Woven Lives, an installation of coloured glass that weaves together images and stories of the people of Bradford, will be displayed at Bradford Cathedral this summer as part of the ‘Weaving Stories’ season of events during the UK City of Culture year. Displayed in the Cathedral from Tuesday 8th July to Monday 1st September 2025, Woven Lives is a beautiful and powerful artwork which talks of the lives and stories of the people of Bradford. The woven coloured glass and symbols, lit from within, show how light and dark times are all part of the story of community and connection. The process of creating the installation began in Autumn 2024 with workshops held at Shine West Bowling which is based at St Stephen’s church. Using only stones and flowers, diverse groups of people were invited to plot their life story with all its trauma, hard times and glimpses of joy.Artists Shaeron Caton Rose and Linda Baines helped people to turn life events into personal symbols while Luke Hogan listened, filmed and recorded the stories they were happy to share. He will put together these voices and images in a video to be played as part of the installation.Finally, people were enabled to screen-print their unique symbols onto glass tiles knowing that their story would be fused together with others into woven glass panels.In this collaborative artwork, the fourth artist Luke Owens has built the octagonal wooden structure from which the beautiful, illuminated panels of glass will hang in the Holy Spirit Chapel of Bradford Cathedral.Alongside the glass structure Luke Hogan’s powerful video forms an integral part of the installation, telling the stories of those who participated in the process. In it, people talk candidly about their lives and experiences, sharing their joys and sorrows and celebrating the strength of their supportive community.You are invited to see the installation in the Cathedral during the regular opening hours, typically Monday – Saturday from 10am – 4pm and Sundays 12noon – 3pm, and around events and services, but please visit the Bradford Cathedral website or social media for any changes to these times.Linda Baines says of the installation:“We have all been moved to hear each other’s stories and to celebrate how the light of faith, community and connection can change even the darkest of times. People have been surprised by how good it has felt to see their life as a whole, and to share it with others.”Shaeron Caton-Rose says:“I found the process of working with people to tell their whole life story extremely powerful. Seeing the dark times balanced by good times through the use of symbolic objects was helpful to gain perspective and find hope for both individuals and as a community, and the resultant glass designs delighted everyone who took part. The whole process worked really well as an honest yet carefully supported exploration of the stories of people from West Bowling and a reminder that we all need help to live well.”The Revd Canon Ned Lunn, Canon for Intercultural Mission and the Arts at Bradford Cathedral says:"We are thrilled to welcome the Woven Lives installation to Bradford Cathedral as part of our Weaving Stories season in the City of Culture celebrations. This stunning piece will accompany and complement our major Weaving Stories arts heritage project which explores how wool crafts have shaped Bradford’s identity — both historically and today.Set within the intimate Holy Spirit Chapel, Woven Lives will weave together light, colour, and personal narratives, reflecting the rich tapestry of lives that make up our city. We invite everyone to come and experience this remarkable installation—step inside, take in its beauty, and see how your own story connects to Bradford’s ever-evolving journey.”ENDSWoven Lives will be exhibited in the Holy Spirit Chapel of Bradford Cathedral from Tuesday 8th July to Monday 1st September 2025. For more information on the project, and to see photos from the creative process, please visit https://bradfordcathedral.org.uk/2025/02/07/woven-lives-preview/
Knit the Stripes will be hosted at Bradford Cathedral in July and August 2025 as part of the UK City of Culture year.Knit the Stripes was created by the community art project Craft for Climate. The installation involved local crafters knitting individual scarves displaying annual average temperature data and, when assembled, it charts the history of Bradford’s changing climate from 1853 to 2023.Knit the Stripes was showcased in 2024 at the Saltaire Arts Trail, where it was seen by over 2,000 visitors. The 15m long installation originally ran through to 2023, charting the 170 years since Salts Mill was built, but an additional scarf – tracking temperature change in 2024 – will be included when it’s displayed in Bradford Cathedral.Visitors will be able to find out more about Knit the Stripes – and the eco work of the Cathedral, and there will also be a chance for them to contribute to the exhibition through an interactive piece.The exhibition