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Thousands of people braved bitter temperatures in City Park to watch a show specially created for the start of the year-long festival of art and creativity and involving more than 200 performers.
The RISE event was devised by Frayne – who was formerly known as Dynamo – with director Kirsty Housley, and the TV magician told the crowd how he started his career doing street magic exactly where they were all standing.
He told them: “All of my random ideas started right here in Bradford. If I can do what I have done, we can do anything. This year is going to be amazing.”
Frayne said: “Let’s enjoy this moment. I am so proud to be from Bradford. Everywhere I go I tell everybody about it and I am never losing this Yorkshire accent.”
RISE involved a music and lights show spread over two stages, including DJs, rappers, aerial performers and acrobatics as well as a community choir and the Airedale Symphony Orchestra perched high in an overlooking building.
Check out photos from the Bradford 2025 opening show in our gallery below:
7. 'Bradford has got everything'
Darren Henley, the chief executive of Arts Council England said: “It may be cold outside but this is the hottest place to be when it comes to arts and culture. “Bradford has got everything going for it. It’s going to be an amazing year of creativity, artistic events and brilliance that we’ve got coming up. It’s so exciting.” | Asadour Guzelian
8. 'National and international focus'
Mr Henley said: “There’s a big focus on Bradford during this year. “It’s national focus and it’s an international focus." | Asadour Guzelian
9. 'It's all about stories'
“For the people who live here and work here and study here, it changes the story they tell about their place. But, also, the story that those of us that come and visit that place tell about that place. “It’s all about stories. It’s all about possibility and it’s all about creativity.” | Asadour Guzelian
10. Range of events
The Bradford 2024 programme starts with a range of events in January, including two major exhibitions opening in the city. Nationhood: Memory and Hope features new work by acclaimed Ethiopian artist Aida Muluneh and Fighting to be Heard explores connections between the ancient art of calligraphy and boxing, alongside rare items from the Arabic and Urdu collections of the British Library. | Asadour Guzelian
11. DRAW!
This month will also see the launch of DRAW! a nationwide drawing project inspired and supported by Bradford-born artist David Hockney. | Asadour Guzelian
