Bradford, City of Culture

[Braunschlag]

May I say how pleased I am that Bradford has been declared City of Culture for 2025. Living around 30 minutes away it’s a place worthy of support and one hopes that the city rises to the challenge. It’s a place that’s much maligned with significant deprivation and difficulties and this accolade will hopefully encourage the city to put itself on the map. Well done Bradford!

[LHC]

I see your previous favourite, Derby, failed to even make the shortlist.

The big question after Coventry's stint as the City of Culture is, does Bradford have its own Binley Mega Chippy?

More seriously, well done Bradford.

[french frank]

May I say how pleased I am that Bradford has been declared City of Culture for 2025. Living around 30 minutes away it’s a place worthy of support and one hopes that the city rises to the challenge. It’s a place that’s much maligned with significant deprivation and difficulties and this accolade will hopefully encourage the city to put itself on the map. Well done Bradford!

Yes - and against pretty strong competition too: (Co) Durham, Southampton, Wrexham. I suspect each city has its own special contribution to make when it comes to 'culture'. So far, neither Scotland nor Wales has had much of a look-in. Good luck to Bradford - becoming A Force to be Reckoned With in recent years, I would say.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

This is great news. For so long, Bradford has been lumped with Leeds. The two cities are near to one another, but not nearly as close as Manchester and Salford, and are more distinct.

[RichardB]

I like Bradford very much (& to me it has always felt quite different from Leeds). But I can't help thinking that the idea of a "city of culture" stems from cultural support in general these days consisting of so few crumbs that it only looks like anything at all if it's concentrated into one lucky place. Every city should be a city of culture. Most cities seem these days to be hollowed-out centres ringed by retail parks.

[Braunschlag]

This is great news. For so long, Bradford has been lumped with Leeds. The two cities are near to one another, but not nearly as close as Manchester and Salford, and are more distinct.

Leeds has plenty of cultural support, no criticism intended but it always did well.
Bradford - I go often and you’ll find the finest municipal cemetery anywhere, Undercliffe, (Bob Cryer is there), Lister Park, Cartwright Museum, a very exotic Town Hall, David Hockney, Saltaire (UNESCO Site), there’s plenty to see, taste, hear, enjoy.

[Alison]

What does Bradford have in the way of music venues?

[Pulcinella]

What does Bradford have in the way of music venues?

According to Wiki:

St George's Hall is a concert hall dating from 1853 making it the oldest concert hall in Britain and the third oldest in Europe.

[notnerb]

According to Wiki:

St George's Hall is a concert hall dating from 1853 making it the oldest concert hall in Britain and the third oldest in Europe.

Not to mention J B Priestley and Fred Delius . . . .

[Ein Heldenleben]

I like Bradford very much (& to me it has always felt quite different from Leeds). But I can't help thinking that the idea of a "city of culture" stems from cultural support in general these days consisting of so few crumbs that it only looks like anything at all if it's concentrated into one lucky place. Every city should be a city of culture. Most cities seem these days to be hollowed-out centres ringed by retail parks.

Yep that’s pretty well nailed it…

[alywin]

Is the Alhambra still going?

[mahlerfan]

Yes - and against pretty strong competition too: (Co) Durham, Southampton, Wrexham. I suspect each city has its own special contribution to make when it comes to 'culture'. So far, neither Scotland nor Wales has had much of a look-in.

Good luck to Bradford - becoming A Force to be Reckoned With in recent years, I would say.

Seconded! Good luck Bradford!

I lived in Bradford for three years in the eighties and loved every minute!

The proud enlightened and noble people of Bradford will not be walked over by corporate enterprises that do not take into account the living, breathing, heart and soul of the local people.

Cineworld forced to climb-down in blasphemy row.

Following in the footsteps of Iran and Egypt who have also banned this culturally insensitive and blasphemous film

Standing up to blasphemy - well done Bradford! keep it going!

https://www.itv.com/news/2022-06-07/cineworld-cancels-screenings-of-blasphemous-lady-of-heaven-after-protests

[Serial_Apologist]

Seconded! Good luck Bradford!

I lived in Bradford for three years in the eighties and loved every minute!

The proud enlightened and noble people of Bradford will not be walked over by corporate enterprises that do not take into account the living, breathing, heart and soul of the local people.

Cineworld forced to climb-down in blasphemy row.

Following in the footsteps of Iran and Egypt who have also banned this culturally insensitive and blasphemous film

Standing up to blasphemy - well done Bradford! keep it going!

https://www.itv.com/news/2022-06-07/cineworld-cancels-screenings-of-blasphemous-lady-of-heaven-after-protests

Is this meant ironically? Personally I think there should be much more banning of the left wing Marxist ideas promulgated by the BBC and constantly presented in films; we already get far too many of them in The Sun, Daily Mail, Express, Guardian, Mirror, Independent etc. No wonder this country's going to the dogs!

[mahlerfan]

Is this meant ironically? Personally I think there should be much more banning of the left wing Marxist ideas promulgated by the BBC and constantly presented in films; we already get far too many of them in The Sun, Daily Mail, Express, Guardian, Mirror, Independent etc. No wonder this country's going to the dogs!

Not sure how relevant that is to the plucky citizens of Bradford.

[Serial_Apologist]

Not sure how relevant that is to the plucky citizens of Bradford.

Maybe I should have suspended my irony by-pass before reading your previous post then.