Building a creative legacy for Bradford Schools
2025 marks Bradford as the UK’s City of Culture and schools are at the heart of the creative momentum. In our latest blog, Tom Howell shares how the Bradford Artsmark Schools Network is helping schools turn short-term aspirations into lasting change.
When I first took on the role of Artsmark Coordinator for Bradford Artsmark Schools Network, it felt like the perfect intersection of everything I care about — creative education, community, and long-term cultural change. After years working with Bradford schools as a Head of Music, I’ve seen first-hand how the arts can transform young people’s confidence and connection to learning. This project is about giving schools the time, support and inspiration to make that transformation part of everyday school life.
A city ready for creativity
Bradford 2025, this year’s UK City of Culture year, is a once-in-a-generation moment for our district. There’s so much energy building across the city, from theatres and galleries to community projects and festivals. The project, supported by funding from Bradford Music & Arts Service (BMAS) and Arts Council England, is about connecting that energy directly with schools, helping them turn short-term aspiration into long-term change.
Artsmark provides the perfect framework for this. It gives schools a structured, supported way to develop their creative curriculum and celebrate what they already do well. By linking a cohort of schools with Artsmark and the Bradford 2025 legacy, we can help schools make the most of this incredible year while also embedding creativity in their school improvement plans for years to come.
Building a community of creative schools
Most of my role is about connection. I’ve been running information sessions and organising what are essentially teach-meets for teachers who are curious about Artsmark but unsure where to start. I’ve been hosting schools, supporting senior leaders and subject specialists and connecting them with experts such as Goldsmiths, University of London, and helping them see how Artsmark can fit naturally into their curriculum planning rather than feeling like an “extra.”
One of the most rewarding parts has been seeing the network take shape. Schools beginning to share ideas, and form what we’re calling a ‘community of practice’. It’s early days, but that sense of peer support and shared momentum is already growing.
At one recent network session, a teacher shared how they had grown engagement with parents and carers and given pupils the confidence to share their own work publicly for the first time. This was one of the aims for one of the other schools on the programme and they managed to share best practice and possible challenges. So, it was great to see that peer support taking place. Another teacher spoke about how creative projects had re-engaged families who hadn’t previously felt part of school life. Those moments, when the arts start connecting people, are exactly why this work matters.
A shared ambition for longevity
Our target is clear: to increase the number of Bradford schools registered for Artsmark and to exceed the national average. But numbers only tell part of the story. The real aim is to build a self-sustaining network that can continue to thrive long after the City of Culture year has ended.
That means developing a model of place-based support where schools can work alongside local cultural organisations, Bradford 2025 legacy, and the Bradford Cultural Education Partnership (BCEP) to share expertise and resources. It’s about helping schools see creativity not as a side project, but as something central to how young people learn, think and express themselves.
As we move closer to life after City of Culture status, the focus will be on helping our current cohort of schools reach key milestones in their Artsmark journey, while inviting new schools to join the network. We’ll continue to host sharing events, link schools with local artists and cultural venues, and celebrate the achievements of Bradford’s growing creative education community.
Beyond 2025, I want to see Artsmark embedded as part of Bradford’s educational identity — a visible sign that our city values creativity as much as literacy or numeracy. If we can achieve that, then the legacy of Bradford 2025 will live on in every classroom, home, studio and playground in the district.
If you’re a Bradford school and would like to connect with the network or ask questions, email Tom Howell at hello@tomhowellmusic.co.uk or sign up to the mailing list.
Find out more about Bradford’s learning programme. You don’t need to be based in Bradford to take part – there are national opportunities for schools and young people to engage with Bradford 25.
