Latest news with #Bradford2025
BBC News
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Bradford 2025: Giant red ball rolls into City of Culture
A giant red ball hailed as the "world's longest-running street art work" has rolled into Bradford as part of its UK City of Culture designed by New York artist Kurt Perschke, has already visited Barcelona, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Paris, Sydney and other cities around the world, following its first appearance in St Louis, Missouri, in 15ft (4.6m) inflatable arrived in Keighley on Sunday, headed to Bradford on Monday and Tuesday, and is due to arrive in Ilkley 2025 organisers said they were "delighted to roll out the red carpet" for its visit to seven locations around Bradford, "from Haworth to Saltaire". Perschke said: "It's as tall as a lorry. It's somewhere between a sculpture and a performance."I wanted something that would play with a place as opposed to being another sculpture on a corner." On his website, Perschke said he was inspired when asked to improve an "ugly area underneath an overpass" in St Louis as part of a US arts said: "I was drawn to the way the concrete bridge merged into the earth and the space it created."RedBall came out of my thinking about that space, and how to show what I was seeing."After many false starts I drew this huge red sphere under the bridge, and laughed out loud." RedBall can be seen at the following locations between 10:00 and 17:00 BST:28 May - Lister Horsfall Jewellers, 2 The Grove, Ilkley29 May - Queensbury snicket, Bradford30 May - Haworth Main Street31 May - Shelter at Roberts Park, Saltaire Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Brontë Country art trail marks Bradford City of Culture year
A new art trail has opened on the moors overlooking the village of Haworth, once home to the famous Brontë sisters, as part of Bradford's UK City of Culture Wild Uplands trail at Penistone Hill Country Park features a series of sculptures which will remain in place for the next five pieces, created by four international artists, were inspired by Bradford's landscape and heritage, including its wool industry and the Cottingley Fairies hoax, organisers Earnshaw, executive producer for Bradford 2025, said the trail was "unexpected" and "magical". "People who are not from Yorkshire think of Bradford as just the big industrial city, but two thirds of our district is farms, moorland and hills - and it is exquisite," Ms Earnshaw said. British environmental artist Steve Messam used natural materials from the local area to create one of the a 10ft (3m) tall structure overlooking the moors, is built from rocks and covered in the fleeces of 500 sheep from the surrounding Messam said: "The country park here is a disused quarry, so it is based on those slabs of stone which are left over."They are the building blocks of the city, and the fleece is literally the fleece that built Bradford. It is about those stories and narratives within the landscape." Meanwhile, Brazil-born and London-based artist Vanessa da Silva created another of the works, called Muamba Posy, which reflects Penistone Hill's changing da Silva explained: "I imagined it 300 million years ago when the climate was tropical and hot, and the plants were gigantic and lush."It is meaningful for me as well, because I do not come from England. I am an immigrant here and the history of Bradford - having different communities that live here alongside each other - it is really meaningful to be part of this."An immersive sound walk called Earth and Sky will accompany the sculptures and aims to provide music to match the atmosphere of the Yorkshire by Italian musician Caterina Barbieri and Opera North, it uses geolocation to match sounds to where visitors are standing, and will be available to access via a phone app. The art trail has opened just days after being targeted by vandals, who smashed two marble butterflies, part of an installation of dozens of similar butterflies were the work of Pakistani-born artist Meherunnisa Asad in collaboration with Peshawar-based atelier Studio Lél, known for reviving centuries-old stone-work were carved from pink marble sourced from Pakistan, and were inspired by Bradford's stories of migration and movement and the resilience of its natural have appealed for help finding four suspects in connection with the Earnshaw said: "Everything about this project has been a challenge. In some ways it is a crazy challenge even to have considered doing."We are out here on the moors; there is no power; there are no cabins to keep our crew safe and warm while they are installing things. But that is what is magical: putting something unexpected and joyous out here for five months."Wild Uplands is on display at Penistone Hill County Park until 12 October. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
17-05-2025
- BBC News
Bikers sought over Brontë country trail vandalism
