'Remarkable' cultural engagement among city's teens

A study of more than 9,000 young people in Bradford has found "remarkable" levels of engagement in arts and culture.

The research showed nine in 10 teenagers had attended a cultural event within the last month, while 86% had actively participated in activities, such as content creation or live performance.

Prof Rosie McEachan, director of the Born in Bradford Age of Wonder study, said: "This research shows that our young people are already culturally engaged in remarkable ways and are full of pride in our city.

"We now need to build on these strong foundations and ensure every teenager in Bradford can access and enjoy the breadth of cultural experiences on offer."

Details of the study have been released following Bradford's year as UK City of Culture 2025, which saw 5,000 events take place across the district, attracting more than three million visitors.

Co-author Prof Daisy Fancourt said the analysis provided "important data on cultural engagement patterns" and on the value of these activities.

According to the study, teenagers of Pakistani heritage showed higher participation in community and faith events, with two in five volunteering in the community and 75% attending religious services.

Meanwhile, white British teens were more likely to attend theatre and live music, with more than a quarter of participants having attended one of these events in the last month.

The study also suggested 60% of Bradford's young people were proud to live in the area, with levels of pride being rated highest by participants who lived in the city centre and those of Pakistani heritage.

Young people's pride was correlated with factors including safe public spaces, familiar surroundings and strong community ties.

The study is part of a seven-year project tracking the lives of secondary school students across parameters including mental health, nutrition, the environment and AI use.

The paper has been published as a pre-print and is currently undergoing peer review.

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