Bradford/ West of Ireland 2025 Screen Producer Exchange
- Louisa Mackleston
- Sep 4
- 3 min read
Bradford 2025, in partnership with Ardán, the WRAP Commission, and Screen Yorkshire, hosted regional producers from West Yorkshire and the West of Ireland during the Creative Cities Convention in Bradford in May and the Galway Film Fleadh and Fair in July.
The aim of this inaugural producers’ exchange programme was to develop international relationships and opportunities between the Irish and the UK producing community via learning and networking opportunities in Bradford and the West of Ireland.
Bradford was designated the first UNESCO City of Film back in back in 2009, and their focal point was helpful to the Galway team (at Galway Film Centre, as Ardán was known pre-2022) during its successful UNESCO City of Film application back in 2014.
The relationship has continued to develop, and in 2025, Kate Moore and Daniel Kok of Bradford City of Culture 2025, and Jo Schofield of Screen Yorkshire, collaborated with Alan Duggan of Ardán and Gar O’Brien-Collins of WRAP to create the first Bradford x West of Ireland Producer Exchange.
This opportunity offered places for to producers living or working in the Irish counties of Clare, Donegal, Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon or Sligo and Bradford-based producers who are working or living in the district and can show demonstrable links to the area.
The West of Ireland producers, supported by Ardán and the WRAP Commission, included Eileen Raferty (Donegal), Anna Mannion (Sligo), and Christine Braithwaite (Roscommon). The UK leg of the exchange included attendance to a VIP behind the scenes location tour of the UNESCO world heritage site Salts Mill, Saltaire, known as a location for shows such as Peaky Blinders, and attendance at the Creative Cities Convention in Bradford.
Speaking about the exchange, Anna Mannion, West of Ireland Producer/ Tri Moon Films said: “This exchange fostered deep connections between Irish and UK producers. It was inspiring to see the shared creative ambition and cultural richness that link Bradford and the West of Ireland. I left the programme with new collaborators, ideas, and a real sense of international community.”
Gar O’Brien Collins, WRAP Executive added: “This exchange showcases the strength and rich heritage of these two filmmaking regions—Yorkshire and Ireland’s West & Northwest. Bradford and Galway have long been creative centres, both as UNESCO Cities of Film and as drivers of their regions’ screen industries. When we created WRAP, Screen Yorkshire was a key inspiration, proving the impact of regional investment. Now, producers from right across the WRAP region—from Sligo to Donegal and Roscommon—are connecting with their West Yorkshire peers. By building these region-to-region collaborations and new networks, we’re laying the groundwork for lasting partnerships and a stronger industry for the future of both our regions.”
The Bradford producers included Holly Bryan, Louisa Rose Mackleston, Babatunde Apalowo, and Amaaima Hussain. During Galway Film Fleadh and Fair they took in some film screenings (including Holly’s own film The Ceremony), attended events such as the WRAP/ NTAFT Producer Mentorship Panel and Networking Event, and the Film Fleadh festival hub. The producers also took part in a tour of Connemara, visiting TG4 studios and Cong village along the way, and on top of that they got to experience the coast of the Wild Atlantic Way in the sun aboard a Cruise of Galway Bay.
Louisa Rose Mackleston, Bradford Producer/ Bradford International Film Festival mentioned: “Taking part in the Bradford–Galway producers exchange gave me a real insight into how the screen industry operates in the west of Ireland. I’ve made valuable contacts I hope to collaborate with, and it’s inspired me to think more ambitiously about the scale of my work. The experience has opened the door to potential UK-Ireland co-productions, which I’m excited to explore in the future.”
Jo Schofield, Head of Talent, Screen Yorkshire said: "This exchange highlights the value of cross-border collaboration in supporting emerging producers. Bringing together creative talent from Bradford and the West of Ireland has sparked new ideas, partnerships, and long-term opportunities. It’s been a privilege to support such a dynamic and ambitious group of producers, and I’m proud of the role Screen Yorkshire played in helping to build a bridge between two vibrant screen communities.”
Dan Kok, Bradford City of Culture 2025 added: “Bradford and Galway have a longstanding bond as UNESCO Cities of Film, supporting one another’s ambitions from the beginning. This producers’ exchange is a perfect example of the spirit of creative collaboration that defines our Capital of Culture year—connecting our creative communities, learning from each other, and building professional partnerships rooted in the spirit of co-production, but also, increasingly, in friendship. By working alongside partners in Galway and the West of Ireland, we’re ensuring Bradford’s story is not just celebrated locally but woven into Europe’s wider cultural tapestry.”