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509 Arts

@509arts

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Bradford‐based production & consultancy company - Our creative work is inspired by people and place #509arts
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📸 Something exciting is coming... Over the last 15 years, 509 Arts has worked with hundreds of people, created unforgettable events, transformed spaces, and shared countless creative moments. Now we're reminiscing. Over the coming weeks and months, we'll be sharing some of our memories, milestone projects and stories from the archives as part of our new 509 Arts Throwback series #15yearsof509arts You might spot a project you took part in, recognise a familiar face, or discover something from our history that you never knew about. Keep an eye on our socials and join us as we take a trip down memory lane. ✨ Do you have a favourite 509 Arts memory? Tell us in the comments. #509Arts #ThrowbackTime #ArtsAndCulture #CommunityArts #CreativeMemories #509ArtsThrowback by @509arts
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4 months ago
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🎭 Theatre in the Mill turns 50! For five decades, Theatre in the Mill at the University of Bradford has been a vital space for artists, audiences, students and theatre-makers -one of Bradford’s oldest cultural institutions. To mark this milestone, 509 Arts has been commissioned to explore the story of TiM and the impact it has had on the many people who have passed through its doors. ✨ Did you perform there? ✨ See a show that stayed with you? ✨ Meet collaborators or start your creative journey there? We want to hear your memories, from life-changing moments to the everyday experiences that made Theatre in the Mill special. 📝 Share your story by completing our short questionnaire: https://forms.gle/SG8RT9PRtzu9TDZg7 Your contributions will help build a picture of TiM’s rich 50-year history and create a resource for future artists and new creative work. Please also share the link with anyone who has been part of Theatre in the Mill’s story. Eras in the Mill is a collaboration between 509 Arts and Theatre in the Mill at the University of Bradford. #509arts #TheatreInTheMill #TIM50 #ErasInTheMill #BradfordArts #BradfordCulture #UniversityOfBradford #UKTheatre #ShareYourStory taken in Bradford West Yorkshire by @509arts
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7 months ago
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🔙 509 at 15: Throwback to Bradford Revealed What’s the one object you own that you could never throw away? ❤️ A battered teddy. An old photograph. A piece of jewellery. A letter tucked away in a drawer. Sometimes the most ordinary-looking objects hold the most extraordinary memories. Back in 2021, during lockdown, we created Bradford Revealed – Every Object Tells a Story, inviting people with a connection to Bradford to share the objects that meant something special to them. The result was a wonderful online collection of photographs and personal stories – from treasured family keepsakes and childhood toys to quirky household objects and pieces of Bradford’s cultural history. Among them was Johna (Steve Johnson), who shared photographs and memorabilia from Bradford’s punk scene in the late 1970s and early 80s, opening up another fascinating window into the city’s past. 🎸 Created in partnership with Bradford Museums and Galleries and Bradford 2025, Bradford Revealed gave people a way to share, remember and connect at a time when we couldn’t physically come together. Five years on, those stories are still there to explore. ✨ Because sometimes an object is never just an object. 📸 Ceramic Duck submitted by Christopher Ackroyd 📸 Pin Cushion submitted by Claire Ackroyd 📸 Johna with his Rock Against Racism mural 📸 Bradford punks at the first Rock against Racism #509at15 #BradfordRevealed #Bradford #CommunityArts #BradfordStories @bradfordmuseums @bradfordcultureco by @509arts
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4 days ago
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🎶 What a fantastic first session for Lifers! 🎶 A huge thank you to everyone who came along last night — it was brilliant to see the room full of people singing and having such a good time together. ❤️ Here’s a little glimpse of what we got up to… 👀🎵 This is just the beginning for our Lifers Chorus as we start working towards our new production and a public performance in summer 2027. Exciting times ahead — we can’t wait to see where this takes us! 🎭🎶 #509arts #liferschorus #bradford #life #sing taken in Bradford West Yorkshire by @509arts
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11 days ago
