Look around Bradford's Van Gogh Alive experience at Regency Hall

The Van Gogh Alive experience is making its Yorkshire debut in the newly-crowned City of Culture.

The immersive show has lit up the Grade II listed building with the artist’s bold brushstrokes and quotes about life, love and loss from his letters.

Van Gogh Alive explores the Dutch artist’s career through HD projections, digital surround sound and aromas of Provence.

The multi-sensory experience gives viewers the sensation of walking right into the artist’s spectacular paintings as if they are living and breathing.

Van Gogh Alive, an immersive, multi-sensory art experience combining high-definition projections of Van Gogh's paintings with digital surround sound and aromas of Provence, at Regency Hall in Bradford. Picture: PA, Danny Lawson (Image: PA, Danny Lawson)

Van Gogh Alive will run in Bradford from October 13, 2022, to January 8, 2023. 

You can watch Starry Night sparkle above the calming river Rhône or wander through the mirror room filled with bright yellow sunflowers.

It follows a popular tour which attracted 8.5 million visitors to 80 cities across the world, including sell-out runs in Edinburgh, Manchester and London.

Suraj Mitra from Punjabi Roots Academy performs during a press preview ahead of the opening of Van Gogh Alive. Picture: PA, Danny Lawson (Image: PA)

The visuals took around eight weeks to design and match the historic building’s features, according to John Carrigan, project director at Van Gogh Alive.

Describing the process, Mr Carrigan said: “We use over 3,000 images or so, there’s probably 800 or thereabouts different pieces of art – sometimes it differs from exhibition to exhibition.

“The rest are made up of letters and different images from his time.  

The Van Gogh Alive mirror room is filled with bright yellow sunflowers. Picture: Newsquest, Mike Simmonds (Image: PA)

“The big thing for us is how we play out the sounds and the configuration, and how we can use the height of the building.

“The height of the ceilings is the critical part to coming here. There’s 20 odd metres [at Regency Hall] which gives you that big, dramatic experience.

“The experience will be open from Tuesday through to Sunday and we’re really excited to be here in Yorkshire.”

• Read more: Special discount code revealed for Bradford's Van Gogh Alive experience

Speaking on what he hopes people will feel during the exhibition, the director said: “For me it’s connecting the Yorkshire region really and people coming who may not have connected with art and culture and really giving people their first experience of this. It’s very accessible.

Van Gogh Alive at Bradford's Regency Hall (Image: Newsquest)

“We have no age restrictions – under 5s come free.

“We encourage people to move about. Some people come in and stand rigid in one place.”

When asked about his favourite painting, he said: “I love the colours of the Almond Blossom.

“The colours and vibrancy of that image and when we fill the whole gallery space up with it, it’s quite spectacular.”

This event is different to Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience held in York. 

Visitors will be able to donate to the organiser's chosen charity, Mind in Bradford, via ‘Tap to Donate’ points throughout their experience. 

How to get tickets

T&A reporter Natasha Meek explores the mirror room filled with sunflowers at Van Gogh Alive. Picture: Newsquest, Mike Simmonds (Image: Newsquest)

Tickets for Van Gogh Alive are priced at £16 for concessions and £21 for adults, while entry is free for under 5s.

Further concessions and school group discounts are available. 

Tickets are available via the official website vangoghaliveuk.com/bradford/

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