What are the opening hours?

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

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 a

re 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.

24/08/2026

Join us this week!

Interested in applying for our Artist Development Bursary with United Art Project? Come along to our drop-in events at Storehouse (BD4 9QU) this week.

📅 Tuesday 25 August, 12 - 3pm
📅 Thursday 27 August, 12 - 3pm

You'll have the chance to:
- Meet representatives from Our Turn and United Art Project
- Find out more about the bursary opportunity
- Ask questions about the application process
- Get to know the Storehouse venue

Come along, say hello and find out if the bursary could be right for you.

*About the bursary*

We currently have two artist development bursaries available, delivered in partnership with United Art Project and Keighley Creative, to support new community-led visual arts projects.

Based at Storehouse in South Bradford, the United Art Project residency focuses on developing creative work through engagement with local communities, organisations and stories.

🔗 Find out more by visiting the Our Turn website: https://www.ourturn.co.uk/artist-bursaries-2026
⏰ Application submission deadline: Monday 1st September at 23:59

23/08/2026

*Sunday 23rd August* CLOSED

Sadly, due to unforeseen circumstances, the gallery will be closed today.
We will be open as usual on Tuesday 25th August. Please do accept our sincere apologies.

22/08/2026

❕ Last chance to apply for our Director role ❕

We’re looking for a new Director to lead South Square Centre into its next chapter - and applications close this Sunday (23 August 2026) at 23.59.

South Square Centre is a really special place. Alongside our vibrant programme of exhibitions, events and workshops throughout the year, we also create platforms for emerging artists, deliver creative projects with local schools, provide training and opportunities for young people and bring creative activities into communities.

We’re now looking for a special person to help shape what comes next. Working closely with our Board of Trustees and alongside our small but dedicated team, the new Director will build on South Square’s strong foundations while bringing an ambitious vision for our future to life.

If you’re passionate about creativity, community and heritage - and excited by the opportunity to lead an organisation that’s really making a difference - we’d love to hear from you 💙

To find out more and apply, visit our website: https://southsquarecentre.co.uk/director-vacancy

21/08/2026

🌙 Introducing Vespertine Garden 🌙

We’re so excited to launch a brand-new creative project designed to inspire curiosity and care for our natural environment.

Working with children and young people in Bradford, we’ll create a magical Vespertine Garden - an ambitious, immersive installation exploring the hidden worlds of urban wildlife and the urgent need to protect the ecosystems we share.

The installation will then be open to visitors at South Square Centre from November 2026 to February 2027, inviting audiences to experience Bradford’s overlooked nocturnal landscapes through the eyes of the creatures that emerge at dusk.

Don’t forget to save the date for our special opening night event which will take place on Friday 6 November - we’d love you to join us! To make sure everyone can enjoy the installation comfortably, we'll have timed slots available to book for the opening. We'll share the link to book your spot in the coming weeks.

We’re delighted to be working with local artists Amy and Emma-Jo Bairstow and Fran Bundy to bring Vespertine Garden to life through light, sculpture and sound. Alongside our creative workshops with schools, Amy and Emma will also be running community making sessions where you can get involved in creating pieces for the installation. Keep an eye on our website and socials for more info!

Finally, a big thank you to our funders, Arts Council England and Bradford Culture Company, and to Art Works at Barnsley Civic Centre whose exhibition, Neon Garden, inspired this project.

To find out more about the project, take a look at the latest blog post on our website. We can’t wait to share more as the project unfolds 💚

20/08/2026

🌟 FREE Kids Craft Drop-In – this Friday! 🌟

Come along to our creative craft session and let imaginations run wild! We’ll have a table packed with paper, pencils, scissors, glue, cardboard, string and lots more. Kids can explore a variety of materials to build, make and create their own masterpieces.

📅 Friday 21 August, 10.30am - 12.30pm – drop in anytime
💙 Suitable for all ages
🎟️ Free entry – donations are welcome and help our charity continue its work
👨‍👧 A parent/guardian or responsible adult must stay with children at all times
☕ Plenty at the Square Café is closed during the session, but you’re welcome to bring your own refreshments

We’d love to see you there! Book your spot on our website: https://southsquarecentre.co.uk/whatson

If you can't make this session, we'll be running our next Kids Craft Drop-In during October half term - stay tuned for more info!

18/08/2026

😁 Gallery Still Open!

During these last couple of weeks of August, our friends at Plenty At The Square are taking a break and the cafe is closed.

We are also having some works done on the courtyard to level the paving slabs on the ground thanks to funds from the Bradford Council Capital Culture Grant.

But! The gallery is still open our usual hours. There's still time to catch Costing the Earth exhibition in the main gallery, and Richard Mort's exhibition in the Gallery Upstairs.

Plus we have a FREE kids craft drop in on Friday, 10:30am - 12:30pm

See you all soon!

13/08/2026

Did you know our Gallery Shop is filled with unique, beautiful gifts created by talented creatives?

And now, inspired by the exhibition 'Costing the Earth' in collaboration with Impressions Gallery, we’ve labelled the items with their sustainability credentials so you can better understand how your purchase is supporting local people and the planet.

Pop in to explore the exhibition, browse the shop and find something special to take home 💚

12/08/2026

We’re really excited to welcome Jenny Bratt to our Main Gallery next month for her first solo show, Here, Somehow.

The exhibition is a celebration of the people, places, and quiet moments that shape everyday life in Armley, Leeds. Inspired by the neighbourhood and the people who call it home, Jenny’s paintings capture domestic scenes with warmth, curiosity and affection. They are paintings of and for the community they emerge from.

**Dates for your diary**
🚀 Opening night: Friday 4 September, 6 – 9pm
🗓️ Exhibition: 5 September – 1 November
🎨 Meet the artist: Saturday 26 September, 12 – 2pm

Jenny is the winner of the Joan Day Bursary Award, created in the memory of Joan, a highly skilled painter who lived and worked in the West Yorkshire region for much of her life. The bursary supports emerging artists who use paint as a prominent feature of their practice to exhibit new and recent work in our gallery.

Jenny joins a fantastic list of Bursary winners that have exhibited with us over the years. We’re so pleased to continue that tradition with Jenny’s work 💙

Come along in September and experience Here, Somehow for
yourself.

11/08/2026

Applications open! Be part of a thriving artist community 🧑‍🎨

We’re excited to share that we have an artist studio available to rent.

Available from October, this first floor studio has lovely light from both the front and back of the building, overlooking the courtyard it is a beautiful studio for artists or creative businesses. The space can accommodate one/two bits of floor based equipment or multiple desks and has plenty of built in shelving. The space is accessible through our upstairs gallery space.

Alongside your studio space, you’ll also become part of the community here at the centre, with development and social opportunities offered to our studio holders.

To find out more and apply, (deadline 28th August 2026) please visit our website – link in bio

https://southsquarecentre.co.uk/studio-vacancy

07/08/2026

🖼️ Discover the latest exhibition in The Gallery Upstairs 🖼️

Metamorphosis by Richard Mort
Running: Friday 7 August – Sunday 30 August 2026

Richard Jack Mort presents a collection of abstract and portrait paintings, mainly in acrylic. His work treats the canvas as a three-dimensional surface, using carving and layered materials to create texture and depth. The exhibition also explores colour through a range of different styles.

Come along and see this unique exhibition while it's on.

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

http://www.southsquarecentre.co.uk/

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