Announcing WE ARE HERE in Oastler Market

Oastler Market photo by Dipak Mistry

We are delighted to announce WE ARE HERE, a new project in the city’s Oastler Market celebrating it’s unique history, communities and stories. Wur Bradford artists Chemaine Cooke and Jean McEwan will be working with market traders, members of the public and BCB community radio  to tell the stories of the Market and its people through guided walks, printed ‘zines and sound. The project will culminate in a free two day event ‘We Are Here Party in the Market’ in April, featuring a BCB radio broadcast, alongside poetry readings, live music, art exhibition and print goodies. There will also be an exhibition of the project at Kala Sangam arts centre from April to June.

Interested in the project and want to know more or get involved? Got stories or memories about Oastler you want to share? Chemaine and Jean would love to hear from you. You can get in touch with us via our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/wurbradford or drop us an email at wurbradford@gmail.com

We’ll be announcing details of our first guided walks very soon – watch this space!

WE ARE HERE is supported by Arts Council England, Bradford Council, Bradford Markets and University of Bradford

Wur Bradford Useful Art Party, Thursday 24th August

Wur Bradford art space, Kirkgate Market (above the shopping centre), opposite Home From Home Cafe

Thursday 24th August

12-3pm

Can/should art be useful? Should it fix or repair problems or issues?
Which ones?
What does useful art look like? What would you think of as a ‘useful’ art project?
What could a ‘useful’ art project be, here and now, where you are?


 

Join us at Wur Bradford for a Useful Art Party to come up ideas for ‘useful art’ projects. Bring along your ideas and generate more ideas with others with old skool party fun, games, activities and food.

We will vote on the best ones which we will take forward to a ‘Useful art Working Party’ on Thursday 31st August to make into proposals for projects, which will become part of the upcoming ‘ Full Scale’ exhibition at Gallery ll, University of Bradford, opening on September 21st.
‘The exhibition will open discussion about art as a tool for social change, the relationship between artists and audiences, and art’s place in a rapidly changing world. What is gained from exhibiting such projects together in a gallery as art? How might they be applied, activated or used otherwise? What would you like to see fixed or improved, and how could art help you to do that? As well as an exhibition space the gallery will be a space in which to collectively address such questions. A parallel programme of events, workshops and talks will be announced.’

http://www.brad.ac.uk/gallery/whats-on/coming-up/

Free! All are welcome!

Tour De Yorkshire Art on Wheels poster workshops and exhibition

Art on Wheels

Join Wur Bradford in two creative workshops to make your own ‘Art on Wheels’ poster celebrating the Tour De Yorkshire! The posters will be exhibited in Bradford Markets in the weekend running up to the race.

Workshop 1
Tuesday 25th April
4-6pm
at the Wild Woods (the ex Marks and Spencers shop in Darley Street)

Printing With Wheels:
Bring any wheels you have (bicyles, wheelchairs, scooters, prams, toy trucks) for a massive collective printing session with tyres of all kinds to make the background for the posters. We’ll be using water based paint which will wash off, but it might be a bit messy so don’t wear your best clothes!
This workshop is suitable for all. Places are limited to please book, by emailing us Wur Bradford at wurbradford@gmail.com. With thanks to our friends at the Brickbox and East Street Arts for giving us use of the Wild Woods!

Workshop 2
Thursday 27th April
at Wur Bradford art space (stall in Kirkgate Market, opposite Home From Home cafe)
1.30 – 3.30pm

Poster Workshop
Make your own Tour De Yorkshire poster by collaging on top of printed wheel marks (made at Tuesday’s workshop) exploring ideas of movement, energy, action and excitement.All materials are provided but please bring your own collage materials if you would like to.The posters will then be exhibited in Bradford Markets in the weekend running up to the race

This workshop is suitable for all. Places are limited to please book, by emailing us Wur Bradford at wurbradford@gmail.com

This workshop is supported by Bradford Council and Bradford Markets.

The Tour De Yorkshire takes place on Sunday 30th April and passes through Bradford – more information here

Facebook event pages
Art on Wheels workshop https://www.facebook.com/events/745368458957055/
Art on wheels poster workshop https://www.facebook.com/events/717052898501636/

About us

Wur Bradford (Wur means ‘we are’ or ‘our’  is an independent grassroots arts project which is about exploring how we can make our city and our world better through imagination and collective action.  Run by artists Jean McEwan, Chemaine Cooke and  Uzma Kazi,  Wur work with people to explore how creativity might be used to make empower us and connect us.
Our activities are led by the people who we work with, and have included a wide range of things from  workshops, events, projects, campaigns and discussions. We ran regular weekly sessions in a stall in Kirkgate Market for 2 and a half years from 2015 – 2017,  and we also work in  public spaces and venues throughout the city. We regularly work in partnership with and for other organisations Bradford and have done projects in collaboration with Bradford Council, Impressions Gallery, South Square Gallery, The Brick Box, University of Bradford, Bradford Civic Society, Purple Patch Arts to name but a few.

