IT began as a pop-up venue in a former storage depot - now Loading Bay is a vibrant city centre arts venue with a packed autumn-winter season of entertainment coming up.
Created for Bradford’s year as UK City of Culture, Loading Bay attracted more than 40,000 visitors during 2025.
It closed last December, when the year-long City of Culture programme came to an end, but this year Bradford Culture Company, the charity behind Bradford 2025, announced that Loading Bay was to re-open.
This autumn the venue welcomes audiences back with a varied programme of live music, theatre, comedy, cabaret, dance, exhibitions, youth activity and artist development.
The former Marks and Spencer warehouse was transformed into a multi-storey arts venue and will once again host performances, exhibitions and events, taking place across its theatre, gallery and basement spaces.
The programme also places a strong emphasis on participation and creative development. During October half-term, Youth Performing Arts Training will give 11 to 17-year-olds the chance to explore drama, acting and performance through a week of workshops led by professionals. Alongside this, the six-month Make It Work mentorship programme will support Global Majority artists from across West Yorkshire through mentoring, training, peer learning, workshops and residencies as they develop new ideas for live performance.
Jenny Harris, Director of Programme at Bradford Culture Company, says: “We created Loading Bay last year as a place to host incredible international work, boundary pushing touring shows, a venue for contemporary music, live comedy and most importantly, a space for the region’s artists to develop, and for audiences to discover brilliant work and to have fun. “We can’t wait to welcome people back! This programme reflects everything that Bradford Culture Company is; ambitious, welcoming, and rooted in our district.
“From giving young people their first experience of performing arts to supporting artists to develop new work, quality live music, family shows and exhibitions, there is something here for audiences of all ages.
“We’re excited to open the doors again and invite people to come and experience the next chapter of Loading Bay.”
Here’s what’s coming up at Loading Bay:
Talking Birds is taking part in Radical Joy, exploring the world of street performance and outdoor arts. Image: Lucy Agius
l Radical Joy (until December 20): Visit giant puppets, whales that might swallow you and explore the wonderful world of street performance and outdoor arts. Discover the story of how art in public spaces helped people reclaim them, through interactive exhibits, archival treasures and pop-up events.
Comic Lou Conran will be on stage at Loaded Laughs.
l Loaded Laughs (Friday, October 23, 7.30pm): Bradford’s freshest comedy night brings the best new voices in stand-up to the heart of the city. Created with MC Alex Dunlop (BFD Comedy), the line-up features Ricky Balshaw and Lou Conran.
l Youth Performing Arts Training (October 26-30): Aged 11 to 17 and interested in performing? Get involved in Loading Bay’s Drama, Acting and Performing Arts activities taking place during half-term. Led by trained professionals, young people will build creative skills, teamwork and self-confidence through fun workshops, theatre games and performances.
Non-Ordinary Services: A double bill of contemporary dance from Taiwan.
l Palingenesis & Non-Ordinary Services (Thursday, November 5, 7pm): Bold sci-fi aesthetics meets skilful contemporary movement in this double bill - a showcase of energy, expertise and incredible athleticism from Taiwanese contemporary dance company DAntidote Production.
Comedy girlband Flat & the Curves. Image: Rebecca Needs Menear (Image: Rebecca Needs Menear)
l Flat & the Curves: Rosé Tinted (Friday, November 6, 7.30pm): Through original music, comedy girlband Flat & the Curves pay homage to friendships “forged through grape-fuelled revelry”.
Transglobal Underground - one of the country's best loved festival bands - will be at Loading Bay in November. Image: Simon Partington (Image: Simon Partington)
l Transglobal Underground (Friday, November 20, 7.30pm): A joyful night of the diverse sounds of global fusion.
From their origins in the dance scene in the early 90s Transglobal Underground became one of the country’s best loved festival bands. Few acts in the UK can demonstrate such a profound influence, a multifaceted legacy, and carry such a mysterious cult status.
l Kali Hubs: (November 28-29): Kali Hubs is a theatre development programme for female-and non-binary playwrights of South Asian heritage in Bradford, aged 18-plus.
Across four intensive sessions, participants will explore; devising and collaboration, making their own work, climate dramaturgy, confidence and agency.
l A Christmas Carol (Thursday, December 3, 7.30pm): Join Ebenezer Scrooge on a supernatural journey into the past, present and yet-to-come as the spirits of Christmas return in this thrilling solo show.
l Festive Dark Nights (Friday, December 11, 7.30pm): Eggs Collective’s twisted cabaret returns with comedy, music and their legendary quiz, alongside the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future.
l Awake Arise (Wednesday, December 16, 7.30pm): In an unmissable collaboration, five of the English folk scene’s most inventive artists bring you Awake Arise - A Festive Show For Our Times; celebrating the riches of our varied winter traditions that bring joy in the darkest season.
Meet the Hatter is a re-telling of a classic - with a twist.
l Meet the Hatter (December 18-20, 11am and 2pm: Combining powerful dance with captivating storytelling and mesmerising visuals, complemented by an emotionally charged original score, this family show is an epic retelling of the iconic Hatter from Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland - but with a twist.
l Loading Bay will also host We Feed The UK from January 2027, bringing together photography and poetry from some of the UK’s leading creative voices to explore the people, places and stories behind regenerative food production.
l Visit BradfordCulture.co.uk