29% Festival
Bradford is one of the youngest cities in Europe. 29% of our population was under the age of 20 when our youth festival was formed in 2024.
29% Festival is our annual festival of live performance, music, dance, art and workshops, celebrating Bradford’s young people & young artists. 29% Festival is all about providing young working class artists with paid, professional work opportunities in the arts sector, creative control, and a chance to connect and collaborate with other young artists!
2025’s festival was held on Friday 28 & Saturday 29 November 2025. We commissioned young musicians, DJs, rappers, drag artists and writers of Bradford performed and led workshops to a sold-out audience at Bradford Arts Centre.
We also recruited a Youth Board of 11 young people from across the Bradford District who supported us in curating and programming the festival – reflecting what young people of Bradford really want to see and do.
If you work in the sector and would like to see the young people’s commissioned work, for potential future bookings or collaborations, then please contact Common/Wealth directly via; [email protected]
For more info about 29% Festival, contact Saoirse, Young People & Community Producer: [email protected]
The event is supported Bradford 2025, UK City of Culture.
