Join us in Bradford for the heritage networking event of the year
28th – 30th September 2025
Heritage Network is bringing its conference to Bradford City of Culture in 2025. Keep checking this page for details.
Conference is always the highlight of the year; a fun and friendly mix of inspirational speakers, lively discussions and fascinating tours and visits to historic sites and community projects.
Conference Programme (overview)
Sunday 28th September
Information Point & Bag Drop
Great Victoria Hotel, 12pm - 5pm
Great Victoria Hotel, Bridge Street, Bradford BD1 1JX
Monday 29th September
Conference Plenary Session
St George's Hall, 9am - 12:30pm
St George's Hall, Bridge Street, Bradford BD1 1TJ
Tuesday 30th September
Information Point & Bag Drop
Great Victoria Hotel, 9am - 12pm
Great Victoria Hotel, Bridge Street, Bradford, BD1 1JX
Tours and Visits
Various locations, 1 - 2:30pm & 3 - 4:30pm
Various locations across Bradford and Saltaire
Lunch & Breakout sessions
Great Victoria Hotel & St George's Hall, 12:30 - 5pm
Great Victoria Hotel, Bridge Street, Bradford BD1 1JX
Tours and Visits
Various Locations, 9 - 10:15am & 10:30 - 12pm
Various locations across Bradford and Saltaire
Welcome Reception
Victoria Hall, Saltaire - 5pm - 7pm
Victoria Hall, Victoria Rd, Saltaire, Shipley BD18 3JS
Conference Dinner
Bradford Live, 6pm for 6:30pm - 10pm
Bradford Live, 1 Thornton Road, Bradford BD1 2EP
Farewell Lunch
Darley Street Market, 12:30 - 2pm
Darley Street Kitchen, 2nd Floor Darley Street Market, 16-24 Darley Street, Bradford BD1 3HH
Conference Programme (detail)
Plenary Session – St George’s Hall
| 08.30 | Doors open to delegates |
| 09.00 |
Welcome to Heritage Network Conference 2025 Jeremy Fenn, Chair, Heritage Network |
| 09.05 |
Impact of Heritage Network David Tittle, Chief Executive, Heritage Network |
| 09.15 |
Bradford 2025, UK City of Culture and welcome to the District Daniel Bates, Executive Director, Bradford 2025 – UK City of Culture |
| 09.30 |
Introducing St George’s Hall Penny Green, Heritage Learning Officer, Bradford Theatres |
| 09.40 |
Little Germany, Bradford – A community led approach to place making Kamran Rashid, Founder/CEO, Impact Hub Yorkshire CIC |
| 10.00 |
Structured Networking Back by popular demand, a chance to network with new people, share experiences and make connections |
| 10.30 | Refreshment break & exhibition |
| 11.00 |
Living Legacy – Shaping Bradford’s public realm through heritage-led regeneration Dr Saira Ali FLI, President Elect of the Landscape Institute, Landscape Architect and Team Leader of Bradford Council’s Landscape Design & Conservation Team; Richard Butterfield, Partnerships Team Leader North East & Yorkshire Region, Historic England; Stephen Anderson, Director, Buttress Architects; Helen Featherstone, Director of England, North, National Lottery Heritage Fund. Bradford is host to a series of projects championing heritage-led regeneration, including the Townscape Heritage Scheme, public realm improvements and Heritage Action Zone. This panel will discuss these projects, lessons learned, and future planning. |
| 11.30 |
The past lives of heritage buildings Kelcey Wilson-Lee, Director of Programmes and Deputy CEO, Architectural Heritage Fund Kelcey will explore the enduring relevance of historic buildings’ former functions and share the Architectural Heritage Fund’s plans to celebrate their 50th anniversary in 2026. |
| 11.50 |
An Arts & Heritage Community Project using a collaborative hub model. Amer Sarai, Head of Community Engagement, Bradford Arts Centre Bradford Arts Centre’s collaborative hub model united artists, heritage groups, and residents to share, co-create, and bring culture into everyday spaces. Learn how it celebrated histories, built community, and offered a blueprint for inclusive cultural work. |
| 12.10 |
Thanks to the National Lottery Heritage Fund Jeremy Fenn, Chair, Heritage Network The Network says “Thanks!” to National Lottery players for thirty years of transformational funding to UK heritage projects. |
Breakout Sessions – Great Victoria Hotel & St George’s Hall
| Breakout Session 1 | 13.45 – 14.35 |
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| 14.35 – 14.50 | Delegates moving between breakouts | |
| Breakout Session 2 | 14.50 – 15.40 |
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| 15.40 – 16.00 | Break | |
| Breakout Session 3 | 16.00 – 16.50 |
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| 16.50 – 17.00 | Closing Remarks |
Getting to Saltaire
Part of our conference programme will be taking part in Saltaire within the Bradford District.
