highlight the achievements and impact of Our Patch, a collective initiative that brought socially engaged arts into neighbourhoods throughout Bradford during 2025. More than 150 co-produced projects were delivered by over 50 local freelance creative practitioners and producers, engaging communities in every ward of the district.

Focus on socially engaged practice

Our Patch explored what socially engaged practice means in real-life contexts, emphasising relationship-building, local responsiveness, and creative work rooted in lived experience. Key themes to be discussed at Shared Ground include leadership, decision-making, the influence of time and place, and the nature of meaningful creative work within communities.

Invited critical friends will also contribute reflections to situate the Our Patch work within a broader cultural and social context. The event aims to foster learning and networking among local residents, artists, producers, funders, and anyone interested in community arts.

Consideration for fasting participants

Shared Ground coincides with Lent and Ramadan, periods observed by many through fasting, prayer, and reflection. To accommodate this, the venue will provide quiet spaces for rest, reflection, and prayer, as well as areas for those who need to eat or drink during the day. The Community Iftar meal in the evening is open to all, whether fasting or not, to promote a spirit of togetherness.

Event details

• Date: 25 February 2026
• Time: 9:30am – 5:30pm (optional meal until 7pm)
• Venue: Bradford Arts Centre, St Peter’s House, 1 Forster Square, BD1 4TY
• Admission: Free, ticket required

For more information and to book tickets, visit the official event page.

Background: Our Patch and Bradford 2025

Bradford was the UK City of Culture in 2025, hosting a wide-ranging programme of visual arts, performance, poetry, food, and play. Our Patch was a key element of this, delivering grassroots socially engaged creative activities across the district. Funded by The Esmee Fairbairn Foundation and The National Lottery Community Fund, the programme aimed to place the City of Culture at the heart of local communities, encouraging participation, skill-building, and connection through the arts.