A Bradford community hub are currently undergoing renovations after being awarded a large fund of £280,000. The African Caribbean Achievement Project (ACAP) have stated they will happen on their site at Claremont Road. This investment comes alongside the growing focus on arts, culture and craft within Bradford’s City of Culture.
Claudia McFarlane, the director of ACAP is quite excited to receive the funding, saying. “They are very proud to have been awarded £280,000 as part of the Bradford City of Culture 2025 Cultural Capital Investment Programme. This funding will allow us to carry out vital renovations at our centre on Claremont Road.”
She adds that it will help to “create a more inclusive, accessible, and welcoming space for the community.”
Claudia goes onto talk about how crucial the renovations are, addressing how “the refurbishment will also open up new possibilities for creative partnerships, events, and cultural activity that speak to the diversity of Bradford’s communities.”
The refurbishments aim to create up-to-date areas for the 30-year-old community hub which includes a function/exhibition hall along with a performing arts studio and workshop areas.
Various other internal renovations from sound and lighting as well as communal spaces seek to bring the inclusive, accessible and welcoming spaces that ACAP is looking for.
ACAP, being a grassroots charity, it intends to improve its educational and mentoring services primarily for the African Caribbean community.
Claudia expands on this, addressing how the investment will support improved facilities for their cultural education and expanded arts and culture programme.
“This will benefit young people and families from African and Caribbean backgrounds, many of whom have historically faced barriers in accessing culturally relevant arts programming.”
They also have partnerships with other organisations including the University of Bradford where they engage in joint programmes. She adds, “It’s a recognition of ACAP’s longstanding commitment to positive change in Bradford, and the importance of ensuring that communities of African and Caribbean heritage are visible and valued within the city’s cultural story.”
The construction work happening on their site on Claremont Road started late in April, with only its first phase expected to be completed by the end of July 2025.
Read more about ACAP here: https://acap.org.uk/