A FUN celebration of the arts is planned for Keighley as part of an ambitious 10-year programme to spark creativity amongst local people.

The LEAP will hit the ground running as soon as Covid-19 restrictions are lifted with 15 creative projects for communities across Bradford district.

In Keighley the freelance artist Victoria Alderton will run workshops using prompt cards and music to 'get the conversation flowing' amongst local residents.

Teaming up with Keighley Healthy Living, she will let people use colour-coded pens on a map of Keighley to identify where they would like to access the arts.

She will use an existing trail at Cliffe Castle Park to walk and talk with primary school children to capture their thoughts about taking part in the arts.

The LEAP is described as Bradford’s Creative People and Places project and will take place across six Bradford wards including Keighley Central and Keighley West.

For the first wave of activities, 15 diverse new projects were chosen from more than 50 creative people and organisations that applied.

The projects include activities, workshops and taster sessions which aim to involve a broad range of people young and old, reflecting what organisers call "Bradford’s proud diversity".

The long-term aim of The LEAP is to support local, community-led culture in Keighley and Bradford with the hope of finding a new pool of creative leaders.

Over 10 years The LEAP aims to get more than 100,000 local people engaged in the arts and help them to shape a new cultural programme for the district.

Initially, it will focus on some of the most disadvantaged areas with poor levels of participation, starting in 2020 in the wards of Manningham, Bradford Moor, Tong, City, Keighley West and Keighley Central.

The LEAP sees local people as vital to its success – and will look at how to tackle issues such as inequality and social inclusion and encourage social action and a sense of community pride through its cultural activities.

Zulfiqar Ahmed, director of The LEAP, said: “It’s fantastic that the first project under The LEAP has garnered so much interest from the creative community in Bradford; it shows that there is real hunger within Bradfordians for a cultural transformation and we’re committed to making this happen for the local people.

"We've been able to continue with our ambitious plans throughout the Covid-19 crisis and we are already well on the way to finding a new pool of creative leaders who will be at the forefront of transformative change in the city.

"By putting people in control of decisions about art and culture in the places that they live, we will give them agency, skills and opportunity and grow their confidence and capacity, which will bring huge benefits to Bradford.”

One of the 15 projects will be led by the BAFTA Award-winning team behind Bradford-based Impact Gaming, which uses game making as a tool to help young people build confidence and new friendships.

Impact will work with local people to create a series of games based on the people of Bradford and how they hope to change their community.

Impact Gaming aim to work with disenfranchised people in the Bradford area and those who feel voiceless, offering the resources that are needed to help bring about some of the change they feel their community needs.

Cllr Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Healthy People and Places, said: “Our district has a long history of involvement in the creative arts. THE LEAP seeks to extend this so that everyone has the opportunity to be part of creative projects, regardless of their background.

"I look forward to seeing this programme progress when it is safe again for people to come together.”

To find out more, visit theleapbradford.co.uk.

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