Culture legacy could see music festivals return

13 hours ago

Aisha IqbalBradford political reporter

Tommy Scott and Allan Jones of Space perform during Bingley Music Festival at Myrtle Park on 1 September 1

Andrew Benge/Redferns via Getty Images Picture shows a guitarist at the front of a stage. He holds and plays an electric guitar and is dressed is dressed in a yellow shirt, colourful tie, suspenders and skinny trousers. A drummer is seen playing in the background. Illuminated large lettering behind them identified the event as Bingley Music Live. — Tommy Scott and Allan Jones of Space perform during Bingley Music Festival at Myrtle Park on 1 September 1

Plans for two major Bradford arts festivals look set to move forward as part of the continuing legacy of the UK City of Culture year.

The creation of a new music festival in Bingley, and the return of the original Bradford Mela, had already been hinted at by officials, and a council report confirms they will be funded with millions of pounds set aside for the Bradford 2025 follow-on programme.

The report also says the size of the local visitor economy soared to more than £1bn in 2025, the first time that milestone has been reached.

But it raises questions over the future of the Bradford Culture Company Ltd, with the council considering "whether, and in what form, it should continue".

The report says: "The principal strategic risk is ensuring that the momentum, partnerships, profile, participation and investment created through Bradford 2025 are converted into sustained long-term benefit."

The report to the decision-making executive confirms that the council still has £4.269m set aside specifically for Bradford 2025 and its legacy work over the next three financial years to 2030.

The Bradford Mela attracted huge crowds and big names to Peel Park and Lister Park in its heyday

Tim Smith A huge crowd of people standing behind barriers, looking up at a stage which is out of shot. — The Bradford Mela attracted huge crowds and big names to Peel Park and Lister Park in its heyday

It comes from a five-year commitment of £1.423m a year agreed and rubber-stamped by the previous Labour-run administration in 2022.

The broader Bradford 2025 bid had received cross-party backing earlier.

The report says the remaining money will help keep cultural events going across the district and develop new ones, including "plans for a new major music festival in Bingley and the reintroduction of Bradford Mela".

However, it gives no details of venues or individual budgets and does not say who would run the events.

Bingley has previously been home to major music festivals, including Bingley Music Live and the later, independently run Bingley Weekender.

Bradford Mela, a huge South Asian festival which attracted crowds of more than 100,000 in its heyday, was also a long-standing fixture in the city's events calendar, but effectively ended in 2013 following cancellations in 2007 and 2012 which were attributed to bad weather.

The two festivals form part of wider cultural legacy plans with the report, to be presented at a meeting on Thursday, explaining that in 2027-28, the annual amount available to cultural organisations receiving regular council support will rise from £590,000 to £700,000.

Another pot for individual projects will more than double, from about £85,000 to £200,000 a year.

More than 20 projects have also been offered grants for work on buildings, spaces and equipment, it says.

The pledges come despite a separate decision by the Reform UK-led council to divert £400,000 of arts funding towards the reopening of a tip in Keighley, with a petition opposing the move having gathered more than 500 signatures so far.

'Actively considering future'

A key unanswered question raised in the executive report is what happens to Bradford Culture Company Ltd (BCCL) after March 2027.

The organisation delivered Bradford 2025 and is now running the follow-on programme.

But no decision has yet been made on whether the company itself will continue beyond 31 March 2027.

The report says the council and BCCL are "actively considering the company's future role and operating model", including "whether, and in what form, it should continue".

For now, says the report, it is continuing work started during Bradford 2025, including volunteering, creative health projects and support for people working in the arts.

Bradford Mela attracted huge crowds and big names from the South Asian music scene

Tim Smith A group of performers, including dhol drummers, a man dressed in urban/rapper style and a man playing an unusual musical instrument which looks like giant tongs. — Bradford Mela attracted huge crowds and big names from the South Asian music scene

Billion pound economy

The report says 2025 saw 10.6 million day visits, worth an estimated £719m, while 1.53 million visitors stayed in Bradford for a holiday or short break.

The visitor economy is also estimated to have supportded almost 9,000 full-time equivalent jobs.

The report stresses that the whole £1.08bn cannot simply be credited to Bradford 2025, however it does "demonstrate the scale of the opportunity to convert increased profile and visitation into sustained economic benefit".

It adds the continuing legacy work will further "help... to increase footfall, attract national attention and strengthen Bradford's position as a major cultural destination and producer".

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