South Square Centre

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South Square Centre South Square Centre is a community venue providing artist studios, a vegetarian cafe, a programme of art exhibitions, workshops for families & communities.

South Square Centre is an arts led community centre in the heart of Thornton, Bradford. The centre comprises of art galleries, community spaces, Thornton Antiquarian Societies archive, Rushworth's fine art framers, The Watchmakers bar, Plenty at the Square Vegetarian Cafe, as well as a variety of artist studio spaces. The centre hosts community events and a workshop programme for all ages, there are also community and meeting room spaces available to hire. The building is a collection of 19th Century workers cottages, in the village of Thornton, famous as the birthplace of the Brontë sisters and for its impressive 20-arch viaduct. South Square was renovated as a community arts centre in 1982, and since has been run by charity Thornton and Allerton Community Association Ltd, committed volunteers and a small team of part time staff.

Discover the hidden history of Wild Boar Street and Bradford’s lost Wapping district. Join artist, Naseem Darbey, at two...
13/10/2026

Discover the hidden history of Wild Boar Street and Bradford’s lost Wapping district.

Join artist, Naseem Darbey, at two interactive Dig Discovery Days - free and open to everyone:

The Corn Dolly | Wednesday 28 October | 12 – 4pm |
Darley Street Market | Friday 30 October | 11am – 3pm |

In these exciting afternoons of exploration, you'll:

🐗 Join writer, storyteller and social historian Irene Lofthouse for interactive
storytelling about Bradford’s famous wild boar
🪏 Delve into real archaeological finds uncovered during a recent dig in the area
🎨 Take part in a family-friendly art activity
🦋 Experience Naseem’s interactive Mona and the Moths sculpture, where UV
lights and sensors reveal hidden patterns

As part of the event on 28 October at The Corn Dolly, there will also be a guided walk around Wapping with Irene Lofthouse connecting the archaeology to the wider story of the area.

The walk starts at 12pm and will last no more than one hour. Places are limited and booking is required, so please book your spot in advance: https://buff.ly/ssNt8Yn

The Wild Boar Street project is led by artist Naseem Darbey, in partnership with Bradford Museums & Galleries and South Square Centre. It builds on Mona and the Moths, created for South Square’s first OUR TURN visual arts festival in 2025.

South Square is now developing OUR TURN 2027 (subject to funding) with plans for work created through Wild Boar Street to form a key part of the festival.

🍽️ 🎨 Fancy doing something a little different this Friday night?It’s your last chance to book The Art of Eating – a uniq...
08/10/2026

🍽️ 🎨 Fancy doing something a little different this Friday night?

It’s your last chance to book The Art of Eating – a unique evening bringing together art, food and conversation at Plenty at the Square.

- Friday 9 October
- 6.30 - 9:30pm

Join artist Patti Smith and the Plenty team for a four-course dining experience inspired by Patti’s ceramic artworks. You'll enjoy a bespoke vegetarian and vegan menu inspired by the colours, shapes and themes of Patti’s work. Think beautiful details and a few nods to Elizabethan feasting – all given the contemporary Plenty twist!

You'll also have the chance to hear from Patti about her ceramics, creative practice and the ideas behind the exhibition.

Swipe to see what we got up to (and what we ate!) at our previous Art of Eating events 👉

Last few places left – book now: https://buff.ly/rDCEGtJ

🎨 Our workshops are back!We’re so excited to share that we’ve relaunched our workshop programme, with lots of different ...
06/10/2026

🎨 Our workshops are back!

We’re so excited to share that we’ve relaunched our workshop programme, with lots of different ways to get creative at South Square. From one-off sessions to festive highlights, there’s a little something for everyone.

Join us this month for:

🍂 Wet Felting: 24 October, 11am - 2.30pm
Take inspiration from the changing seasons to create your own beautiful felted scene.

✂️ Family Craft Drop-In: 27 October, 10.30am - 1.30pm | FREE
Create plants and animals that will become part of our Vesperine Garden exhibition this November.

✨ Polymer Clay Jewellery Making: 29 October, 6 - 8pm
Get creative with polymer clay and make up to four beautiful pieces of jewellery to take home.

