Project

Fabric, Bradford’s arts development organisation, is working with City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council and developers Westfield to develop a ‘meanwhile’ use for the site of the planned Broadway retail development in the centre of Bradford. Fabric received a grant of £25,000 from the Meanwhile Project which will make a significant contribution to the creation of the Bradford Urban Garden, or BUG.

Why was the project created?

In common with many similar projects across the UK, the 16 acre site has seen little or no activity for some time with no immediate prospect of building work resuming. After much local debate Westfield were approached, in the autumn of 2009, by local artists and organisations about using part of the site for arts and other creative and community projects. On 31^st October what has been dubbed an ‘art attack’ took place which saw the addition of cartoons and poems to the hoardings surrounding the site.  The work of an informal coalition of local artists and activists, known only as ‘Spartacus’, the hoardings featuring the name of the developers was also changed to ‘Wastefield’.

Following this action a meeting was held between representatives of Westfield, Bradford Council and Fabric to explore alternative uses of the site.  Fabric’s proposal, informed by discussions with local artists, to create an urban garden with a significant opportunities for arts and creative activity was accepted and has formed the basis for ongoing discussions.

Discussions are ongoing about the precise form the ‘meanwhile’ use will take but it is likely to include broad pathways bordered by wild flowers and grasses, spaces for sculpture and installations, art work by schools, community organisations and local artists on the relocated site hoardings, spaces for performance, arts and crafts markets and film screenings in keeping with Bradford’s status as the world’s first UNESCO City of Film.

Were there points where the project looked threatened, how was this overcome?

The scale and unique nature of the project meant that it was slow in starting and negotiations took place for six months before work could commence. One obstacle has been that a significant part of the site has been used to create what will form the basement of a future retail development and can not be safely opened for public use. However, it is hoped that it can be home to a number of large scale installations which the public will be able to view via observation ‘windows’ in the new hoardings surrounding the basement.

Following completion of enabling works to make the site safe for use and the relocation of the hoardings to around the basement area, Fabric will open further discussions with arts, creative and community organisations about their aspirations for the site and how they would like to engage with it.  It is hope that subsequent phases of the project will see the creation of urban allotments and opportunities for environmental projects linking the ‘urban garden’ to 2010’s international year of biodiversity.

What is the best story to come out of it (so far?)

The current plans for the Bradford Urban Garden will mean large areas of the site, which is currently inaccessible, being opened up for public use.  Pathways will link Bradford’s historic mercantile quarter, Little Germany, with the city centre and create new links between public transport hubs and shopping areas.  Once opened local artists, creative and community organisations will create features, installations and welcoming spaces which will encourage passers-by to linger.

It is anticipated that thousands of people will use the site each week with many hundreds engaging with often surprising installations and art works, sometimes whilst simply bringing their lunchtime sandwich to a tranquil and green space.  As part of a programme of events currently being developed to ‘animate’ the city centre, the site will also host a range of performances and happenings at weekends and on summer evenings.

How do you measure the impact of the project?

Work is currently underway and therefore the impact of the project will be evaluated after completion.

A list of partners (organisations or individuals) that made it happen

• Gideon Seymour:  Fabric arts
• City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council;
• Regional Development Agency, Yorkshire Forward
• Westfield land developers

Fabric lobbies on behalf of the arts and creative sector and works with partners including the local authority to raise the profile of the arts and creative sector and to demonstrate the contribution that the arts can make to the cultural, social and economic regeneration of Bradford.

Budget/costs explanation

The project will cost around £300,000. Funding has been received by Westfield, the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council for infrastructure and maintenance, and from the Meanwhile Project to animate the space for the benefit of the community.

A list of media clips, cuttings and websites/blogs etc.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/bradford/8616316.stm

http://www.newstartmag.co.uk/news/article/plans-for-bradfords-interim-urban-green-space/

http://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/news/8093002.Work_starts_on_Westfield_site__urban_garden_/

http://www.publicpropertyuk.com/2010/04/09/“wastefield”-bradford-to-become-green-oasis/

Contact

Gideon Seymour, gideon.seymour@creativebradford.co.uk

Broadway

Bradford

West Yorks

BD1