A pop-up arts space created specially for Bradford's UK City of Culture, Loading Bay has taken over an empty storage depot in the city centre's Duke Street to bring a Bradford 2025 buzz to the heart of the city.
Featuring two performance areas, a 200-seat theatre space and a gallery, and spread across three floors, Loading Bay is set to present everything from gigs and comedy nights to art, immersive theatre and even live video games.
The venue is being operated by Bradford 2025 until December, and will open in March with an exhibition of artwork from Extraordinary Portraits with Bill Bailey (March 13-April 6), following the new series airing on BBC One this winter.
Daniel Bates, who is Bradford 2025's executive director, said: “UK City of Culture offers a once in a lifetime opportunity to create lasting change in Bradford, through significant investment in the district’s cultural infrastructure.
"Bradford has many excellent performance venues and galleries and we’re excited to add to the creative landscape by repurposing a derelict warehouse in the city as a pop-up arts space.
Opening Loading Bay’s performance space, Loaded Laughs (March 14) is the first in a comedy series that will run throughout the year.
The venue will also host immersive and site-specific performances including Public Interest (May 21-31), a show by Bradford-based political theatre pioneers Common/Wealth, commissioned by Bradford 2025. Taking audiences on an immersive journey from club night to courtroom and beyond, with true-life stories from young people – and a sound-score featuring drill, bassline, grime, afrobeat and house – this world-premiere show aims to capture what it means to be young in the UK today.
Commissioned by Bradford 2025, The Javaad Alipoor Company (TJAC) will bring experimental contemporary theatre to Loading Bay with the world premiere of Elmet (October 2025). Based on the 2017 Booker Prize-shortlisted novel by Fiona Mozley, Elmet is a northern noir story of family, revenge and the ultimate price of holding on to your dignity, set in the wilds of the West Riding.
Further events for Loading Bay’s 200-capacity seated theatre space include Blackeyed Theatre’s touring production of Dracula (March 21-23); Toxic, the critically-acclaimed new show from Dibby Theatre and Nathaniel J Hall (Aprril 9) and asses.masses, an epic video game for live audience created by Patrick Blenkarn and Milton Lim (April 5).
Daniel Bates added: “In addition to hosting events from comedy, music and cabaret to immersive theatre and exhibitions, Loading Bay will create jobs and volunteering opportunities through the year, attract additional visitors to the city centre and generate greater demand from local audiences.
"Our mission is to ensure that millions of people experience Bradford in 2025 and are inspired to return for years to come."
More info and tickets here