Bradford’s 2025 UK City of Culture kicked off with a spectacular event, including magic from Stephen Frain, who told the crowd how proud he was to be from the city. Thousands of people braved the searing temperatures in a city park to watch a show specially created to kick off the annual arts and crafts festival featuring more than 200 artists. The RISE event was developed by Frein, formerly known as Dynamo, alongside director Kirsty Housley, and the TV magician told the crowd how he started his street magic career right where they were all standing. He told them: “All my random ideas started here in Bradford. “If I can do what I did, we can do anything. “This year is going to be amazing.” Frein said: “Let’s enjoy this moment. I am so proud to be from Bradford. “Wherever I go, I tell everyone about it and I never lose that Yorkshire accent.” Bradford is the fourth UK City of Culture after Derry-Londonderry in 2013 and Hull in 2017. and Coventry in 2021. He was elected in May 2022. from 20 cities that participated in the competition. RISE featured a music and light show spread over two stages, including DJs, rappers, aerial performers and acrobats, as well as the Erdel Community Choir and Symphony Orchestra, perched high in the building with a view. Shanaz Gulzar, creative director of Bradford 2025, told the PA news agency that she loved the “magic, mysticism and chaos” of the opening. “I’m very excited,” she said. “I am very proud. I really can’t wait for people to come and be a part of it.” Asked about the importance of Bradford 2025, Ms Gulzar said: “It’s huge for the city. “Bradford is a northern mill town and like any other northern mill town it has had to find its new identity. It brings attention, it brings investment, it brings opportunity and … our time has come.” Darren Henley, chief executive of Arts Council England, said: “It may be cold outside, but it’s the hottest place to be when it comes to arts and culture. “Bradford has everything for it. It’s going to be an amazing year of creativity, artistic events and brilliance ahead. It’s so exciting.” Mr Henley said: “There is a lot of focus on Bradford this year. “It’s national attention and international attention. “For the people who live, work and study here, it changes the story they tell about their place. But so is the story told by those of us who come and visit this place. “It’s all about the stories. It’s all about opportunities and creativity.” The Bradford 2024 program kicks off with a series of events in January, including two major exhibitions opening in the city. Nationhood: Memory and Hope features new work by renowned Ethiopian artist Aida Mulune, while Fighting to be Heard explores the links between the ancient art of calligraphy and boxing, as well as rare items from the British Library’s Arabic and Urdu collections. DRAW will also be launched this month! a nationwide painting project inspired and supported by Bradford-born artist David Hockney. The National Science and Media Museum also reopens in January after a major £6 million development and presents David Hockney: Joined Together, an exhibition that explores the artist’s pioneering use of film and photography.
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