OUR TURN: Bradford Visual Arts Festival premiered in 2025, when Bradford was UK City of Culture. It was a 17-week festival, wrapped around the presentation of the Turner Prize at Cartwright Hall in Bradford, with core ambitions of supporting artist-led visual arts activity across the district, offering opportunities for emerging artists and grassroots organisations, and supporting regional and national connectivity for the visual arts in Bradford.
The inaugural festival was shaped and developed by a Steering Group with membership from organisations and individual artists. The festival showcased 14 artist commissions, 4 artist development opportunities, and 6 print commissions in galleries and unusual spaces, premiered a new open exhibition Bradford Art Show at Loading Bay and included an affiliate programme showcasing additional visual arts projects from organisations and artists across the district. The festival saw audiences of 21,000 over 44 events & exhibitions and showcase 130 Bradford-based artists.
OUR TURN was designed and led by artists and delivered by South Square Centre in collaboration with Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture, Yorkshire Contemporary and Bradford Producing Hub. The festival was supported by Arts Council England, Yorkshire Visual Arts Network and commissioned by Bradford 2025.
Following recommendations from the steering group, OUR TURN: Bradford Visual Arts Festival will return in 2027 (funding dependent). We are now seeking new expressions of interest from Bradford-based artists to feed in their experience and skills to support the development of the festival.
What’s involved?
- Input into the design & content of the visual arts festival, its core aims and ideas.
- You’ll have the opportunity to meet arts leaders from across the country, to hear their experience of creating similar events with nationwide and sector-wide appeal.
- You’ll have the opportunity to design commission opportunities and be on the selection panel for open calls.
- Feed into the design of the 2027 programme.
- Be part of practical working groups supporting the festivals delivery in 2027.
You should be based in or working in the Bradford district.
Is this opportunity for you? You might be one or more of these things:
- An artist, producer or freelancer or work for an arts organisation working in the field of visual arts. Passionate about improving the visual arts sector and infrastructure.
- A good connector with networks across the visual arts sector.
- A big thinker, comfortable with ambitious ideas and long-term thinking.
- A creative person, willing to contribute ideas as part of a group.
- Able to represent and advocate for people with lived experience and intersectional identities.
Availability & Time Commitment
During the next phase of the project, whilst we start to shape the next festival. We will be hosting 1-2 half day workshops with facilitators over summer to decide on content and curation of the 2027 programme. Bursaries may be available to support artists to attend the workshops (pending confirmation).
Following this we expect a few meetings at the end of 2026 as we start to plan and prepare the festival, with more commitment in 2027 towards the festival in Summer 2027. Meetings tend to be 1 or 2 a month, but there is the option for more commitment if you desire, nearer to the festival delivery time. There may also be opportunities to visit national art exhibitions with the steering group, with expenses paid for by the project.
How to Apply
Please complete the application form to apply to be a member of the steering group.
Applications are open until midnight Sunday 7th June.
Please tell us:
- Why do you want to be on the Visual Arts Steering Group?
- What do you think you will be able to offer the group?
- A CV / portfolio or link to your online portfolio, if you have one
If you have any questions about the role or need support with your application. Please reach out to Alice at [email protected]