Police investigating damage caused by vandals to an art trail in Brontë country have appealed for help finding four marble butterflies, part of an installation of dozens of similar sculptures at Penistone Hill Country Park, near Haworth, were smashed in the attack, with the damage reported to have happened between 19:45 BST and 20:15 BST on said they wanted to trace a group of four people thought to have been in the area on motorbikes or e-bikes at about the time the damage took inquiries into the vandalism were continuing and Keighley Neighbourhood Policing teams would be carrying out patrols in the area, a West Yorkshire Police spokesperson said. Shanaz Gulzar, creative director of the Bradford 2025 City of Culture team which was behind the trail, previously described the vandalism as "sad and disappointing".However, she added that the trail would still open to the public on 24 May as butterflies which were damaged were part of the Wild Uplands arts trail– a temporary exhibition due to run until by Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture, the trail features the works of four damaged sculptures near a pond had already been repaired, Ms Gulzar 75 butterflies are the work of Pakistani-born artist Meherunnisa Asad, in collaboration with Peshawar-based atelier Studio Lél, known for reviving centuries-old stone-work the planning application for the trail was considered last year by Bradford Council, there was one objection over concerns it would be targeted by planners said that was not a valid reason for a refusal of a part of Bradford's City of Culture 2025 celebrations. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
North Wales Chronicle
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- North Wales Chronicle
Charles and Camilla arrive in Bradford to mark City of Culture celebrations
Charles and Camilla were welcomed by a performance from Paraorchestra, an ensemble of professional disabled and non-disabled musicians. Crowds had gathered alongside crash barriers outside the venue Bradford Live to see the royal couple arrive for a visit that will set the seal on the year-long celebrations. Bradford was chosen as the UK City of Culture over 20 other bids in May 2022 by the Government to showcase its best in music, the arts and heritage. Bradford 2025 is taking place throughout Bradford District, an area of 141 square miles across West Yorkshire. It features performances, exhibitions, events and activities inspired by the variety in the landscape, from the city's historic centre to the surrounding countryside with a focus on the people of Bradford, from local artists to the diverse communities who call the city home. Shanaz Gulzar, creative director, and Dan Bates, executive director, of Bradford 2025, said: 'We are delighted that Their Majesties The King and Queen are visiting Bradford.' The senior figures behind the project said they were looking forward to sharing 'some of the highlights of what this city and district has to offer during this momentous year as UK City of Culture – a year which is helping to drive confidence and investment, bringing communities together to share in Bradford's vibrant cultural offer, and enabling skills and talent development to shape the future of one of the UK's youngest and most diverse cities'. In the village of Thornton near Bradford, the Queen visited the house where the Bronte children, Charlotte, Patrick Bromwell, Emily Jane and Anne were born. The terraced property in Market Street was built at the turn of the 19th century and was the first parsonage of the children's parents Patrick and Maria. All four children were born in front of the fireplace – the original of which still exists – and lived there for five years before the family moved to nearby Haworth on the edge of the moors. Charlotte went on to write Jane Eyre, Emily authored Wuthering Heights and Anne wrote The Tenant Of Wildfell Hall. On Thursday, Camilla officially opened the Bronte Birthplace which aims to tell the story of the literary family from cradle to grave. The house is now in public ownership after a two-year campaign which attracted more than 700 investors and achieved national recognition and grants from Bradford 2025, the Community Ownership Fund, the National Lottery Fund and Rural England. The Queen was shown around the regenerated building as she met committee members and volunteers. She also spoke to pupils from St Oswald CE Primary School in Bradford who have taken part in the Be More Bronte project – an education programme developed to spark a love of literature and reading and also show that, just like the Bronte sisters, anything is possible with ambition and hard work. Postcards were filled in by the children, on what career they aspired to, and will be kept at the house. School headmistress, and Bronte Birthplace committee member, Gillian Wilson asked the Queen if she wanted to write a postcard message. Camilla wrote 'Be More Bronte' and was complimented by eight-year-old Paige Booth who said: 'Nice handwriting.' The Queen smiled and said: 'My very bad writing.' She went on: 'It will be interesting when you all come back and see if you have managed to achieve what you wrote on the card.' Paige said: 'I think I have already decided to become an author.' Camilla said: 'Well then lots of people when they come back will be reading your books. 'I think you are all doing brilliantly and I shall be looking out for those authors.' She later unveiled an easel plaque to commemorate the opening. The chairwoman of the Bronte Birthplace, Katharine Barnett, said: 'It is such an honour to welcome Her Majesty the Queen to the birthplace of the Bronte children. 'This house is where the story began, and this moment feels like the true beginning of a new chapter for Thornton and the Bronte legacy.'
