Bradford kicks off regen hopes with year in the spotlight
The West Yorkshire city will start its stint as the UK City of Culture with an opening ceremony this evening, in a move that could leverage an estimated £700m of growth by 2030.
The opening ceremony will be the first of approximately 1,000 events this year.
The positive effects on regeneration for a city bearing the title has been proven: research by KADA Research, specialists in economic development consultancy, shows that Hull has witnessed a £224.8m boost since its time in the limelight in 2015.
Bradford City Council expects its time as UK City of Culture to generate 6,500 jobs across the district.
The government has provided a £5m cash boost for events taking place this year, raising government support for Bradford to £15m.
The extra funding will go towards the development of and equipment for venues that will host events, such as St George’s Hall, Alhambra Theatre, The Studio, Kings Hall & Winter Garden, and will support the development of new spaces for the National Science and Media Museum.
Events taking place in 2025 are expected to attract an additional 3.3m visitors and bring in an additional spend of £140m throughout the year.
Culture minister Sir Chris Bryant said: “I am delighted to be able to announce this funding to help make Bradford’s dream a reality and ensure that everyone across the district has the opportunity to get involved in next year’s events, whatever their interests.”
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