What Happens Next: A Guide to the Future of Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture and reopening of Loading Bay

Remember the buzz around Bradford in 2025? It was pretty much impossible to miss. The whole district came alive as the UK City of Culture, with millions of people flocking to see what was going on. The big question since the year wrapped up has been, "what now?". Well, it turns out the party isn't over. On 10 February 2026, the Bradford Culture Company announced that the incredible energy from last year is here to stay, with big plans to keep the city’s creative spirit flying high. They’re building on the amazing impact of the UK City of Culture programme, making sure the investment and excitement continue to create opportunities for everyone in the local community.

So, what’s the big plan?

Last year was massive for Bradford. Over three million people turned up for the events spread across the entire district, from the city centre to the quietest green spaces. It wasn't just local folks, either; audiences came from all over the UK and even further afield. It was a huge success that changed how people see the city and created thousands of new opportunities for residents.

Now, the Bradford Culture Company, the charity that made it all happen, is continuing its work. They’re a bit smaller now, but their focus is razor-sharp. The plan is to keep the momentum going through collaboration with local and national partners. This means more support for local artists and organisations in the cultural sector. They’re also bringing back the popular volunteer programme, which is great news for anyone who wants to get involved in the arts. Essentially, they’re making sure that culture and creativity remain accessible to everyone, continuing the positive impact of being the UK City of Culture.

That amazing warehouse venue is reopening

If there was one place that really captured the spirit of Bradford 2025, it was the Loading Bay. It was one of the year's standout successes. This multi-storey former warehouse was transformed into a buzzing hub of arts and culture, welcoming over 40,000 people. And the brilliant news is, it’s reopening in May. The Bradford Culture Company took over the old building and gave it a new lease of life, with two performance areas and a gallery spread over three cool, atmospheric floors. It brought a whole new energy to the city centre.

The 2025 programme was packed with incredible events that showed off the venue's versatility. Think about the variety:

• Cabaret nights featuring stars from RuPaul's Drag Race.

• A week-long residency from the magician Steven Frayne, better known as Dynamo.

• Fascinating exhibitions like Extraordinary Portraits with comedian Bill Bailey.

• Thought-provoking immersive theatre from the team at Common/Wealth.

• Clever mixed-reality experiences that let people explore Bradford's rich heritage in a new way.

The return of the Loading Bay is a massive win for the city’s cultural scene, promising a new programme of fantastic events for audiences to enjoy.

And there’s more good news with The Beacon

It’s not just the Loading Bay making a comeback. People can also look forward to the return of The Beacon, another popular venue from last year's programme. This temporary, community-focused space is expected to pop up again in summer 2026, as long as planning permission goes through. What made The Beacon so special was its partnership with local people. The programme was co-created with the community, for the community.

It was the kind of place you could take the whole family. The events were a real mix of arts and culture, including everything from family takeovers and arts and crafts sessions to live music, poetry, and dance. It was all about participation and creativity. Once the plans are confirmed, there will be 'find-out-more' sessions for the community to get involved in shaping the next chapter for The Beacon, ensuring its programme is truly people-powered.

Building a lasting legacy for the district

Beyond the brilliant venues, the Bradford Culture Company is focused on creating a lasting impact across the district. The volunteer programme, supported by funding from Allwyn, is a key part of this. It gives local people amazing opportunities to welcome audiences, act as ambassadors for their city, and get hands-on experience helping to run events. In education, the 'Bradford Made' history and heritage learning resources will be further integrated into schools. This is a great way to connect young people with their local heritage. Through a strong partnership with the wider cultural sector, the company is also working to create clearer pathways for young people who want a career in the creative industries, turning passion into a profession. This continued investment in skills and education is fundamental to the long-term vision for culture in Bradford.

What the organisers have to say

It’s clear there’s a lot of passion behind these plans. Dan Bates, Executive Director, and Shanaz Gulzar, Creative Director of Bradford Culture Company, shared their thoughts:

“Our time as 2025 UK City of Culture was transformational for Bradford. It strengthened our cultural sector, got people involved in arts and creativity, increased investment and tourism, and most importantly grew pride in our district and brought people together. Given the massive public response to our UK City of Culture venues, which were true Bradford 2025 highlights, we’re delighted to share that Loading Bay will be reopening adding to the growing city-centre cultural offer with a programme announced soon, and our plans to bring The Beacon back to Bradford too. Delivering the year was an honour and we’re excited to harness the energy of what was created and ensure that Bradford continues to be shaped by arts and culture. The ongoing success of Bradford will be, as our year was, people-powered in collaboration with the artists, organisations and communities that make our district such a fantastic place.”

The government has also recognised the huge success of the year. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said,

"2025 was a spectacular year for Bradford - this is clear from the sheer number of people who got involved with the City of Culture programme to celebrate local talent and make the most of all the opportunities that the 2025 title created. It is fantastic that some of last year's brand new venues will continue to delight audiences from across Bradford and beyond to make sure the spirit of Bradford 2025 lives on across the district for many years to come."

So, it’s clear that while the title of UK City of Culture was for one year, the spirit and the opportunities it created are just getting started. The future for arts and culture in Bradford looks incredibly bright.