Bradford City of Culture 2025 invited street artists from home and abroad to create new works on walls.
BD: Walls opened in July 2024 with a work by Polish artist NeSpoon in Bradford city centre, and new artworks have been appearing regularly during 2025.
Bradford City of Culture’s talent development programme is bringing together leading figures from the street art world with some of the district’s established and emerging artists, who have been given the chance to showcase their creations on walls across Bradford.
Jenny Harris, director of programme at Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture, said: “BD: Walls transforms unused walls across the district into works of art, turning our district into an outdoor gallery.
“These colourful murals have been painted by a range of fantastic artists, including some from our BD: Walls talent development programme and, is one of the many ways we’re spotlighting the gifted and imaginative artists that live and work in Bradford district.”
Here, Bradford 2025 and the artists who have created the murals explain the stories and inspiration behind their pieces.
The Portal
The first commission in the BD: Walls series, The Portal, takes its inspiration from Bradford’s lace-making heritage.
Polish street artist NeSpoon brought a Bradford tradition into the 21st century.
NeSpoon said: “The inspiration for my mural came from a lace pattern I discovered during research in the archives of Bradford District Museum and Galleries.
“The lace was made in the 1900s using a hand-needle lace technique.
“Symmetrical lace patterns are universal and recognisable all over the world, in all cultures.
“They are often associated with family, home, childhood, security, good old times.”
Roots
The second commission in the street art series, Roots by street artist Peachzz, celebrates community spirit and pays tribute to the MAPA Cultural Arts Centre.
Peachzz said: “The design of the wall at MAPA was inspired by the history and roots of the community centre.
“The history of MAPA is deeply intertwined with music, art, black history and human connection.
“The artwork also features Newby Square flats, speakers, pool balls, paintbrushes and a vibrant scene from Bradford’s People’s Day.”
Growing Together
The third commission in the BD: Walls series features the national flowers of countries connected to Girlington’s communities.
Growing Together, created by Baildon artist Sven Shaw, celebrates the spirit of community in Girlington.
Created for the Girlington Community Garden, artwork features the national flowers of countries associated with the communities of the area.
The flowers are all blooming from the same vine, representing the different communities coming together to create something beautiful.
RAVO
The fourth commission in the BD: Walls series features moments of togetherness and shared joy highlighted by the Ravenscliffe community.
RAVO, created by artist Alastair Flindall, is inspired by the spirit of Ravenscliffe.
Styled as a vibrant garden party, RAVO captures the spirit and energy of moments when Ravenscliffe feels most alive.
The large fox featured in the mural captures a fond community memory from the annual youth club BBQ, a gathering known for its lively atmosphere and the infamous tale of the “sausage thief”- a cheeky local fox.
The flowers in the piece are inspired by their love for music, and local pride is represented through iconic figures such as Bradford Bantam and local folklore such as the Raving Raven and the Dirt-Biking Frog.
Come on in My Friend
The fifth commission in the BD: Walls series is inspired by the people artist Jemima Spence met when visiting the café where the mural is located.
Come on in My Friend is a mural created in tribute to the people of Buttershaw and its community.
The mural reflects the warm, welcoming nature of the café and its frontman, Saif, whose signature phrase, “my friend,” is embedded in the artwork and inspired its name.
The central female figure is inspired by Andrea Dunbar, a significant voice in Buttershaw’s history. It also symbolises the women of the area today.
The spirit of childhood in the area is captured through the young boy, symbolising boys in the area who get out by riding their bikes and playing pool together before school.
The Shire horse reflects the fields of horses in the area, as well as Buttershaw’s historic links to the Travelling community.
The swan in the piece represents Wibsey Park but also carries the sentiment by residents: “We’ve taken you under our wing, we do that here.”
Wayfinders
For this piece, artist misc.etc created a design that invites the community to look deeper, encouraging personal reflection and discovery.
Wayfinders celebrates its location on Park Road in Bingley, bringing life and colour to the space and sparking conversations about our relationship with nature, drawing inspiration from the behaviour and symbolism of the birds it depicts.
The mural’s dynamic composition flows toward the canal path, where moorhens and Canada geese cross the wall. Their movement echoes the direction of local landmarks, including the nearby Three and Five Rise Locks.
City of Dreams and Harvest of Harmony
An eye-catching pair of murals was designed to welcome visitors to the new Darley Street Market.
The title Harvest of Harmony captures the core of this mural, which is a celebration of fresh produce, community and the shared joy of food, all hallmarks of Darley Street Market.
The mural, created by artist Ruth Agbolade, and its interconnected motifs represent fresh produce like fruits, vegetables, grains, fish and bread which show the diversity of Bradford’s communities and the global food heritage represented within the market.
The inclusion of Bradford’s iconic buildings’ silhouettes ties the concept together, creating a sense of place and pride.
This mural reflects the spirit of renewal, community and creativity that defines the market’s new chapter.
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