Bradford Arts Centre reopens after £7.9m refurb and rebrand
Bradford Arts Centre will officially open its doors to the public after changing its name from Kala Sangam.
A LONG-standing Bradford arts venue has reopened its doors after a £7.9 million refurbishment and re-branding that has transformed the building.
Later this week Bradford Arts Centre will officially open its doors to the public after changing its name from Kala Sangam.
Based at St Peter’s House in Little Germany, opposite The Broadway shopping centre, the building has been shut since late 2023 while the building underwent a huge refurbishment.
It opens again to the public on Wednesday with the first performance, the world premier of Jaivant Patel Company’s ‘ASTITVA’, being held on Thursday, followed by the Bradford South Asian Festival this weekend.
Before it closed for refurbishment, Kala Sangam used only a section of upper floor space the Grade II listed building – which was once Bradford’s General Post Office.
The ground floor, used as Bradford Council office space, has now become part of the arts centre, allowing an expansion that includes artist’s studios, conference space and a 170-seat theatre.
The £7.9m used to expand the centre has come from the Department for Media, Culture and Sport, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Garfield Weston Foundation, Foyle Foundation, Bradford Council and Bradford 2025.
The building was opened to the press on Monday.
One of the main issues with the former Kala Sangam was access. Visitors with buggies or wheelchairs either had to enter from the Bradford Cathedral site or use the building’s single, cramped lift – which was condemned shortly before the building shut for refurbishment.
The changes have entirely opened up St Peter’s House, creating new accessible entrances and a new frontage.
Rather than facing a steep flight of stairs or tiny lift, people are now greeted by a large, spacious lobby.
The building’s new theatre is much bigger than the previous one, and the building is full of studio spaces that artists and performers can lease for just £1 a day.
Speaking about the building’s past as a post office, Alex Croft, CEO of Bradford Arts Centre, said: “The building was crucial for the people of Bradford as for successive waves of immigrant communities it connected them to their homelands.
“We hope we have created a building that creates a modern cultural exchange.”
He said the plans to expand the centre had been in place long before Bradford was awarded its City of Culture status.
He said: “It has transformed the capacity we have here. Before we had a single space for artistic, educational and cultural delivery, now we have five studios and a bigger theatre.”
Some of the rooms in the building will be leased out for conferences and corporate events – an income stream that means the centre can offer tickets for shows for just £1.
Mr Croft told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that before the refurbishment the building “wasn’t big enough” to programme all the events they would like. He added: “We didn’t have the capacity to make it work. The scale has massively increased.”
The top floor café in the building is expected to re-open in the New Year, and Mr Croft hopes that people in Bradford come in to use the building’s facilities – even if they don’t plan on attending any of the arts events. He said: “It will be an open space for everyone.”
The Autumn programme of events at the gallery includes 17 events, six premieres, four building takeovers, five City of Culture support programmes and 12 Bradford Arts Centre development-supported shows.
The season commences on Thursday and Friday with the world premiere of ‘ASTITVA’ from Jaivant Patel Company. The new dance work explores Jaivant Patel’s experiences growing up as a queer Indian man.
For tickets visit https://bdartscentre.co.uk/whats-on/