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

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Make a birthday card for William Blake

On 28th November,  we are hosting a celebration for Britain’s best loved poet-artist- visionary -revolutionary, William Blake, who was born on that day in 1757.
The author of Songs of Innocence and Experience and Jerusalem,  and a rebel in thought and art, Blake was largely unrecognised in his lifetime and considered mad by his contemporaries, but his genius has since been acknowledged and he is now considered one of the greatest artists of all time.
We will be celebrating his influence and contribution through  Blake inspired performances, readings of his poems, an exhibition, a commemorative publication,  library, and cake. There will also be  creative activities for people to get involved in .
We invite you to make William Blake a birthday card for the event, which will be shown as part of the mini exhibition and collected into a special commemorative limited edition publication to be available on the day.
Cards can contain text, image or be a combination of both. They need to be A5 in size (ie a folded A4). Send your original cards to us at

Wur Bradford
℅ Jean McEwan
63 Nelson Street
Cross Roads
Keighley
BD22 9EA

by Monday 23rd November. Please include an SAE for  the return of your card.
For any queries, contact  us via email at Wurbradford@gmail.com

This event is coordinated by Wur Bradford in collaboration with artists Terry Greene and Jean McEwan

Grateful thanks to Bradford Council and Bradford Markets for their ongoing support of Wur Bradford