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🌿 Hardcastle Ways throwback 🌿 Through research, archive exploration and conversations with local people, Hardcastle Ways uncovered the remarkable 20th-century story of Hardcastle Crags: from Gibson Mill’s days as an Edwardian entertainment emporium to the community campaigns that saved the valley from being submerged beneath a reservoir. When public events returned after covid, we celebrated with music, storytelling and performance and unveiled Sandra McCracken’s beautiful six-metre illustrated banner at Gibson Mill in a lovely community event called Unplugged Picnic. The day was filled with so much fun, live music, street performance, storytelling and much more Images of KIMBER'S MEN , Felix Brent, A New Leaf, Oradh and Leo, @thingumatheatre , @sandramccrackenstudio Venue @hardcastlecrags_nt #HardcastleWays #HardcastleCrags #HebdenBridge #LocalHistory #CommunityHeritage #509Arts by @509arts
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15 days ago
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🌿 HARDCASTLE WAYS 🌿 Covid created many challenges for sharing new creative work but it didn’t stop us. During lockdown, 509 Arts researched and collected local stories so we could celebrate Hardcastle Crags when public events returned. Hardcastle Ways uncovered the valley’s remarkable 20th-century history. After cotton production ended, Gibson Mill became an Edwardian entertainment “Emporium”, complete with a roller-skating rink, dance hall, restaurant, boating lake and swing boats. Later, local people successfully resisted three proposals to build reservoirs that would have submerged the valley. In 2019, Footfall marked the 50th anniversary of the campaign that saved Hardcastle Crags, with an exhibition, guided walk and riverside performances. In 2021, our Unplugged Picnic brought music, storytelling and street performance to the Crags. We also unveiled Sandra McCracken’s beautiful six-metre illustrated banner inside Gibson Mill. The project also created education packs for schools, community groups and the public, celebrating this special landscape and those who fought to protect it. 💚 Credits A 509 Arts project Funded by @heritagefunduk Created with @nationaltrust staff, volunteers and the local community Artist: @sandramccrackenstudio Photography: @alandix99 #HardcastleWays #HardcastleCrags #GibsonMill #HebdenBridge #509Arts by @509arts
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18 days ago
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The inside story of a Northern town! Another joyful look back at The Batley Variations — when Batley’s stories, characters and hidden corners took centre stage. From the music and movement to the brilliant local talent, the production captured the warmth, humour and unmistakable spirit of the town. A very special celebration of Batley, created with and for its community. Delve in and explore over on our project page, film snippets and loads of lovely pics 🔗509arts.co.uk/project/the-batley-variations #TheBatleyVariations #Batley #Throwback #CommunityArts #509Arts by @509arts
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21 days ago
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How do you tell the story of a town? You start by listening to the people who call it home. Back in 2018, we set out to get under the skin of Batley – talking to people in shops and offices, taxis and on the streets, digging into the town’s history, photographing local people and working with pupils in local schools. Those conversations became The Batley Variations – a completely original community opera telling the story of 24 hours in the life of Batley. And the community didn’t just inspire it – they performed it too! ❤️ 🎶 65 local performers 🎭 A large community cast 🎼 Brand-new music and songs 💃 Choreography and live performance 🎥 Digital projections 👏 A sold-out weekend and an audience of 1,000 Along the way, we discovered just how much love and loyalty there is for Batley – a town where people pull together, get on with things and support one another when it matters. That spirit became the heart of The Batley Variations. A very special production and a brilliant reminder of what can happen when a community’s own stories take centre stage. #509at15 #TheBatleyVariations #Batley #Throwback #CommunityArts #MusicTheatre Production Photography - Tim Smith Portraits - Tim Smith Film and rehearsal photography - Raphael Pavel by @509arts
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a month ago
