509 Arts

27/10/2025

This is happening at Theatre in the Mill tomorrow (Tuesday 28th October). It's a highly personal and uplifting exploration of family, change and diversity in the UK today. Recommended.

Evening Conversations is a one-woman show written and performed by Sudha Bhuchar. This show will take place at Theatre in the Mill and will have live musical accompaniment by Arun Ghosh.

23/10/2025

🎬 Tonight! Join us for Unspun at Cinema on the Rocks at Cow & Calf, Ilkley — and if you can’t make it, you can now watch Unspun Stories at home on YouTube!
▶️ Watch the full 20-minute film: https://youtu.be/fRMLHuKqDd8
🎞️ Or pick your favourite in our handy playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOgTcqNkPrveQ9VzJ95Lb40cWUauLOTE-
🎧 Love the music? It’s on SoundCloud https://on.soundcloud.com/9bUbLdExk9Eu7QxK7 and Spotify too https://open.spotify.com/album/7148lLrZggR6Qr4PfD7BwW?si=jhiQgSLtQgmNdC2sd8Aq6A

If you can join us tonight please do grab a free ticket event, starts 7:00 PM — https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dff-bradford-2025-cinema-on-the-rocks-sober-screening-tickets-1660055764479

All links in our bio 👆

23/10/2025

💥 TONIGHT 💥

If you missed our earlier posts… Unspun is back tonight😃

🌙🎬 Cinema On The Rocks – A Free Open-Air Screening!
📅 Thursday 23 October 2025
🕖 7:00–10:00 PM
📍 Cow & Calf Rocks, Hangingstone Road, Ilkley LS29 8RF
💸 Free – booking required: Reserve your spot- https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dff-bradford-2025-cinema-on-the-rocks-sober-screening-tickets-1660055764479

Join us for an unforgettable evening at Drunken Film Fest - Bradford, West Yorkshire Bradford 2025: Cinema On The Rocks (sober screening) – an installation-style outdoor cinema event set against the dramatic backdrop of the Cow & Calf Rocks.

🎥 The screening features UNSPUN by our very own Alan Dix alongside experimental films from around the world.

To protect the peace of the landscape and its nocturnal wildlife, the screening will use silent headsets – so you can immerse yourself fully without disturbing the natural soundscape. Please dress warmly, stay safe, and soak up the magic!

✨ Here's a little recap of Unspun Stories

Created by 509 Arts and Colour Foundry for Bradford 2025 (UK City of Culture), Unspun Stories celebrates Bradford’s textile heritage from the 1970s onwards. Blending archive footage, interviews, and original music, it’s a moving tribute to the workers, mills, and creativity that shaped the city’s identity.

Alan Dix, Artistic Director of 509 Arts, says:

“Unspun Stories is atmospheric, moving and reflects the energetic and complex changes taking place in Bradford’s textile industry at the end of the last century.”

Unspun Stories has been created by 509 Arts and The Colour Foundry for Bradford 2025 (UK City of Culture), and funded by The Space Arts , Bradford Council and the The National Lottery Heritage Fund .

22/10/2025

⏰ COUNTDOWN TIME! ⏰
Just one day to go until we’re back with the beautiful UNSPUN 🌙

Join us tomorrow night for Cinema on the Rocks — a free, open-air film event set against the breathtaking Cow & Calf Rocks in Ilkley.

🎬 Expect visual beauty, music, and beautiful stories from memories of life in Bradford mills — plus a selection of stunning short films from around the world.

📅 Thursday 23 October
🕖 7:00–10:00 PM
📍 Cow & Calf Rocks, Ilkley LS29 8RF
💸 Free – booking required - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/dff-bradford-2025-cinema-on-the-rocks-sober-screening-tickets-1660055764479?aff=oddtdtcreator
(link in bio for insta)

Bring a blanket, wrap up warm, and get ready for an unforgettable night under the stars 🌌

20/10/2025

We're back with Unspun stories!!!!

If you missed it last time this is your chance, Unspun celebrates Bradford’s textile heritage from the 1970s onwards. Blending archive film, personal memories and an original soundtrack, it’s a powerful, moving tribute to the people and mills that shaped the city’s creative soul.

We're excited to be part of Drunken Film Fest Bradford 2025: Cinema On The Rocks where Unspun will feature, Join us

🌙🎬 Cinema On The Rocks – A Free Open-Air Screening!
📅 Thursday 23 October 2025
🕖 7:00–10:00 PM
📍 Cow & Calf Rocks, Hangingstone Road, Ilkley LS29 8RF
💸 Free – booking required!
👉 Reserve your spot via the link in the comments!

The screening will use headsets so as not to intrude on the natural rhythms of the local nightlife and we ask that visitors please be respectful and safe.

With thanks to The Colour Foundry for Bradford 2025 (UK City of Culture), and funded by The Space Arts, Bradford Council and the The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

17/10/2025

💥 NEWS FLASH 💥

We don't stay still for long, no sooner have we finished one event we are full speed into the next!!! Exciting times for us as we bring Unspun back 😃

🌙🎬 Cinema On The Rocks – A Free Open-Air Screening!
📅 Thursday 23 October 2025
🕖 7:00–10:00 PM
📍 Cow & Calf Rocks, Hangingstone Road, Ilkley LS29 8RF
💸 Free – booking required: Reserve your spot (link in comments)

Join us for an unforgettable evening at Drunken Film Fest - Bradford, West Yorkshire Bradford 2025: Cinema On The Rocks (sober screening) – an installation-style outdoor cinema event set against the dramatic backdrop of the Cow & Calf Rocks.

🎥 The screening features UNSPUN by our very own Alan Dix (509 Arts) and Lou Sumray, alongside experimental films from around the world.

