21 for
2021

With a career spanning film, visual arts, theatre, public art and media, Shanaz is the chair of Bradford's city of culture 2025 bid. A lifetime resident of the district and passionate innovator will be leading the charge for the 2025 designation.

Bradford-born poet Sharena Lee Satti has been a key part of the District's poetry open mic seen for many years. Her first poetry collection, She, was published by Verve Poetry Press is November 2020 and contains work addressing issues such as survival, cultural-identity, body dysmorphia and many other subjects that people struggle to speak out about.

Nic Greenan is the council's Principal Officer for Cultural Partnerships, tasked with developing and implementing an updated and relevant cultural strategy for the district. In 2020 Nic immersed herself in Bradford's cultural scene, laying the foundations for a more co-produced approach. She also helped deliver the Response Grant Scheme that supported 55 projects during lockdown.

In 2020 Bradical Press founder Munaza led a grassroots collective of artists, writers and community organisers to create the first ever Bradford South Asian Heritage Month. The event promoted the rich and vibrant contribution of South Asian diaspora communities to the life and identity of Bradford and is set to return bigger and better in 2021!

Rick will lead Bradford's UK City of Culture 2025 bid through a crucial year of planning and preparation. The 2025 team will be facilitating new work, platforming uniquely Bradford stories, developing regional, national and international collaborations and amplifying voices from across the district as Bradford prepares to submit a winning bid.

Jean McEwan is a visual artist and a power house of creative ideas. Jean is a driving force and important figure in Bradford’s brilliant and radical zine scene. Her zines combine vision, wit and sound political messages. She's also the founder of Wur Bradford, a grassroots arts project that explores how to make Bradford and the world a better place through imagination and collective action.

Straddling regeneration, placemaking and creative entrepreneurism, the Brick Box have been applying their stamp of charming absurdity on Bradford since 2014 through a mixture of live artwork, outlandish parties, festivals and creative strategies. Eleanor and Rosie will play a key strategic role in Bradford's 2025 bid and their top secret Mills project is definitely one to watch over the next year!

Kasim is a newly graduated Bachelor of the Arts, in the field of Interior Architecture & Design. His idea to transform a derelict basement in a Bradford mosque into a community arts & craft makers space with a botanical garden is one that ought to fill any Bradfordian with utter joy!

Co-founder and driving force behind the Commonwealth theatre company, Evie will be moving into a new space in the top of town in 2021, creating a hub for artists, community groups, activists, theatre companies and young people.

No apologies for including ourselves on this list. as well as working with Bradford Producing HUB, Keighley Creative, Cecil Green Arts and Thhe Cultural Ecology Project, Out of Place will also be pushing to create a world class what's on/cultural media platform for Bradford in 2021.

Founder of Bradford's Clean North Breakin' Crew, Lloyd is responsible for Tech Styles - the City's annual breakdance and Hip-Hop culture weekender, due to return to Kala Sangam in 2021. Alongside this event, which brings International talent to Bradford, Lloyd oversees a year-round programme of classes, workshops and schools delivery, inspiring people young and old through breakdance.

Kanwal Hussain is a member of New Focus, Impressions Gallery’s award-wining young person collective, and an artist who graduated this summer with a degree in Interactive arts. Kanwal was one of the innovative keys to the success of the documentary film Girl Power that presents hopes, fears and aspirations of three young Bradfordians. Kanawal is part of the next generation of artistic creatives, and a home grown stars of the future.

Keighley Creative is a volunteer-led arts organisation, providing exciting projects and fun activities for local communities in and around Keighley. 2021 will see them continue their fantastic work at Keighley Creative Space, a multi-functional hub offering meeting space, artisit studios, galleries and events. The collective also plan a series of events and exhibitions in 2021.

Graduate of The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and National Youth Theatre alumni, Tanya is a passionate content creator and actor who is creating her own passionate socially engaged radical content stream from Mill TV.

Madiha is a freelance writer, theatre practitioner, community liaison and Arts Coordinator with a special interest in developing South Asian engagement towards the arts. As a co-founder and youth engagement officer of the Yorkshire Adabee Forum, she headed the first national theatre tour of Pakistans leading digital content creators. In 2021 she will be championing South Asian artists through her Cultural Ecology Project.

One of the only (if not THE only?) producers in the UK with a learning disability, Paul works for MTG (Assistant Producer) and Leeds Playhouse (Agent for Change) and moved to Bradford from Dorset a few years ago. Paul is making real change in accessibility and opportunity for neurodiverse people in the cultural sector.

Saltaire-based guitarist Danny Sapko was recently awarded Guitar World's 2020 Bassist of the Year. His hugely impressive video performance saw off competition from around the world and blew away an acclaimed panel of judges. He honed his skills on the Bradford pub scene with bands such as Nervous ‘Orse and Vonderplanetz and is set to persue a solo career in 2021.

As artistic director of Dance United Yorkshire, Helen creates bespoke dance projects and interventions for people living in difficult circumstances. Their work has helped give confidence, structure and positive experience to youth offenders, people accessing mental health services, domestic abuse sufferers and disengaged young people.

Carolyn is an acclaimed photographer and film-maker who also creates site specific experiences and installations. The essence of her work is rooted in people’s lives, their stories and experiences and the communities they live in. Her new book ‘Being Inbetween’ is a stunning visual documentary of girls aged between ten and twelve, exploring the complex transition between girlhood and young adulthood.

Zulfiqar is Director of The Leap, a £3.5 million programme to open up arts and culture to more people in Bradford. In 2021 he will be instrumental in implementing transformational change in Bradford, helping local people play a leading role in shaping a thriving arts and cultural scene and inspiring a future generation of cultural ambassadors.

Working for a consortium of Bradford-based arts organisations, Lisa leads Bradford Producing Hub, a £1.5m funded pilot project by Arts Council England testing radical new approaches to producing live art, supporting creative talent, developing a local arts workforce, and partnering with communities across Bradford to reimagine the city as a thriving hub for performance.