Work has started to transform a former restaurant space in Centenary Square in Bradford into the new headquarters for Bradford 2025 – the team developing and delivering the district’s UK City of Culture programme.
Bradford 2025 has signed a three-year lease for the 6,383 sq ft space located on the first floor of the retail and leisure development opposite Bradford Town Hall, owned by Yorkshire-based property investor, Rushbond. It will become the permanent hub for the growing Bradford 2025 team, who will move from their temporary premises in the corner unit of the same building, once the fit-out is complete.
The office design and fit-out is being delivered by Bradford-based multi-disciplinary design and architecture company, David Craig Design Consultancy. It will feature functional workspace and hot-desking facilities for the core team, as well as collaborative meeting spaces and break-out areas where the team can work with the many partners, producers, artists, creatives and more involved in the year of culture.
Later this year, it will also include a ground floor information point where the public will be able to find out more about the programme once announced, and purchase tickets to events in 2025.
David Craig, director of David Craig Design Consultancy, said: “I am delighted to be able to help Bradford 2025 design and deliver a collaborative workspace for their growing team as they ramp up in readiness for an exciting year of culture in our district.
“As a local small business, it’s a great show of confidence from the 2025 team in the talents of homegrown businesses, and I am excited to be able to build on our experience of running the Assembly Bradford creative workspace to create an original, vibrant, functional and accessible space that will be used and visited by so many people in the run up to and throughout 2025.”
Added Dan Bates, executive director of Bradford 2025: “We’re thrilled to have found a permanent space that enables us to remain here, in the heart of the district, over-looking City Park. This place played such an important part in the story of Bradford winning UK City of Culture – who can forget that now iconic image of the crowd rapturously celebrating the district’s win here last May.
“We want to create a headquarters that sets the tone for our ambitions for our City of Culture year – collaborative, creative and authentically Bradford, and we’re excited to be working with local contractors to bring that vision to life. This is a great central location which will provide the perfect backdrop to plan and deliver an incredible year of district-wide performances, events and festivals to put Bradford on the map on an international stage.”
