Hundreds of Bradford students become digital creators thanks to UK City of Culture project
Through the Bradford Digital Creatives project, Year 8 and 9 students at Appleton Academy, Bradford Alternative Provision Academy, Carlton Bolling, Carlton Keighley and Belle Vue Girls’ Academy have enjoyed hands-on experiences in data visualisation, audio storytelling, games design, animation, image manipulation and artificial intelligence with renowned artists including Impact Gamers, Caro C, Arfaan Amini Playfool and Make Amplify.
The project – which is funded by the Arts Council, Bradford 2025 and Bradford Council – aims to increase young people’s participation in arts and culture, support their health and wellbeing, and contribute to the development of a hub of digital talent in Bradford. It will also contribute towards internationally significant research into the impact of creativity on young people’s lives, as part of Born in Bradford: Age of Wonder, the world’s largest study of adolescent health and wellbeing.
Dr Lydia Gunning, Senior Research Fellow at Born in Bradford: Age of Wonder, said: “Using methods co-created with communities across Bradford, we are collecting a wealth of data to help us evaluate the success of Bradford Digital Creatives. Analysing this data will allow us to explore the impact of the project on young people, including their aspirations, skills, mental health and later life outcomes. It’s the first time Born in Bradford have collected information regarding creativity on such a large scale - we’re excited to continue working closely with our partners and to share our findings in 2025 and beyond.”
Shanaz Gulzar, Creative Director at Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture, added: “The digital artworks created through these collaborations will bring young voices to the forefront, allowing them to showcase their own stories in new ways, gain new skills and access new cultural and creative experiences, which is what Bradford 2025 is all about. The growing connections between schools, artists and cultural organisations, facilitated by projects like this, will inspire our young people to see the creative industries as an exciting and viable career path.”
Manchester-based sound artist Caro C delivered an audio storytelling workshop with nine students at Belle Vue Girls’ Academy as part of the project. She said: “These experiences are so important for young people as they get to see that it is possible to be a professional sound artist outside of the "fame game" and they can be heard on their own terms which enhances feelings of belonging, agency and fulfilment. Once the students had learned the techniques, it was wonderful to support them to express their humanity via the technology.”
In total, 26 digital artists will be part of the project, delivering assemblies and creative workshops in six schools on a range of emerging technology and artforms. Regular updates will be shared on the project’s webpage and on social media using the hashtag #ImADigitalCreative.