In 2017 we also ran a year long action research project ‘Power Up Creative Resistance’, exploring creative responses to social and political shifts, in collaboration with University of Bradford’s Peace Studies ‘Thinkspace’ groups, funded by Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

In 2018 we ran a project in Oastler Market called WE ARE HERE, which was celebrating it’s unique history, communities and stories,  working with market traders, members of the public and BCB community radio to tell the stories of the Market and its people through guided walks, printed ‘zines and sound. We shared this work at an exhibition at arts space Kala Sangam after the project.

To get an idea of some of the things we have done ( everything from creative  workshops to bannermaking to art parties to zine-making , self publishing fairs and guided walks) watch the slideshow below, and you can also watch a short video about Wur Bradford, made in late 2015 here at our space in Kirkgate Market.

We are currently looking at how how we can put our respond best to the challenging times we are living in. A new website is coming soon, which we will be updating soon with our plans. In the meantime, take care of yourselves and each other, and stay safe.

With love

Jean, Uzma and Chemaine, July 2020

Wur Bradford on facebook

Wur Bradford on twitter

Wur Bradford on instagram

 

 

Bridges Not Walls Bradford banner drop, Friday 20th January

A group of us ( Migrants Organise, Racial Justice Network, Wur Bradford and others) collectively organised a Bridges Not Walls banner drop action in Bradford this Friday 20th January, the day of Trump’s inauguration

Friday 20th January
8.30 – 10am
Pavillion Cafe, City Park, Bradford

On the 20th of January 2017, at approximately 5pm UK time Donald Trump will be sworn in as the new and 45th president of the United States. Those who have heard him know he is a racist, misogynist and against Muslims. He has spread fear, hatred and division amongst communities.
On this day we will be taking to bridges across the country to defy the rise of fascism across the world. In Bradford, we will be dropping a banner on top of the pavilion cafe at City Park at 8.30-10am and are inviting people to join us to give a simple, hopeful and unmistaken message to defy the rise of fascism across the world and to affirm that we prefer bridges across our communities not walls.
Bridges not walls call out http://bridgesnotwalls.uk/ is a chance for everyone everywhere to say in their own your words and as part of a bigger collective about need for peaceful and just world rid of oppression and hatred.
Because some media and politicians are creating a new normal where extreme views are tolerated, we must actively defend the rights of our most vulnerable brothers, sisters and communities. The situation is not going to fix itself and the government isn’t either so it is down to each one of us to take action and stand in solidarity with those whose message is of unity, building connections and looking out for each other.
Please see Wur Bradford Facebook page for more information on banner making session on Thursday 19th January 2-4pm –  https://www.facebook.com/events/234017930341188/  – join us in making a collective banner or  feel free to bring your own banners and posters on the day with your own messages of solidarity.  ALL ARE WELCOME!

#BridgesNotWalls
#LoveTrumpsHate

Facebook event page for the action: https://www.facebook.com/events/789488467857122/

The action has been organised collectively by Migrants Organise, Racial Justice Network, Wur Bradford and others.

‘Bridges Not Walls’ Bradford action: planning meeting and banner making sessions

Bradford is joining the Bridges Not Walls national day of action on 20th January the day Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States of America. http://bridgesnotwalls.uk/
That day, together, people across the UK will drop banners from bridges across the country to send a simple, hopeful and unmistakable message:
” We will build bridges, not walls, to a peaceful and just world, rid of oppression and hatred”
Wur Bradford along  with Racial Justice Network  and other friends are joining to do a Bradford Bridges Not Walls action. We’ll make a banner and drop it from a bridge in Bradford (bridge tbc) on the morning of 20th January.

We invite you to join us to help make this happen! Here’s how you can get involved

1. Come to an informal alanning meeting, Thursday 12th January 2-3pm at Wur Bradford- a chance to chat and plan how we organise the action – all are welcome, no special skills required just your enthusiasm! (this will be a first for many of us but we will do it and learn together)
2. Banner making sessions at Wur Bradford on Saturday 14th January 2-4pm, and Thursday 19th January 2-4pm – join us in creating a banner to drop from a Bradford bridge on the 20th January. No specialist skills needed! You can also make your own posters and signs to hold up on the day
3. Come along to the banner drop on the morning of the 20th January – more details coming soon
4. Help spread the word via social media – follow our Wur Bradford facebook page for updates

 

Wur Bradford art space is situated in a stall in Kirkgate Market, above the shopping centre. You can find us at the back of the market -nearest the Westgate entrance, we are opposite Home From Home cafe

End of Year Party!

Wur Bradford End of Year Party

Thursday 22nd December
12-3pm
Wur Bradford artspace
Kirkgate Market (Opposite Home From Home Cafe)
Above Kirkgate Shopping Centre

Join us at Wur Bradford to mark the end of the year and to celebrate the festive season with art, music, market treats and seasonal fun, frolics and friendliness

Featuring:

– Our specially made ‘Market Shrine’ – a  celebration of the amazing people and stalls in Bradford Markets,  containing traders in miniature and objects collected from the markets

 – Acoustic live music and singalong with Rob, Clive and others (including a rendition of You Can’t Always Get What You Want and more)

 – Tarot readings with Graham

 – Family friendly creative activities

 – Mini art exhibition: see some of the we have created this year! From zines to wall drawings to posters to cardboard box art

 – Festive food nibbles gathered from Oastler and Kirkgate Markets stalls, from savoury to sweet treats

 – Decorations made by Julie

Plus more surprises!