Leader Live
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Leader Live
Charles and Camilla arrive in Bradford to mark City of Culture celebrations
Charles and Camilla were welcomed by a performance from Paraorchestra, an ensemble of professional disabled and non-disabled musicians. Crowds had gathered alongside crash barriers outside the venue Bradford Live to see the royal couple arrive for a visit that will set the seal on the year-long celebrations. Bradford was chosen as the UK City of Culture over 20 other bids in May 2022 by the Government to showcase its best in music, the arts and heritage. Bradford 2025 is taking place throughout Bradford District, an area of 141 square miles across West Yorkshire. It features performances, exhibitions, events and activities inspired by the variety in the landscape, from the city's historic centre to the surrounding countryside with a focus on the people of Bradford, from local artists to the diverse communities who call the city home. Shanaz Gulzar, creative director, and Dan Bates, executive director, of Bradford 2025, said: 'We are delighted that Their Majesties The King and Queen are visiting Bradford.' The senior figures behind the project said they were looking forward to sharing 'some of the highlights of what this city and district has to offer during this momentous year as UK City of Culture – a year which is helping to drive confidence and investment, bringing communities together to share in Bradford's vibrant cultural offer, and enabling skills and talent development to shape the future of one of the UK's youngest and most diverse cities'. In the village of Thornton near Bradford, the Queen visited the house where the Bronte children, Charlotte, Patrick Bromwell, Emily Jane and Anne were born. The terraced property in Market Street was built at the turn of the 19th century and was the first parsonage of the children's parents Patrick and Maria. All four children were born in front of the fireplace – the original of which still exists – and lived there for five years before the family moved to nearby Haworth on the edge of the moors. Charlotte went on to write Jane Eyre, Emily authored Wuthering Heights and Anne wrote The Tenant Of Wildfell Hall. On Thursday, Camilla officially opened the Bronte Birthplace which aims to tell the story of the literary family from cradle to grave. The house is now in public ownership after a two-year campaign which attracted more than 700 investors and achieved national recognition and grants from Bradford 2025, the Community Ownership Fund, the National Lottery Fund and Rural England. The Queen was shown around the regenerated building as she met committee members and volunteers. She also spoke to pupils from St Oswald CE Primary School in Bradford who have taken part in the Be More Bronte project – an education programme developed to spark a love of literature and reading and also show that, just like the Bronte sisters, anything is possible with ambition and hard work. Postcards were filled in by the children, on what career they aspired to, and will be kept at the house. School headmistress, and Bronte Birthplace committee member, Gillian Wilson asked the Queen if she wanted to write a postcard message. Camilla wrote 'Be More Bronte' and was complimented by eight-year-old Paige Booth who said: 'Nice handwriting.' The Queen smiled and said: 'My very bad writing.' She went on: 'It will be interesting when you all come back and see if you have managed to achieve what you wrote on the card.' Paige said: 'I think I have already decided to become an author.' Camilla said: 'Well then lots of people when they come back will be reading your books. 'I think you are all doing brilliantly and I shall be looking out for those authors.' She later unveiled an easel plaque to commemorate the opening. The chairwoman of the Bronte Birthplace, Katharine Barnett, said: 'It is such an honour to welcome Her Majesty the Queen to the birthplace of the Bronte children. 'This house is where the story began, and this moment feels like the true beginning of a new chapter for Thornton and the Bronte legacy.'
