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By Helen Graham on

Bradford tells its own stories: A new exhibition for 2019

Next year we will open an exhibition exploring how different communities in Bradford have recorded their histories, created cultural networks and made political and social change.

Read on to find out how you can get involved.


A woman goes into a photographer’s studio, gets her photograph taken and printed, and then posts it home to her mother.

A radio station is set up, run by and for the people of Bradford.

Activists confront and challenge negative representation of Bradford in the national media.

There are thousands of stories about how we all make our own worlds.

In spring 2019, the National Science and Media Museum will open an exhibition exploring how different communities in Bradford have taken control of their own reality to record their own histories, tell their own stories and create their own cultural networks.

We’re interested in exploring how this has been done: through fostering connections with family and friends; through sharing news in ways which bypass national and mainstream media and use local-to-local, DIY and alternative distribution networks; and through activists taking on and challenging powerful representations.

A selection of family photographs on display
Image credit: Tim Smith

Over the next few weeks we’ll be calling for stories, memories, objects and social media to help us explore these different strands. Keep your eyes out and if you’d like to get involved or receive updates on the exhibition, sign up for the Bradford’s National Museum project mailing list.

Right now we’re looking at how changes in technology and in family life have shaped our pictures of families and friends, and we’ll be delving deeper into these topics through a few upcoming workshops. Called ‘Family Trees and Family Photographs’, these workshops will be taking place at the museum on the following dates:

  • Monday 26 November 2018, 14.00–16.00 and 17.30–19.30
  • Tuesday 27 November 2018, 14.00–16.00 and 17.30–19.30

Interested in getting involved? You can find out more and book a (free) place on our Eventbrite page.

The workshops and upcoming exhibition are part of the Bradford’s National Museum project, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council.

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