To protect the peace of the landscape and its nocturnal wildlife, the screening will use silent headsets – so you can immerse yourself fully without disturbing the natural soundscape. Please dress warmly, stay safe, and soak up the magic!

✨ Here's a little recap of Unspun Stories

Created by 509 Arts and Colour Foundry for Bradford 2025 (UK City of Culture), Unspun Stories celebrates Bradford’s textile heritage from the 1970s onwards. Blending archive footage, interviews, and original music, it’s a moving tribute to the workers, mills, and creativity that shaped the city’s identity.

Alan Dix, Artistic Director of 509 Arts, says:

“Unspun Stories is atmospheric, moving and reflects the energetic and complex changes taking place in Bradford’s textile industry at the end of the last century.”

Unspun Stories has been created by 509 Arts and The Colour Foundry for Bradford 2025 (UK City of Culture), and funded by The Space Arts , Bradford Council and the The National Lottery Heritage Fund .

14/10/2025

💛 Thank you💛

Life Class has come to an end and what an incredible, moving, unforgettable experience it’s been.

To everyone who poured their heart into it, our amazing cast, chorus, creative team, partners, crew, sponsors and supporters— thank you. And to our wonderful audiences who filled the space with laughter, tears, and love every night 😍

It’s been joyful and emotional, we’re so proud of what we created together and so grateful to everyone who came along for the ride.

With love from 509 Arts

Bradford 2025 BCB Radio Bradford Arts Centre Arts Council England Theatre in the Mill Bradford Council

10/10/2025

💫🌟 Spotlight on Ed Clarke 💫🌟
Sound Designer 🎧

Ed’s theatre sound designs include: Frankenstein, The Good Hope, The Mysteries (National Theatre); Wolf Witch Giant Fairy, (Little Bulb Theatre and Royal Opera House); Showboat (New London Theatre); Backbeat (Duke of York’s); Orpheus (Little Bulb, Battersea Arts Centre, Salzburg Festival); The Caretaker and Hamlet (Chichester Festival Theatre); Baddies and Pinocchio (Unicorn Theatre); The Infidel (Theatre Royal Stratford East); Pied Piper (Battersea Arts Centre and Beatbox Academy); After The Act (Breach Theatre); Doncastrian Chalk Circle (National Theatre Public Acts); Sinners (Playground Theatre); Canary And The Crow, Us Against Whatever, All We Ever Wanted Was Everything (Middle Child Theatre); An Adventure, Leave Taking, The Royale, Perseverance Drive, The Invisible and FEAR (Bush Theatre); A Christmas Carol (Hull Truck, Leeds Playhouse); Oliver Twist (Hull Truck); Beauty And The Beast (Improbable Theatre, One Of Us); The Ballad Of Corona-V, Bullett Tongue, Phoenix Rising, Knife Edge, Electric, Politrix and Brixton Rock (Big House Theatre); Ed also has mixed live sound for Anna Calvi, Van der Graaf Generator, The Waeve, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Talvin Singh, and John Tams.

WOW!!! Ed has done a lot 😍

Join us for Life Class tonight at 7pm, at Loading Bay, Bradford

https://bradford2025.co.uk/event/life-class/

10/10/2025

🎭 Tonight! 7pm @ The Loading Bay, Bradford — join us for 75 minutes of pure heart, at Life Class!

We’re blending joy, truth and surprises as we explore what it feels like to grow older — the body changes, the memories, the hopes and the stories.

Expect:

A chorus of 30 local older people joining 6 professional actors & musicians, sharing songs, stories and movement.

Book & Lyrics by Alan Dix + Mike Kenny, music by Richard Taylor

A show directed by Alan Dix, with top-tier design, lighting & projection to bring the experience alive

This isn’t a quiet reflection — it’s bold, warm, funny and profoundly human. It’s older people celebrating themselves, showing off their best bits.

Bring your energy, bring your curiosity, bring your friends — make your Friday night something to remember. 💥

🎟️ Grab your ticket now: bradford2025.co.uk/event/life-class/

📍 Loading Bay, 1 Duke St, BD1 3QR

Commissioned by Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture and supported by
Bradford Arts Centre Theatre in the Mill Arts Council England
Bradford Council

09/10/2025

✨ Make a day of it in Bradford this Friday! ✨

Start your afternoon with Cuppa T at 3pm – a relaxed, thought-provoking conversation about creativity and ageing taking place right on the Life Class set at Loading Bay, Bradford. We'll be exploring 'The New Demographic: Burden or Blessing?' and we'll be joined by Tricia Kelly, Tryone Huggins, Alan McDonald, Balbir Singh of Arts Council England’s Creative Ageing Peer Network Steering Group, Elizabeth Lynch MBE, co chair of Creative Ageing: Development and Agency; chaired by Alan Dix

Then grab a bite, explore the brand new Darley Street Market Bradford Markets(the food is amazing!) or wander through City Park before heading back for Life Class at 7pm – it's been taking audiences by storm , it'll make you, maybe cry but above all it's a heart warming and beautiful exploration of ageing.

☕🎭 Two brilliant events, one unforgettable day in Bradford.
🎟️ Tickets via bradford2025.co.uk/event/life-class

09/10/2025

Thank you The Reviews Hub for the Life Class review 😀 we particularly like this bit:

"Life Class is perfectly integrated, with Alan Dix’s script matter of fact and making its impact through telling repetitions and Taylor’s music and Paul Slater’s projections ever-present reinforcements of the theme of recognition of the quality of old age"

The full story is here --> https://www.thereviewshub.com/life-class-loading-bay-bradford/

We're back on the stage this afternoon at 2pm, some spaces are available, so get booking and don't miss out https://bradford2025.co.uk/event/life-class/

Every body has a story. Everybody sings a song.