The agreed partnership includes a prime real estate deal that sees the Bradford 2025 team moving into new headquarters beneath Impressions Gallery on City Park in Bradford.

Leeds-based Rushbond bought the crescent-shaped building overlooking Centenary Square in 2009.

Mark Finch, real estate director for Rushbond, inset, said: “We are delighted to be on board at the start of this exciting journey and be one of the founding partners to sign up and support the Bradford 2025 bid for City of Culture status.

“Rushbond has a long and strong history with the city and as part of our partnership we are delighted to offer this fantastic city centre space for the Bradford 2025 team, to set up a city centre ‘HQ’ base, with a public presence onto City Park, and with the One City Park and the Bradford Live / NEC projects just on the doorstep.

“This is a prime example of how business and communities can forge alliances to promote a collective vision, working together to promote the City as a whole.

“We really look forward to working with the fantastic Bradford 2025 team to support them in their journey to hopefully win the coveted City of Culture title for Bradford.”

Shanaz Gulzar, chair of Bradford 2025, said: “Having such a well-known and respected US business such as Rushbond come on board as a founding partner is a great boost for the 2025 City of Culture bid.

“We are extremely grateful to Rushbond for their support. This partnership is a fantastic example of the way in which Bradford 2025 and partners can work together to demonstrate the strength and passion that different organisations, businesses and individuals can bring to the competition for the 2025 City of Culture designation.”

She added: “We look forward to welcoming further business partners in the near future to our roster of partners and bid club members once guidelines are published by government and as we lay claim to this title for Bradford district.

Bradford launched its bid to become UK City of Culture 2025 in 2019.

The title, which is awarded every four years by the government, could provide a huge boost to the District as the cultural sector recovers after the pandemic

Final bids for 2025 will be submitted this year, with the winning entry announced in May 2022.

Other entrants in the contest are Luton, Southampton, Tees Valley, Medway and Lancashire.

Earlier this year, Bradford Council launched a new 10-year cultural strategy.

The main aim of the strategy is to help the city succeed in its bid.

A report to the Executive said the strategy would prove Bradford is “open for business.”

Among suggestions in the strategy are a “new calendar of festivals and events”, the re-use of heritage buildings and efforts to make art and culture more accessible to groups that rarely access what is currently on offer.

Businesses can help to support Bradford 2025. To find out more, email [email protected]