In 2021, during a time when the Covid-19 pandemic had a huge impact on communities in the region, BLF developed ‘Bradford Inspired’, to ensure those who have faced hardship during the pandemic were still able to access and enjoy festival events and activity.

One of these initiatives was Aladdin and the Stolen Stories, a digital storytelling experience which reimagined the story of Aladdin, from the original One Thousand and One Nights. Aladdin and the Stolen Stories was brought to life for children of all ages through a mix of live action and animation in 5 high-energy episodes filled with adventure, magic and friendship, filmed across Bradford at iconic and recognisable locations.

As the story unfolds across the 5 episodes, Aladdin and his friends discover a further 5 stories, the ‘Found Stories’, which were available to view for free online. Families could download a ‘Story Map’ for one of six community parks across Bradford and, by following the map, will discover QR codes that will lead them to where the ‘Found Stories’ have been hidden. For families who were shielding through the pandemic, BLF also created a ‘Stay-at-Home Story Map’ so that families can discover the ‘Found Stories’ without leaving the house.

The digital content was accompanied by an activity booklet, available for free in both digital and hard-copy format, encouraging children to interact along with the story, go outside to explore local community parks and green spaces, and re-discover the landscapes seen in the films, keeping families connected with their local area and the wider city.

In developing this strand of the Bradford Inspired project, BLF gave particular thought to reaching children and families who live in digital poverty, without access to the internet. In order to ensure that children in the most disadvantaged communities could access this content, Aladdin and the Stolen Stories was also available on DVD and distributed for free via local charities and community organisations.

Aladdin and the Stolen Stories was funded by Building A Stronger Britain Together, with additional support from Better Start Bradford, as part of Bradford Inspired.

This strand of Bradford Inspired tapped into a new audience for BLF. Of those who completed a post-event survey, 78% reported they had never previously attended Bradford Literature Festival, or taken part in a BLF digital event.

In total, 62,000 booklets on Aladdin and the Stolen Stories were distributed to school children, and to date the online content has received 3,478 views. 84% of participants also rated their overall experience as very good or good.