Bradford Launches Year as UK City of Culture with Spectacular RISE Event

The opening celebration showcased local talent, cultural diversity, and a hopeful vision for the city’s future.

Thousands braved freezing temperatures in Bradford’s Centenary Square to attend RISE, the launch event for the city’s tenure as UK City of Culture 2025.
The event featured over 200 local performers, including magician Steven Frayne (formerly known as Dynamo), community choirs, rappers, aerial acrobats, and the Airedale Symphony Orchestra.
RISE highlighted Bradford’s cultural diversity, with over 150 languages spoken in the city, and emphasized its youth-driven energy as a third of the population is under 25.
Key upcoming events in Bradford’s cultural program include the Turner Prize, exhibitions by David Hockney, and a range of theatre, music, and art projects throughout the year.
While the event celebrated Bradford’s creativity, some locals expressed concerns about the city’s infrastructure and the allocation of funds for the year-long initiative.