And there’s plenty more to come! Take a look at our workshops for the rest of the year and book your place on our website: https://buff.ly/EnYeIV2

02/10/2026

Meet Fran! 🎧

Sound artist Fran Bundey is one of the fantastic artists working with us on our Vespertine Garden exhibition, launching this November.

Fran is visiting locations across Bradford to capture the sounds of animals and plant life that emerge after dark. She’ll use these recordings to create a unique soundscape to accompany the installation, helping to bring Vespertine Garden to life as a magical, multi-sensory experience.

Fran recently joined our Outreach Officer, Gemma, and the Wildlife Boys for a creative adventure at Chellow Dean, where she recorded some of the sounds of the natural world.

In this reel, Fran tells us more about her practice and how she uses sound to help us tune into the world around us 💚

Vespertine Garden has been funded by Arts Council England and Bradford Culture Company, and was inspired by Neon Garden, presented by Art Works at Barnsley Civic Centre.

A huge thank you to our artist team Amy and Emma Bairstow, Fran Bundey and Matt Radcliffe for all their work on the project so far.

30/09/2026

🦇 Art, nature and an evening of exploring at Chellow Dean 🦇

As part of our work in the community, our Outreach Officer, Gemma, works in partnership with RootedIn to help young people across Thornton and Allerton take part in creative activities.

Earlier this month, Gemma headed out to Chellow Dean with local group the Wildlife Boys for a very special bat walk.

Joined by sound artist Fran Bundey, the boys used a bat detector to listen out for bats, experimented with an underwater microphone to discover the sounds of pond life, and did some bird spotting along the way.

It was a fantastic way to bring together art, nature and exploration – and burn off some energy after the school day!

Take a look at the reel to see what they got up to.

💚 Help us continue our work with the Wildlife Boys 💚

We now have the opportunity to secure funding from Funding In-Communities for a new project involving the group.

Growing Allerton Together will bring the Wildlife Boys together with local residents and professional artists to transform the Weymouth Centre community garden into a biodiverse, creative and welcoming space.

The project has been shortlisted for funding, with the successful projects decided by public vote. If you’d like to support us, you can vote here:
https://buff.ly/bXBtBH8

Our project is listed in the £5,000 category under 'Thornton and Allerton Community Association - Thornton/ Allerton'.

Voting closes at 5pm on Friday 2nd October 2026.

Thank you for your support – every vote counts!

We’re excited to share that Ryan Hughes will join South Square as our new Director this October.Ryan joins us from Coven...
30/09/2026

We’re excited to share that Ryan Hughes will join South Square as our new Director this October.

Ryan joins us from Coventry Biennial, which he founded in 2017 and has since led as Artistic Director and CEO. Over the past nine years, he has developed the Biennial into an important platform for contemporary art, bringing together artists, communities and cultural organisations across Coventry, Warwickshire and beyond.

Ryan will start with us on 12 October 2026, sharing a crossover period with our current Director, Alice Withers, before Alice moves on to a new opportunity after ten years with South Square.

We’re incredibly grateful to Alice for everything she has brought to South Square over the past decade, and we’re very excited to welcome Ryan as we begin this next chapter 💙

Read the full story, including reflections from Ryan, Alice and our Chair, Matt Storey: https://buff.ly/eRMqFkc

Image one: Garry Jones Photography

We're so excited to be hosting our next Art of Eating event this October - a dining experience like no other! 📅 Friday 9...
29/09/2026

We're so excited to be hosting our next Art of Eating event this October - a dining experience like no other!

📅 Friday 9th October, 6.30 - 9.30pm
📍 Plenty at the Square

Join artist Patti Smith and the team from Plenty at the Square for this food and art event. The cafe team have taken inspiration from Patti’s artworks to create a bespoke, 4-course vegan/vegetarian meal. They’ll be links to the colours, the themes and the shapes of the pieces, which you will see reflected on your plate.

You will also:
- Have plenty of opportunity to take a look at Patti's exhibition, Mutations in Bloom and Ruff
- Hear directly from the artist who will talk about her ceramics, her inspirations and her exhibition as a whole, alongside the Curator and Programme Manager of South Square
- Enjoy a relaxed evening of inspiring artworks, delicious food, good conversation and more!

