Bradford is in line for “Brit School for the North”, under plans submitted to the Government.

The music school, which is based in Croydon, in South London, has launched the careers of musicians including Adele, Amy Winehouse, Jessie J and Kate Nash, and is looking to open a second school in the West Yorkshire town.

The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) has submitted plans to the Department for Education (DfE) for the school, which could open by 2026 if approved by officials.

“The school is designed to provide a unique option for students across West Yorkshire and the wider region, by offering an opportunity to study in an immersive environment solely dedicated to the creative learning experience,” the BPI said.

Amy Winehouse was among many famous musicians who have come out of the Brit School in Croydon.

“It has long been the ambition of the BPI and its members to create a specialist creative school outside of London and the South East of England,” it added.

The project will also see funding from three major record companies: Sony Music, Universal Music and Warner Music.

The opening, projected for 2026, would come a year after Bradford will be City of Culture, with the proposals supported by Tracy Brabin, the West Yorkshire Mayor.

It comes after EMI records launched EMI North, a new record label based in Leeds, as it became the first major British label operating outside of London.

EMI said it would be “dedicated to supporting the very best local talent in the North of the UK, and providing young people with opportunities to work in the music industry”.

The label will be headed up by Yorkshireman Clive Crawley and has already partnered with Leeds-based independent record label based in Leeds.

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said: “West Yorkshire is the place to be when it comes to culture and creativity – now so more than ever as we draw closer to Bradford’s year in the spotlight as the UK’s City of Culture 2025.

“With vibrant musical venues in abundance, and even more in the pipeline, our region is well and truly cementing its place on the world stage as a creative and cultural hotspot. With EMI North recently making the decision to invest in West Yorkshire, it goes to show that we’re already punching well above our cultural weight.

“So, while it’s no surprise, I’m thrilled that Bradford has been selected as the preferred location for this new school – what an incredible opportunity it would provide for the talented young people of our region and beyond!”

YolanDa Brown, Chair of the BPI, said: “We are incredibly proud of our track record in promoting and funding specialist creative education and this application reflects our ambition to extend this even further across the UK. The creative industries are a powerful force for social mobility, providing opportunities based on ability and talent. We look forward to building upon the proven success of this model to give a greater number of young people from across the North of England an opportunity to pursue a career in the creative industries – both on stage and behind the scenes.

“Bradford already has a wonderfully vibrant cultural and creative scene. We are very excited about the benefits of this partnership and how we can contribute to Bradford’s ambitions, but also how this school can continue our work to diversify our talent pipeline by ‘levelling-up’ opportunity, both geographically and socio-economically.”

The Department for Education was contacted for comment.

Bradford set for 'Brit School for the North'