All are welcome! Bring your loved ones! Drop in any time between 12-3pm
If you can , please bring us a non perishable food donation for our Bradford Metropolitan Foodbank donations

Heartfelt thanks to our supporters Two28, Bradford Council and Bradford Markets this year – without you we couldn’t have had the amazingly creative and productive year we have had!

POWER UP! Sister Corita Art Party, Thursday 24th November

Thursday 24th November
12-3pm
POWER UP! Sister Corita  Art Party

Wur Bradford arts space, Kirkgate Market (opposite Home From Home cafe)

Sister Corita ( 1918 – 1986) was an American artist, teacher and nun who used words phrases and slogans  from billboards and magazines and mixed them with poetry to make them into bold prints banners and installations which she put into everyday places.
Sister Corita believed that art is for everyone, and that we can take words from advertising and the media and subvert and reclaim them back as our own to say what we want to say.  She encouraged the creativity of everyone she met and her work  challenged the political and religious establishment as well as as revolutionising graphic design long before the days of punk.

On the week of what would have been her 98th birthday on 20th November, we celebrate her joyous inspiring art with a creative session which we’ll create our own slogans representing our own truths and hopes and make these into posters.

Drop in any time between 12 and 3pm for a super friendly and fun session
in which we’ll take inspiration from each other and the stuff around us. We’ll use simple printing techniques along with collage and drawing and anything else we can think of and we’ll explore how we get our art out into the world.

As always, the session is free and open to everyone!

PS. If you can, please bring a non-perishable food donation for our Bradford Metropolitan Foodbank collections box. The foodbank, which is run entirely by volunteers, is struggling to meet the demand and are now regularly giving out more than 950 food parcels each month, which is having a huge impact on their resources.They need the help of as many supporters as possible to help them keep up with this level of demand.

Wur Bradford is supported by Bradford Council, Two28 and Bradford Markets. Our thanks to them for their ongoing support

Responding to Regression – Time to tool up!

Responding to Regression – Time to tool up!

Saturday 3rd December

12pm – 4pm
WUR Bradford, Kirkgate Market (Above Kirkgate Shopping Centre opposite Home From Home cafe)

In response to the Trumpifcation of America and Brexit we are in need of solidarity and skills to ensure and overcome the regression taking place cross the world.

Bradical collective  together with Wur Bradford would like you to come along to a day of solidarity and action.

We want you to share your thoughts, ideas and turn them in to action.

Share ideas of how to:

• Combat islamophobia

• How do we talk to people, friends and family who align themselves with proponents of hate.

• Responding to macro and micro aggressions in daily life

• Reporting hate crime

• Self-care – y’know, staying sane and avoid getting blue.

 

We will compile our ideas in to a collective zine which we hope to print on the day so you have copies to take away and share with others afterwards

 

There will be tea and floor cushions, accompanied by snacks, awesome snacks..’cos its winter and we need this!

 

All are warmly welcome, children too!

 

Let’s Talk About.. Street Harassment

Let’s talk about street harassment: A conversation and creative ideas session

Wur Bradford
Kirkgate Market
1-3pm
Thursday 20th October

Some of us are very concerned about street harassment we have been witnessing  in our streets and other public spaces in Bradford. This is a problem which needs to be addressed and we all have a part to play. We want to see an end to this, and we want to explore what we can do to take action –  to educate, raise awareness and change attitudes so that street harassment becomes unacceptable in our city.

What is street harassment?

“Gender-based street harassment is unwanted comments, gestures, and actions forced on a stranger in a public place without their consent and is directed at them because of their actual or perceived sex, gender, gender expression, or sexual orientation.”
Street harassment is a human rights issue because it limits harassed persons’ ability to be in public, especially women’s. Read the United Nations’ stance on the issue.
(From Stop Street Harassment website http://www.stopstreetharassment.org/about/what-is-street-harassment/

This is a informal session to explore and share conversation and creative ideas about how we can tackle street harassment. Everyone is welcome!
We’ll capture the conversation and ideas through the making of a collective zine (a DIY magazine)  and we’ll sharing the knowledge we’ve gained and the distribute the zine at  Bradford Women of the World Festival 4-6th November, at which there will be a panel discussion about street harassment.

We’ll hear from women who have led and worked on campaigns in Bradford to combat street harassment  including Samayya Afzal    previous Women’s and Campaigns Officer at University of Bradford Union of Students, and others who have worked with interfaith groups. We’ll also hear from men who are actively trying to combat the issue and about what they want to do to raise awareness among other men.

We also welcome any other contributions – so if you have a perspective, experience, viewpoint or have information, resources or campaigns you think we should know about we would love to hear from you! Come along to the session, or you can also get in touch with us at wurbradford@gmail.com