More than just four walls
Bradford Arts Centre is a vibrant hub dedicated to the energy of movement and the magic of the stage. We are a specialist venue with a deep-rooted passion for Dance, Theatre, and Live Performance. Whether it’s a South Asian dance performance, a contemporary dance premiere, or a community drama workshop, our mission is to provide dedicated studio spaces and a theatre where artists can create and audiences can connect.
At the heart of everything we do is a warm welcome, respect, and a commitment to authentic connection. Whether you’re taking time out, exploring your creativity, developing new work, or seeing exceptional performance, this is your space. We want you to feel at home and believe the arts should be accessible to all. That’s why tickets for most of our performances start from £1, and why we offer tailored support and studio space for artists at affordable rates. We work every day to deepen the understanding between people, the Arts Centre, and the sharing of our cultures and heritage.
Art For All: Choose Your Ticket Price
At Bradford Arts Centre, we are dedicated to making the arts accessible to everyone. Our mission is built on the foundation of our £1 Entry Ticket. To sustain this commitment and support artists develop work we have a tiered ticket structure for most of our shows. When you book, we simply ask you to choose the price that works best for you and for the centre. The £1 Entry ticket is for anyone that wants to take a chance on something new and ensures our programme is accessible to everyone. The £5 Standard ticket helps us sustain our programme. The £10 Supporter ticket helps us provide crucial support for artists, deliver year-round creative activities for schools and communities and enable us to offer tickets for everyone so that communities can come together to experience art and culture.
Our Programmes & Vision
Through our performance seasons, artist development, dance classes, and community programmes, we aim to connect communities here and now. Our programming and artist support reflect three key themes:
This is Bradford: Placing our city and its people at the core of our work.
South Asia Now: Spotlighting and nurturing new British South Asian artists.
British Diversity: Exploring what it means to live in contemporary Britain.
A Note on Our Space: Why We Aren’t a Gallery
Because we are such a creative hub, we often receive queries about hosting formal art exhibitions. To help you find the right home for your work, it is important to say that we are not an art gallery. We don’t employ a curator, nor do we have the specialist lighting, climate control, or security specifications required to program professional art installations.
However, while we don’t curate exhibitions ourselves, our versatile spaces and communal areas are available for private hire. External organisations often hire these spaces to stage their own independent pop-up exhibitions and showcases. If you have the vision and the team to manage your own setup, we’d love to see if our space fits your needs. Click here for more inforamtion.
If you are looking for a professional space to exhibit your work or view a curated collection, we highly recommend reaching out to our neighbours:
• Cartwright Hall Gallery
• South Square Centre
• Trapezium Arts
• Fountain Street Arts Project
• Keighley Creative
Our Home: A Transformed Bradford Landmark
Originally founded as the South Asian arts organisation Kala Sangam in 1993, we moved into Bradford’s former General Post Office in 2008. Following a multi-million pound redevelopment, we are proud to return to our beautifully restored Grade II listed home and with our new name, Bradford Arts Centre.
Our transformed building includes:
- A brand new state-of-the-art 170-seat theatre.
- Five purpose-built rehearsal studios.
- Four meeting rooms and a dedicated conference venue.
- The new Sangam Lounge, an informal space to meet and relax that honours the legacy of Kala Sangam.
- We’re also the home of BCB Radio and office space for creative businesses.
- A café for relaxing, connection, creativity – coming soon!
Your Support Makes It Possible
Bradford Arts Centre is a registered charity (1055488). We rely on your support to continue bringing people together and making the arts possible for everyone.
Every visit helps.
Whether you’re seeing a performance, taking a class, booking a meeting room for your business, or making a donation, you are helping us continue the creative investment and energy in our city.