Book your tickets: https://buff.ly/NCdM5gr

🌱 Help us to secure vital community fundingWe're excited to share that we've been shortlisted for funding from Funding I...
24/09/2026

🌱 Help us to secure vital community funding

We're excited to share that we've been shortlisted for funding from Funding In-Communities for a special project in Allerton - and now we need your vote!

Growing Allerton Together is an intergenerational environmental project that will bring together boys aged 10 - 12 from the Wildlife Boys group, local residents and professional artists.

Together, they'll transform the Weymouth Centre community garden into a biodiverse, creative and welcoming space through gardening, wildflower planting, mural‑making and public art. By giving young people and residents the opportunity to shape the space together, the project aims to support wellbeing, build confidence and skills, and strengthen community connections.

But now we need your help to make it happen.

There can only be one successful project in each funding category, and the decision is made by public vote. We’d be so grateful if you could take a moment to vote for us.

Our project is listed in the £5,000 category under 'Thornton and Allerton Community Association - Thornton/ Allerton'.

Vote here:
https://buff.ly/bXBtBH8

Growing Allerton Together builds on the work we’ve been doing in partnership with RootedIn, supporting young people in Thornton and Allerton. We’d love the opportunity to continue and grow this work with our local community.

And, of course, every project shortlisted aims to make a real difference locally. If you don’t feel able to vote for us, please do use your vote to support another fantastic project that speaks to you.

Thank you for your support – every vote counts 💚

🌙 Vespertine Garden: Join us for opening night 🌙 We’re working hard behind the scenes to bring our next exhibition to th...
24/09/2026

🌙 Vespertine Garden: Join us for opening night 🌙

We’re working hard behind the scenes to bring our next exhibition to the Main Gallery – and we can’t wait to welcome you in.

Coming to South Square from November 2026 to February 2027, Vespertine Garden is an ambitious, immersive installation exploring the hidden worlds of urban wildlife and the urgent need to protect the ecosystems we share.

Through light, sculpture and sound, our Main Gallery will be transformed into a glowing nocturnal landscape, inviting you to discover more about the creatures that emerge at dusk and the environments they depend on 🦇🌿✨

Vespertine Garden opens on Friday 6 November, and you’re invited to join us for a special opening night.

To make sure everyone can experience the installation comfortably, we’ll be running timed entry slots from 4 - 9pm. Book your spot: https://buff.ly/C584B7D

There’ll be plenty more to see and do throughout the evening, with our other communal spaces open alongside our onsite café and bar.

Vespertine Garden has been funded by Arts Council England and Bradford Culture Company, and was inspired by Neon Garden, presented by Art Works at Barnsley Civic Centre.

A huge thank you to our artist team Amy and Emma Bairstow, Fran Bundy and Matt Radcliffe for all their work on the project so far.

We can’t wait to see it all come together – and to share it with you. 🌙

Don't forget to join us this Saturday for our Meet the Artist event with Jenny Bratt. 📅 26 September, 12 - 2pm - drop in...
23/09/2026

Don't forget to join us this Saturday for our Meet the Artist event with Jenny Bratt.

📅 26 September, 12 - 2pm - drop in anytime
🎟️ Free - booking encouraged

Jenny is the 2026 recipient of our Joan Day Bursary Award, which has supported her in developing her first solo exhibition, 'Here, Somehow', currently on display at South Square.

Jenny will be in the Main Gallery throughout the event, painting live and sharing more about her work, inspirations and creative process.

At the event, you can also:

- Explore 'Here, Somehow', as well as our other exhibitions in the Gallery Upstairs and Plenty at the Square café
- Hear from our Programme and Gallery Manager, Domino Panton-Oakley, about the curation of Jenny’s exhibition
- Chat to Jenny and ask any questions you have about her work and the inspirations behind it

The event is free and you’re welcome to drop in at any time between 12 and 2pm. We’d encourage you to book a place in advance to help us manage capacity: https://buff.ly/xYDLJmw

We’d love to see you there!

Address

South Square, Thornton
Bradford
BD133LD

Opening Hours

Wednesday 10:30am - 3pm
Thursday 10:30am - 3pm
Friday 10:30am - 3pm
Saturday 10:30am - 3pm
Sunday 12pm - 3pm

Telephone

+441274834747

Website

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