The National Science and Media Museum will be temporarily closed to daytime visitors on Wednesday and Thursday (7 and 8 May) 2025 as Bradford proudly hosts the Creative Cities Convention (CCC) – a landmark event in the UK’s screen industries calendar.
The Creative Cities Convention is an annual event for professionals working in film, TV and digital industries, focused on amplifying perspectives from outside of London. It aims to bring together diverse voices from across the UK, showcasing opportunities beyond the capital as well as sharing industry insights and celebrating creativity across the country. Key stakeholders include BBC, Channel 4, ITV, Paramount and Pact, with industry leaders travelling to Bradford to take part in this year’s convention.
The two-day closure of the museum supports the city in welcoming top creative professionals from across screen industries, providing a venue for a packed programme of thought-provoking talks, networking opportunities and special screenings. The convention will showcase Bradford as a thriving hub of media and creativity, not only during its year as UK City of Culture but as a growing force in the UK’s cultural landscape for years to come.
While the museum will be closed to visitors during the day, Pictureville Cinema will remain open to the public each evening to host two gala screenings, organised as part of the Creative Cities Convention, in partnership with Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture. These exclusive preview screenings celebrate regional talent and stories, connecting Bradford’s own cultural story with the future of screen storytelling. They offer an opportunity for local audiences to get involved with the convention, as well as the exclusive opportunity to see these titles on the big screen, ahead of their national television release.
On Tuesday 6 May, Pictureville will be screening upcoming BBC documentary Unforgotten: The Bradford City Fire (2025). On the 40th anniversary of the event this May, the story will be remembered and its victims and survivors commemorated in a new documentary for BBC Two and iPlayer. A powerful record of a forgotten tragedy, as told through the compelling personal testimony of those who were there, many of whom speak here for the first time. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion chaired by Shanaz Gulzar, Creative Director of Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture, and introduced by Jaimie D’Cruz, Executive Producer, acme TV.
The following evening (Wednesday 7 May), Pictureville will screen The Brontës by Anita Rani: Sisters of Disruption (2025) – a brand-new documentary for Sky Arts exploring the enduring influence of the Brontë sisters on millions of readers across the centuries. The programme, available nationally from 20 May, sees journalist and presenter Anita Rani return to her hometown of Bradford, meeting fellow Bronte fans and experts to discuss their enduring legacy. Anita will also take part in an in-person panel discussion with Shanaz Gulzar after the screening.
The museum will reopen to the public on Thursday 8 May, with current exhibitions, galleries and all three cinema screens returning to their usual schedule. Visitors are thanked for their patience and understanding during this brief closure, marking a valuable opportunity for Bradford as it hosts one of the UK’s leading screen industry events.
