A GROUNDBREAKING new Bradford study could change how arts and cultural events across the country are funded.

Earlier this year a new 10 year cultural strategy for Bradford was launched, which aims to get more people across the district involved with arts and cultural events.

It is hoped Bradford will be named City of Culture 2025 - half way through this 10 year period.

Along with the strategy there will be a first-of-its-kind study that will use medical research to measure the benefits arts and culture can have on the health and wellbeing of the local population.

It will be carried out by the Born In Bradford project - set up in 2007 and which has followed the lives of thousands of Bradford children since they were born.

Professor John Wright from Born In Bradford told the Telegraph & Argus that although it is generally seen that better access to arts and culture can benefit a person's wellbeing, this study will provide evidence on just what type of impact it can have.

The findings could be used by cultural groups when they make the case for funding, and provide a better understanding of what being named City of Culture could bring an area.

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The Born in Bradford study already involves around 13,000 children in Bradford, and this cultural study will aim to cast the net even wider - looking at the impact of culture on every young person in Bradford.

Prof Wright said: "The first Born In Bradford children will be turning 18 in 2025 - they would be coming of age when Bradford hopefully gets the City of Culture title. That would really bring the circle together.

"We'll be working with the Science and Media Museum and the local authority to see how we can get young people involved in arts and culture, and try to get a better understanding of what types of culture they engage with. Is it cinema, books or mainly digital?

"Rather than arts and culture being something to enjoy, does it have a positive measure on health and wellbeing?

"How much exposure to arts and culture are young people getting, and how does that exposure effect health outcomes over time?"

The study will look at if and how how young people's health, from blood pressure to mental health, is effected by exposure to arts and culture.

Prof Wright added: "There has never been a huge amount of evidence collected about the benefits of arts and culture on health and wellbeing - nothing as detailed as what we'll be collecting in the Born In Bradford study.

"We'll be following it through these children's lives to see just how important it is.

"We're talking about involvement in established events like arts festivals, youth clubs and digital creativity."

He said the study will also look at whether technology such as access to smartphones or tablets, has a similar impact on young people's lives as more "traditional" arts and culture. Prof Wright added: "We can't put the genie back in the bottle, so let's understand how it impacts people."

The findings of the study could forever change how arts and culture are funded - as it will give evidence on where and how it most impacts lives.

Prof Wright says that if the study proves increased access to arts and culture is proven to boost health and wellbeing, it could mean arts funding is diverted from established cultural hubs like London to more deprived areas of the country. He added: "The issue with arts funding is groups often struggle to show what the specific benefits they provide to their communities.

"If we collect that evidence then hopefully it will encourage more funding to the arts. It could see more funding directed from the South of the country to the North."