will be launched at the Cathedral on Saturday 5th July at 4:30pm with ‘The Big Craft and Climate Chat’. At this launch event, along with the chance to see the Stripes in this new space, all are invited to get involved in crafting for climate – knitting or crocheting to contribute to a new ‘2025’ display. Yarn will be provided – all you need to do is bring your knitting needles or crochet hook (recommended size 3.75 – 4.5mm).There will also be the opportunity to have a go at learning to knit or crochet.The event is free to attend with the option for a pay as you feel donation on the day to cover ongoing Craft for Climate project costs. Refreshments will be available to purchase, and you can book your place via the Bradford Cathedral website.Jody Harris, Project Lead on ‘Knit The Stripes’, says:“We know our climate is changing and the most rapid warming has occurred in recent years. We also know that what we do next will have a profound impact in years to come.“Craft for Climate has given people a chance to come together and collaborate on a visually impactful piece of public art that injects colour and creativity into climate change awareness.“It’s been great to see people engage so positively with the project. Knit the Stripes doesn’t just tell a climate story, it also tells a story about community and connection and optimism, and how every positive action, no matter how small, really does matter.”Over 200 crafters – aged from 7 to 97 – volunteered their time to knit the stripes and build the display, meeting in workplaces, churches, schools, homes, shops, cafés, and community halls, using the time to talk about climate issues and taking positive climate action.The community knitters contributed 3.5 million stitches, led by members of the Saltaire Women’s Institute. The wool for the project was donated by West Yorkshire Spinners, with additional support from Shipley Town Council. The Baildon, Shipley and Saltaire Men’s Shed built the frames for the display.The display draws inspiration from the warming stripes created by Professor Ed Hawkins at Reading University (showyourstripes.info) and uses Met Office temperature data. The Stripes use different coloured yarns to show temperature change in Bradford over the last 170 years. Years that were cooler than average are represented by the blue tones; the cooler the year, the deeper the blue. Years that were warmer than average are represented by the red tones; the warmer the year, the deeper the red.This installation is part of the ‘Weaving Stories’ season for Bradford 2025, running from May – September. Events and exhibitions during this time will help people to explore the rich heritage of Bradford through the historic threads of the wool trade that go back to the Cathedral’s foundations 1,400 years ago, that still bind the global city together.The Revd Canon Ned Lunn, Canon for Intercultural Mission and the Arts, says:“Knit the Stripes is an exciting installation and we’re delighted that it will find home in Bradford Cathedral over the summer of 2025. The project ticks many of our creative boxes. Mainly it provokes a conversation not only about the climate but also about the role craft can play in community building. It also has brought people together into a creative community to create the stunning piece. Finally, it celebrates and connects people with history. All these things make this a perfect exhibition for the Cathedral.“Do come along and be struck again by the visual impact of this piece; join the conversation which it inspires and, as part of a wider season of work, explore ways in which you can connect with the heritage of Bradford in the beauty of our cathedral.”Knit the Stripes by Craft for Climate will be exhibited in Bradford Cathedral from Tuesday 1st July to Thursday 28th August 2025, with a launch event on Saturday 5th July at 4:30pm. You can book your place for the launch athttps://bradfordcathedral.org.uk/event/knit-the-stripes-launch-event/
You can enjoy the thrill of bidding to win once-in-a-lifetime experiences or beautiful art for your home, while supporting historic churches across the UK. All of the proceeds go towards their work of keeping churches open and in use. Bradford Cathedral features in lot 49 - "Experience a special trip to the 2025 UK City of Culture with this tour of Bradford Cathedral and City Hall." The auction will close at 5pm on Friday 27th June and you can see all the lots - and bid - on their website.
Michael Scott will be showing his in-progress model of Bradford Cathedral — made entirely from card and paper — live at Burley Arts Festival on 28–29 June 2025.Alongside it, he'll also be displaying the Dye Drying Works and Liam Thistle’s house — a tiny slice of 1993 Chandwell, on display in Queen’s Hall. This is part of Bradford 2025 – UK City of Culture. "I'm honoured to be exhibiting alongside so many talented local artists. If you’re in Burley, curious about models, or just want to see what card and glue can do — come and say hello!"
