In 2014, my boyfriend (now husband) and I moved to Bradford, Ontario – a small town about an hour’s drive north of Toronto and forty-five minutes from where I had been living previously in Markham.
Markham is by no means a metropolis (though it did officially change from Town to City status in 2012 and has a population that is literally 1,000 times larger than Bradford), but it is bigger than Bradford and also that-much closer to Toronto.
When we moved to Bradford, we were thinking of a whole host of considerations: affordable housing, proximity to work, caliber of schools… “Arts scene” wasn’t top of mind for us in the decision-making process.
But I was pleasantly surprised to find, a few months after we moved in, that vibrant arts scenes can be found even when you’re not looking.
Driving Bradford’s literary arts scene – in my opinion – is Bradford’s library. Bradford truly has an amazing library with great programming. The library hosts a monthly Writers Circle, Book Club and Film Screenings. In addition, they offer Open Mic Nights, Jazz Nights and Spoken Word evenings that add variety and an opportunity to network in the community.
Bradford also harbours a group of dedicated art enthusiasts. Three dedicated artists – Janie Kuzmyk, Brad Houghton, and Shelby Thoms – are working to quite literally carve out a space for the arts in Bradford. They recently registered a not-for-profit arts organization named Bradford Fine Artists with a mandate to promote and showcase local artists while raising awareness, support, and funding for a dedicated arts space in Bradford. These artists understand the importance of art, that artists of all kinds need space to flourish, and that an arts presence is beneficial to every community. I was recently honoured to be asked to join as a member for Bradford Fine Artists, and am terribly excited at the opportunity to get even more involved in the community and in the local arts scene.
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, the past few years have been a whirlwind, with my husband and I moving four times in just under two years. It’s easy to feel uprooted when you’re calling a new place home every few months. But one of my favourite quotes has always been: wherever you go, there you are. I feel blessed to somehow always find kindred spirits, such as the neighbour down the street who is also writing a book, or the friends from my yoga studio who are amazing supporters of my novel.
Looking back, it’s good that I didn’t have “local arts scene” at the top of my list of criteria for a new town to live in. If I did, I might not have chosen Bradford. To the distant observer, a town of 30,000, compared to Markham’s 300,000 or Toronto’s 3 million, might seem too small to have anything big going on. But great things are happening here all the time, and there are unique experiences to be found in joining a close-knit community.
Ever passing through town? Stop by Bradford, check out the library, find some friends. It’s a pretty sweet spot, if I may say so myself.