OUR TURN: Practice Bradford opens at Loading Bay as the first exhibition in city’s landmark visual arts festival
18 September–19 October 2025
Loading Bay, 1 Duke St, Bradford, BD1 3QR
Free admission
OUR TURN: Practice Bradford is a group exhibition showcasing new work from four exciting emerging Bradford artists. Launching OUR TURN, a new visual arts festival and major milestone within the city of culture celebrations, the exhibition opens at Loading Bay from 18 September–19 October 2025. OUR TURN: Practice Bradford will present ambitious new works by artists Joanna Byrne, Atiyya Mirza, Liv Preston and Saba Siddiqui.
The exhibition is the culmination of Practice Bradford, a new artist development programme led by Yorkshire Contemporary and Bradford Producing Hub, in collaboration with Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture, designed to support and nurture artistic talent in the region. The programme provides tailored mentoring, peer support, talks and funding to enable artists to take creative risks and expand their practice. It builds on Yorkshire Contemporary’s longstanding programmes and commitment to developing contemporary art talent across the county.
OUR TURN: Practice Bradford marks the start of OUR TURN, a brand-new visual arts festival. Taking place between 18th September – 28th January 2026 across the district; OUR TURN will shine a spotlight on art that is made and created in Bradford through an exciting programme of events, exhibitions, workshops, learning opportunities and more. OUR TURN promises to be bold, experimental and authentically Bradford, optimising a time when the world’s visual arts community looks to Bradford as it hosts the Turner Prize 2025 this autumn. OUR TURN: Practice Bradford builds on this momentum, ensuring that early-career artists are supported to develop, experiment and shape the city’s cultural future.
About Yorkshire Contemporary
Yorkshire Contemporary is an arts organisation based in Leeds. We work across the region creating exciting opportunities for people to experience ambitious and inspiring contemporary art for free, through exhibitions, commissions and public programmes. Artist-centred in all we do, we provide professional development activities for early career artists, creating national and international networks. We champion art and play, supporting our communities to be creative. Between 2013 and 2023 we were known as The Tetley, where we supported over 1200 artists including co-commissioning Tai Shani’s Turner Prize winning exhibition Semiramis.
Practice Bradford is part of Yorkshire Contemporary’s artist accelerator programme, Practice. It supports emerging contemporary artists in the region with funding, mentorship, and professional development at pivotal stages in their careers.
About OUR TURN
OUR TURN is an ambitious new artist-led festival designed by Bradford artists, organised by South Square Centre in collaboration with Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture, Bradford Producing Hub and Yorkshire Contemporary.
southsquarecentre.co.uk/ourturn
