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Opening show for City of Culture January 11, 2025

Lasers light the sky above the Rise event to launch the City of Culture year in front of Bradford City HallBradford, West Yorkshire's second-largest city, has begun its year at UK City of Culture 2025.

2025 sees the city and surrounding metropolitan district present hundreds of arts performances and events during the year.

The opening event on Friday January 10 in City Park in the heart of Bradford was "Rise", created by Kirsty Housley with Bradford-born magician Steven Frayne (formerly known as Dynamo). It was also repeated on Saturday January 11.

BradfordBradford is the UK 2025 City of CultureMagician Stephen Frayne at the Rise eventThe National Science and Media MuseumMagic was part of the opening nightLights brighten a street for the cultural year"A Grand Day Out" on January 11 celebrated the reopening of the National Science and Media Museum after the partial renovation of its gallery spaces. The museum partnered with animation studio Aardman for a one-day event offering model-making workshops and screenings of Wallace and Gromit films, but the museum’s previous animation gallery is among parts of the museum that have been permanently closed.

Launching on January 15, a temporary exhibition “David Hockney: Pieced Together” is also at the museum until May 18, featuring work of the Bradford-born photographer and artist. David Hockney is also supporting DRAW! a nationwide drawing project for Bradford 2025.

A special livery bus helps mark Bradford's culture

Opening show for City of Culture January 11, 2025

Find out more at the official Bradford 2025 - UK City of Culture website.

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