Arts hub begins two-year project
The four new arts and heritage officers with Amer Sarai (centre), Kala Sangam's head of community engagement
- Published
A two-year arts project aiming to show what life is like for people living across the Bradford district has begun.
It is being run by the Kala Sangam arts hub based in Bradford city centre.
More than 40 people applied for four full-time jobs working as arts and heritage officers.
They will help community groups to build a programme of activities inspired by their heritages.
Amer Sarai, Kala Sangam's head of community engagement, said the four people would work in different art hubs across the area.
"Then they'll be coming together and sharing ideas, working out which direction they're going to go in and what the community really wants," she said.
Ms Sarai said there was a lot to learn from communities across the city and wider district.
"This is just a really beautiful way through arts and culture to tell those stories, and to share those stories," she said.
The Kala Sangam building on Bank Street, Bradford, is currently being refurbished
One officer will be based with Kala Sangam and the others three will be based at the Keighley Creative arts charity, the South Square Centre in Thornton and at the Rockwell Centre in Thorpe Edge.
Gemma Hobbs, from Keighley Creative, said: "Having a new member of the team with us for the next two years - with her whole role being to go and listen to people about what they want, share stories, and work with local groups to turn these personal histories into great art will be a big boost for the town."
Kala Sangam is based in a Grade II listed building on Bank Street.
It is currently closed for a £7.5m refurbishment, which includes creating a 200-seat theatre, five dance studios and an exhibition centre.
It is due to reopen under a new name, Bradford Arts Centre, in 2025.
Funding has come from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the National Lottery Heritage Fund and The Garfield Weston Foundation.