For tours and the Welcome Reception, delegates are expected to make their own way to Saltaire and travel in a way and at a time that suits them.
There are a number of public transport options between Bradford and Saltaire:
Regular trains run from Bradford Forster Square station to Saltaire, with one every 20 minutes or so. Direct trains run at 11 minutes past the hour and take 10 minutes. Other train journeys take around 25 minutes.
Trains run from 05.45 until 22.45. Single tickets are £1.80 and open returns are £4
The Bradford to Keighley shuttle (662) also runs from Bradford Forster Square Station, stand J to Saltaire, roughly every 20 minutes, and takes 15 minutes. Single Tickets are £2.50
Tours and Visits
The main day of conference is sandwiched between two half-days of tours and visits, which will include must-see buildings and projects, as well as some hidden gems highlighted by our steering group of local stakeholders, delegates will be asked to select tours and visits closer to the event.
View our map of venue and tour locations.
If you are not planning to attend the arranged tours and visits here, you can engage with other self-guided tours and visits in the area:
- Bradford Museums & Galleries: https://bradfordmuseums.org/our-venues/
- Bradford City Heritage Trail – https://bit.ly/BradfordTrail
- Salts Mill & Peace Museum: https://www.saltsmill.org.uk/ (note: not open on Tuesdays)
- Undercliffe Cemetery Walk & Lister Park Walk – bradford2025.co.uk/programme/bradford-on-foot
- Visualising Heritage: a Saltaire Experience – https://bit.ly/SaltaireExp
- Bradford Cathedral – https://bradfordcathedral.org.uk/
- Brontë Birthplace, Thornton – https://brontebirthplace.com/
- Brontë Parsonage Museum – https://www.bronte.org.uk/
Blue Plaque Unveiling
As part of the conference programme this year we are excited to announce that Impact Hub Yorkshire and Bradford Civic Society have invited our delegates to a blue plaque unveiling which is a part of their Little Germany placemaking project.
5.10pm Short presentation – Impact Hub Yorkshire, 34 Peckover Street Little Germany Bradford BD1 5BD – Limit of 70 people
5.30pm Unveiling – Intersection of Well Street and Vicar Lane, BD1 5PS
Delegates are invited to attend either or both elements of the unveiling but are advised that Impact Hub Yorkshire has a capacity of around 70 and so room may be limited.
Restaurants and Cafes
Following the Welcome Reception on Sunday 28th September, delegates will be expected to arrange their own dinner and transport arrangements back to their accommodation.
We have compiled a list of local restaurants recommended by our Steering Group which delegates may like to visit. We recommend checking each restaurant’s information, and making reservations where possible.
Accommodation
There are plenty of hotels in Bradford, however with it being the city of culture year we strongly recommend booking early.
Our conference will be partially taking place in the Great Victoria Hotel, we have a preferential rate with the hotel for delegates, if you would like a booking link, please get in touch.
You can see the Bradford hotels listed on the Visit Bradford website. Particularly close to the conference are Leonardo Hotel, Premier Inn Bradford Central, and Midland Hotel, all within walking distance of the main day conference venues.
Networking
Our conference is a great opportunity to network with peers, other professionals in the sector, and heritage businesses and funders. We will be including some structured networking into the main conference day, as well as plenty of opportunities for informal networking throughout the 3-day event.
Discounted tickets
Network, Partner, Supporter Youth Forum and Student members can book at discounted rates saving at least £50. You should have received an email with a code to access the discounted tickets. Click the red ‘Get tickets’ button and enter your code in the box that says ‘Promo Code’. The discounted ticket options will be revealed.
If you did not get the code, please email admin@heritagetrustnetwork.org.uk.
We aim for all of our events to be inclusive, safe spaces where everyone’s views and experiences are respected. Please read our code of conduct for more information.
Sponsorship, Advertising & Exhibiting:
Heritage Network Conference is a unique opportunity for heritage businesses to connect with leaders of community heritage organisations carrying out restoration projects and managing sites throughout the UK. Throughout the event there are sponsorship, advertising and exhibiting opportunities, please contact James Cragg for more information.
Who’s Attending?
Want to know who’s attending this year? Our delegate list should give you all you need to know.
Delegate listHave you already booked your ticket? Share the news! Let others know that you’ll be joining us in Bradford this September by sharing a badge on social media or updating your LinkedIn banner.
Use the links below to download the badges and banners and share on your socials!
Explore Bradford
Take a look at all of the events, exhibitions, restaurants & cafes in Bradford for you explore during our 2025 Conference.
See what’s on for Bradford 2025, take a jaunt to Haworth or Saltaire, and find out some great places to eat and drink in Bradford and Saltaire.