04 February 2023 , 22:40
1051
0
The world-famous stage school which launched Adele and Amy Winehouse is poised to open a Northern branch – in Bradford.
Aspiring singers, actors and dancers who live hundreds of miles from London would get the chance to hone their talents at the offshoot of the capital’s BRIT School.
Bradford has already birthed big names such as One Direction’s Zayn Malik, 30, Kimberley Walsh, 41, of Girls Aloud and Pop Idol runner-up Gareth Gates, 38.
And the BRIT School bid has been described as a great “level-up creative opportunity for underserved young people”.
BPI chairwoman YolanDa Brown said: “Bradford already has a wonderfully vibrant cultural and creative scene. We are very excited about how we can contribute to Bradford’s ambitions but also how this school can continue our work to diversify our talent pipeline by ‘levelling-up’ opportunity, both geographically and socio-economically.”
Nursery apologises after child with Down's syndrome ‘treated less favourably’
Amy Winehouse is a former BRIT School pupil (Getty Images)
As is actor Tom Holland (Getty Images)Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin, a former Coronation Street star, said: “With EMI North recently making the decision to invest in West Yorkshire, it goes to show that we’re already punching well above our cultural weight.”
Plans for the school, provisionally called BRIT School North, are being drawn up by the British Phonographic Industry.
The idea for a fee-free specialist college for 16 to 19-year-olds in Bradford’s city centre was submitted to the Department for Education’s free school funding process, Wave-15. If approved, it is hoped the school would open in 2026.
Leona Lewis is a BRIT School alumni (Getty Images)
Zayn Malik also attended (Getty Images)London’s BRIT School, in Croydon, opened 30 years ago and grew into a world-leading centre for nurturing talent.
As well as the late Amy Winehouse and Adele, 34, its other famous alumni include Jessie J, 34, X Factor winner Leona Lewis, 37, and Spider-Man star Tom Holland, 26.
Bradford was chosen to host the northern offshoot due to its artistic resurgence – including being named City of Culture for 2025 by the Government last year.
Lauded as a cultural hub, it is the city that gave us 1987 film classic Rita, Sue and Bob Too. It is also home to the National Media Museum and was the birthplace of literary legends the Bronte sisters.
Artist David Hockney, 85, hails from the city too and collections of his work are displayed in Salts Mill in nearby Saltaire.