A group of children wearing eastern-themed costumes are sitting on a rug beneath a huge painting called the Arab Weaver.

The painting, of a carpet weaver, hangs in Cartwright Hall's upper floor and the children are using it as inspiration for their own artwork.

It's a living, breathing example of what a new scheme called Connect is aiming for.

Connect does exactly what it says - it makes connections between works of art from different cultures and periods, between Cartwright Hall's art gallery and its visitors, and be-tween visitors from different walks of life. It turns the usual way of displaying art on its head, by arranging work ac-cording to themes rather than chronologically.

Connections are already highlighted in the gallery's artworks; the idea of water as regenerative and life-affirming is a common thread linking David Hockney's Le Plongeur; Howard Hodgkins' David's Pool, inspired by Hockney's pool paintings, and Saleem Arif's sculpture Vessel of Vitality. The Worshippers' Dance by contemporary Pakistani artist Laila Rahman, featuring a series of classical-looking figures reaching for the sun, stands alongside William Blake's 1875 engraving Illustration to the Book of Job, highlighting the similarity, or connection, between the two works.

Cartwright Hall has two permanent galleries, one displaying 19th and 20th century British paintings and sculptures, and the other international contemporary prints and South Asian art and crafts. The permanent collections haven't changed fundamentally for more than 20 years but now the gallery wants them to better reflect the changing interests of the 21st century, in the way they are displayed, interpreted and purchased.

Connect is aimed at making the exhibitions more accessible by presenting them under three subject areas; People, Places and Imagination. The idea is that, using different approaches to interpreting the artworks, visitors will connect with them in different ways.

"Themes that cut across cultures and chronologies is a new concept in permanent exhibitions," says Connect project director Dr Nima Poovaya-Smith. "Connect has six themes under each subject area: under People we have 'Icons' and 'Stories'; under Places we have 'the Earth and Us' and 'Near and Far', and under Imagination we have 'Visual Languages' and 'Beauty and Form'

"They offer up some surprising connections. The 'Icons' theme, for example, connects Andy Warhol prints from the gallery's contemporary print collection with Indian film posters the connection is between Hollywood and Bollywood. We have a Hockney painting of JB Priestley, which also connects different icons. Under 'Earth and Us' we connect 19th century landscape paintings with work by new artists looking at environmental issues like erosion. Under 'Near and Far' we connect a 1914 painting by Cleckheaton artist Edward Wadsworth called Bradford: View of a Town with a photographic map of the sub continent by a Pakistani artist. A Syrian glass mosque lamp recently gifted to the gallery connects with a stained glass panel designed by William Morris that came from Holy Trinity Church in Bingley.

"Visual Languages looks at the concept of art as language. We've got writers like Joolz Denby writing tales making connections with artwork which will be placed around the gallery. Cartwright Hall is held in great affection both locally and nationally. We want people to be inspired by the place and what is here, to talk to staff or email their comments."

Connect is the result of a partnership between Bradford Council and Yorkshire charitable company Alchemy Anew and is funded by £208,500 from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Arts Council and the Renaissance Museums Hub, which supports arts organisations across the county. It has received Stage One Lottery funding and if this initial phase is a success it will be eligible for Stage Two funding, amounting to an overall sum of £2 million enabling the transformation of the whole gallery.

Connect is part of the £5 million Illuminate festival, an urban cultural programme hosting events in five regional cities, including Bradford, throughout the year. Under the Illuminate umbrella, Connect is also part of Pillars of Light, a programme exploring Islamic art.

Cartwright Hall staff are carrying out consultations with various groups of people, from teenagers hanging out in Lister Park to a young farmers association in a rural village, to hear about their experiences of the gallery. Pilot exhibitions are being tested on the gallery's upper floor, where sofas and coffee tables are dotted around for visitors to sit and discuss what's around them. Children are encouraged to use pencils and paper on the tables to create their own artwork, inspired by the collections.

A pilot exhibition called Prelude, starting on April 29, will showcase some of the permanent collections plus artwork created by local people in response to the collections.

Kate Wafer, of Audiences Yorkshire, the region's audience development agency, is coordinating the consultation process.

"Connect makes connections between works of art from different cultures, between the gallery and its audience and between different visitors," she says. "Talking to real people keeps a gallery in touch with what people find exciting about visual art, the stories and feelings we all share that are as likely to be found in a contemporary work of art from the East as a Victorian painting from the West.

"We particularly want to talk to visitors to Lister Park, to make that connection between the park and the gallery. Many people use the park but not all of them would consider coming into the gallery, maybe because they think art galleries are stuffy or quiet places that have no relevance for them. We're saying, 'This is your gallery, it's a community space where you can hang out. Come and walk around, listen to your iPod, bring your family along, let us know what you think of the place'.

"We want to open the place up, make it bright and inviting, with big cushions made from lush fabrics to make it a more comfortable sitting space.

"Some people may be put off by the historic aspect of the place. Once we start presenting old and contemporary artworks together, like a bust of Queen Victoria next to a Warhol print of Marilyn Monroe, it makes it more exciting, accessible and inspiring.

"This is the starting point for the creative team at Cartwright Hall, but the litmus test will be the reactions and contributions of the public. The people involved won't be art experts, but their views will carry substantial weight with the team responsible for what will be a major redisplay.

"We want to know what people think of the exhibitions now and what they would like in future, even down to placing wall labels in a different way."

Cartwright Hall's community outreach officer Sofia Maskin is working with schools, community groups and the Friends of Lister Park. The organisations include Surestart Manningham, the Manningham and Girlington Youth Partnership and Huston Street Community Centre, used by a diverse cultural mix of Asian, white, AfroCaribbean and Eastern European people.

"It's about reminding people that the gallery exists for them," says Sofia. "We want to create young ambassadors for Cartwright Hall, 16 to 25-year-olds who will have a say in the exhibitions and provide feedback from their communities and peer groups.

"I'm also working with family groups creating artwork with a professional artist, taking inspiration from Cartwright Hall collections, and the work will be exhibited as part of Prelude."

l Prelude runs at Cartwright Hall from April 29 to the autumn. To get involved in Connect ring Sofia Maskin on (01274) 431212.