As part of the Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture celebrations, Creative Lives launched a series of £400 micro-grants to empower community groups across the Bradford District.

The initiative sought to harness the district’s vibrant and diverse grassroots creativity by funding small scale, locally led projects that would allow groups to share their passion, engage their community, and participate in the City of Culture year.

From bell ringing to a Bhajan singing competition, 54 creative groups received funding, representing a cross-section of Bradford’s richly diverse communities. The fund prioritised informal, volunteer-led groups and projects that were welcoming, accessible, and rooted in local identity.

“This fund was about celebrating the culture and incredible creative groups already thriving in Bradford’s communities, and empowering them to try something new and welcome new members. Sometimes, just a little support can create a big ripple.” - Sophie Fraser, Creative Lives 

As well as the £400 micro-grant, groups also received guidance and support on the topics of insurance, safeguarding, and risk assessments, as well as attending networking and marketing sessions.

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Here's just one example of how a group made a difference in their area . . .

Loosely Bound

Loosely Bound is a vibrant, voluntary-led collective of zine-makers, illustrators and DIY artists bound by their love of zines and Bradford.

The collective has a proud history of running accessible, playful, and collaborative creative spaces, including events at Bradford Literature Festival, Beacons Festival, and their own pop-up shop project, Bradford Baked Zines.

Their long-running project #BradfordSketchClub  is a monthly event that brings together a wide range of local creatives, from young kids to retirees, teachers to street artists and everyone in between. Sessions are hosted in venues across the city, including Theatre in the Mill, Bradford Light Cinema Café, and 1 in 12 Club, with occasional Zoom events to support access needs and out-of-town members.

With their Bradford 2025 'Do Your Thing' micro-grant, Loosely Bound launched an ambitious event called Imagine Zine Space, held in accessible community arts space Trapezium.

This one-day participatory zine and art-making experience was designed to imagine what a permanent, sustainable, and climate-conscious zine and print hub could look like in Bradford. The event brought together a wide-range of people, and embodied Loosely Bound’s commitment to DIY creativity, accessibility, and community pride.

“At Loosely Bound we have a strong sense of pride connected to our place and identity as a Bradford-based collective. We have the power of connectivity, creative liberation and self expression through DIY self publishing.” - Loosely Bound

You can follow the collective and its contributors on Instagram: @bex_purple, @shi.blank, @bradfordzinefair

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The Bradford 2025 'Do Your Thing' micro-grants continue to prove that small investments can unlock vast potential in community creativity. Groups like Loosely Bound turned modest funding into powerful, participatory projects that celebrated identity, connection, and local pride.

As Bradford celebrates its landmark year as UK City of Culture, these projects form the essential grassroots layer of the celebration - authentic, diverse, and driven by the people of Bradford.