feStival aWards
Bradford African Festival of Art By Olushola Kolawole
BAFA 2025 is a vibrant celebration of African culture in Bradford and beyond, aimed at preserving heritage and fostering community unity. It highlights African traditions through activities like family reunions, networking, knowledge sharing, and business exhibitions. Building on last year’s success, where over 20 market stalls boosted local businesses, the festival continues to promote economic empowerment.
Snickets and Wickets by Kammy Siddique
This 12-month interactive festival will engage the local community by celebrating 140 years of working-class inner-city sports and heritage through traditional and non-traditional games, arts, and storytelling. Co-designed with over 30 community members, the festival will include communal mural-making, audio-visual documentaries, and an exhibition culminating in an interactive heritage wall at the club.
Five Minute Film Festival by Jordon Kennedy
This festival celebrated The Unit’s Five-Minute Film Club, a grassroots initiative that sparked over 150 short films in two years. Launched as a monthly contest for filmmakers in Bradford and Keighley, it has grown into a creative hub for diverse storytelling and offers a platform to share local talent with wider audiences
Windrush Generations by Basil Richards
The project is an inclusive and vibrant festival celebrating music, song, dance, culture, and food. Designed to appeal to a diverse audience, they incorporate feedback and collaborate with local stakeholders to ensure there’s something for everyone. The event is accessible to families, young people, children, couples, singles, and groups across all protected characteristics.
Snoop Fest By Jenny Turner
SNOOP, a Bradford-based charity, supports children and young people with learning disabilities, neurodiverse conditions, and complex health needs. Its core services include a specialist SEND nursery (ages 2-4), after-school and holiday programmes (ages 4-16), and young adult services (ages 16-45) focused on life skills, independence, and social development. SNOOP Fest will be co-devised by the young people themselves and is a joyous celebration of ability and inclusion.
Daytimers by Moss Sheikh
This project celebrates the vibrant 1980s BritAsian “Daytimers” music scene in Bradford, showcasing the creativity and resilience of the community during a time of social challenges and racial tensions. It explores the origins, key figures, and global impact of Daytimers through educational workshops, a 30-minute documentary, Q&A sessions, and a festival commemorating an iconic space of that era.
Multicultural Arts and Food Festival by Nazma Begum
The one-day outdoor family festival builds on last year’s successful Cultural Food Festival, inspired by ideas from local women. Drawing from the lessons and enthusiasm of the previous event, they engaged over 60 residents to shape this year’s festival. Collaborating with partners like Bradford Council’s Youth Services and voluntary organisations, they aim to offer fun activities such as a ‘smoothie bike’ for healthy juice-making.
Roma Food & Cultural Festival by Katarina Dome
The Roma Festival celebrated the rich traditions of Roma culture through food, music, and community. Featuring authentic Roma dishes such as holubky, lečo, goulash, chlebíčky and pastries, the festival offered a culinary journey into Roma heritage. Attendees enjoyed live cooking demonstrations, vibrant music, storytelling and glorious Roma dancing.