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🎭 509 AT 15: THROWBACK TO THE BATLEY VARIATIONS What happens when you turn the stories of a whole town into an opera? In 2018, The Batley Variations did exactly that – an ambitious 60-minute community opera created with and about the people of Batley. 🏘️ Stories gathered in shops, offices, taxis and on the streets 🎶 65 local performers 🎭 Original music, live performance, choreography and digital projections 👏 A sold-out weekend reaching 1,000 people Premiering at St Mary’s Social Club, the production followed 24 hours in the life of Batley – celebrating its local heroes and eccentrics, familiar places, hidden stories and, above all, the enormous love people have for their town. Created following the tragic death of Jo Cox MP, the project grew from a desire to share positive and uplifting stories about Batley and celebrate the strength of its community. One cast member summed up what taking part meant to them: ❤️ “I could never have believed back in January that I would be able to get up on a stage and do what I’ve done.” The Batley Variations was commissioned by Batley Business Association and Creative Scene, following the first Batley Does Opera with Opera North in 2016. And if you weren’t there, you can still see it – the full production and a short documentary are available to watch on our YouTube but there’s a snippet on this post for you 😊 Here’s the creative team behind the project: 🎬 Alan Dix – Artistic Director ✍🏼 Mike Kenny – Libretto 🎼 Richard Taylor – Composer 🗣 Em Whitfield Brooks – Choral Director ♫ Jenny Sheldon – Music Director 👗Naomi Parker – Design and Costumes 🛠️Claudia Jevons – Prop maker and Costumes Assistant 🎨Shanaz Gulzar – Digital Artist 💃Hannah and Drew Wintie-Hawkins – Choreography 🤝Madiha Ansari – Community Liaison #509at15 #Throwback #TheBatleyVariations #Batley #CommunityArts CommunityOpera MusicTheatre by @509arts
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a month ago
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Last week we looked back at ElderPower:Decade – but there’s a LOT packed into this ten-year journey, so here are a few highlights! 👀 It all began in 2018, when 509 Arts Artistic Director Alan Dix turned 70, sparking a creative exploration of what it means to grow older. Since then, ElderPower:Decade has explored childhood, memory, ageing bodies, mortality, science, creativity and much more – changing and evolving along the way. And just look at some of the projects that have been part of that journey… 👇 📣 Megaphone ❤️ This Ole Heart 💃 Staying Alive 🍪 Broken Biscuits 🪞 On Reflection 🏭 Lost Mills and Ghost Mansions 🍽️ Meal One 🎨 Life Class ☕ CUPPA T And it’s not finished yet! ElderPower:Decade continues until 2028, as Alan continues his journey towards 80 – including regularly documenting it through photographs. Quite a decade so far! ❤️ #509Arts #509ArtsAt15 #ElderPower #Throwback #ArtsAndAgeing taken in Bradford West Yorkshire by @509arts
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a month ago
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🎶 Love singing? Aged 60+? We’d love to hear from you! The Lifers community Chorus is back in #Bradford and you don’t need any previous singing experience or the ability to read music. Come along to our FREE open workshop, meet the group and have a go! 🗓️ Thursday 17 September 🕔 5–7pm 📍 Bradford Arts Centre 💰 FREE Meet new people, learn original songs with professional music-theatre creatives and be part of an exciting new production, with a public performance planned for summer 2027. 👉 Register your interest today: info@509arts.co.uk Love to sing? Come and be a Lifer! 🎵 📸 @lizziecoombesphoto #509arts #communitychorus #sing #yorkshire taken in Bradford West Yorkshire by @509arts
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a month ago
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🎶 Calling singers aged 60+ — join the Lifers Chorus! 🎶 We’re restarting our brilliant Lifers community Chorus ahead of an exciting new production, and we’d love to welcome some new voices! You don’t need professional singing experience and you don’t need to read music — just bring your enthusiasm and love of singing. ❤️ 🎵 Learn new original songs with Richard Taylor, composer of Life Class and Calderland, and Chorus Director Em Whitfield Brooks 👋 Meet new people and sing together ☕ Refreshments provided 💰 Session fees are voluntary 🎭 Plus, we’re working towards a public performance in summer 2027! Come along to our FREE open workshop: 🗓️ Thursday 17 September 🕔 5–7pm 📍 Bradford Arts Centre It’s a relaxed chance to meet the Lifers, Em, Richard and Al, have a sing and hear more about what we’ve got planned. Regular rehearsals will then take place monthly on Wednesdays, 5–7pm, starting in October. 📧 Interested? Email info@509arts.co.uk to register and we’ll send you everything you need to know. And please share this with the music-loving 60+ people in your life — although don’t worry, we won’t be checking ID! 😉🎶 📸 @lizziecoombesphoto by @509arts
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a month ago
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