BRADFORD’S Impressions Gallery is giving young people chance to join work with leading international artists and experts in photography.

New Focus: Bradford Young Curators is an opportunity for 10 young people aged 18 to 25 to gain the skills and confidence to become cultural leaders of the future.

Starting in July, the 18-month programme will empower young curators “to be bold and think big” as they work towards staging a major exhibition at Impressions Gallery in 2025, as well as presenting an online photographic archive, preserving stories of Bradford for years to come.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: The project offers the opportunity to become cultural leaders of the future The project offers the opportunity to become cultural leaders of the future (Image: Impressions Gallery)

The young people selected for the project will receive mentoring and practical guidance in areas such as commissioning artists, research, curation, technical production, community engagement, marketing, budgeting and time management. There will also be opportunities for off-site visits to other national museums and galleries.

A £1,000 bursary, plus expenses, will be given to those who commit to taking part. Relevant prior work experience or qualifications are not needed to apply. What’s most important, says the Impressions team, is an interest in the opportunity.

Chemaine Cooke, New Focus Project Manager says: “Pathways into working in galleries are becoming increasingly expensive so this is a completely free opportunity to come into this world. The Bradford Young Curators programme is a special opportunity to work with a team of other young people to develop a major exhibition and benefit from mentoring by award-winning artists and curators. We’ll also be creating Bradford’s biggest digital family archive by going out into the community to meet different people and groups helping them to share their photos and stories.”

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Some of the Young Curators who took part in previous programmes Some of the Young Curators who took part in previous programmes (Image: Impressions Gallery)

New Focus is Impressions Gallery’s award-winning young people’s collective which works alongside the city centre gallery as creators and participants to develop their own projects. Running for more than 10 years, New Focus has supported hundreds of young people to recognise and realise their potential and empowering them to develop skills and gain practical experience in creative industries.

Impressions Gallery, in Centenary Square, is a charity that helps people understand the world through photography and acts as an agent for change. It opened in 1972 as one of the first specialist photography galleries in the country, and continues to support and encourage artists who challenge and change photography.

* To find out more about Bradford Young Curators go to impressions-gallery.com/new-focus. The deadline for applications is Sunday, June 9.

There will be an online Zoom information session tomorrow, from 5.30pm-6.30pm. Register at onlineinfosession28may.eventbrite.co.uk and Impressions Gallery will send a Zoom link before the session.