Braford 2025 culture year cost £51m and attracted three million people

As Bradford ends its UK City of Culture tenure, it is estimated the year-long celebration cost around £51m and generated audiences of three million people.

Bradford 2025 hosted about 5,000 “big, bold and brilliant” events, organisers said, including the Turner Prize, with city centre footfall increasing by a quarter.

The closing event, called Brighter Still, will take place in Bingley this weekend, with a “community cast” of hundreds of local people bringing dancing, poetry and singing to Myrtle Park.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said Bradford 2025 had made her “proud to be British”, adding: “I am very excited to see how this ambitious district builds on these achievements for the future.”

The overall budget was created through fundraising, ticket sales and commercial activities, organisers said.

Major grants included £15m from the goverment, £10m from Bradford Council and £6m from West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

Other highlights of the year included a stage production of the Railway Children inside an engine shed, Bradford-born artist David Hockney’s work recreated using drones and a celebration of local brass bands.

More than 87,000 people performed or participated in the events across the district, organisers said.

About 160 local schools took part in projects and organised trips, they added.

Ren, a 16-year-old photographer, said the year has brought him some “amazing” opportunities.

“It’s just been incredible seeing the music scene boom,” he said.

“There was only a few gig every now and then and everything was really small, but now I’ve been able to be part of so many incredible experiences and meet so many new people.”

Sarah Towan, from Bradford College, said applications for creative courses had seen a major jump for next year.

“That’s not only a testament to the facilities we’ve got here, but City of Culture and the legacy it has now for the arts in Bradford”, she said.

Shanaz Gulzar, Bradford 2025 creative director, said: “Bradford 2025 has created a powerful new narrative for the city and district, and I am delighted to see the rise in civic pride as a direct result of our year as UK City of Culture.

“This year has seen us welcome millions of people and we have laid the foundations for long-term transformation with capital investments, training opportunities, wide-ranging education initiatives, artist-development projects and of course our cultural programme.”

According to Bradford Council, there has been a 29% increase in journeys taken between London and the district via LNER rail.

Despite the boost in footfall, some city centre businesses said they hadn’t seen the jump in trade they initially expected.

Drew Oldfield, cafe supervisor at the Cake ‘ole, said it hadn’t been a “dramatic” increase – despite its City Park location hosting many events.

“I have seen a lot of tourists, but I would have expected a lot more in the City of Culture,” he said.

“I have seen other cities going bigger – I expected more traffic coming through Bradford.”

The Blossoms & Co florist on Market Street said the year has “reminded people how wonderful Bradford is”.

“It just needs to continue,” owner John Varey said.

Darren Henley, chief executive of Arts Council England, said: “Bradford’s year in the spotlight has been a big, bold and brilliant success from start to finish.

“Sparked by the imagination, innovation and creativity of local, national and international artists, Bradford’s magnificent story now continues onwards powered by a new sense of confidence.”