Keighley people are the focus of a special ‘newspaper’ featuring pictures from photographer and NUJ Leeds and West Yorkshire branch member Bob Smith.
Bob spent several months in 2025 creating a snapshot of people’s daily lives for his K-Town People project.
The tabloid publication and accompanying photographic exhibition were created as part of Bradford 2025’s Our Patch programme.
K-Town People is being launched at a special event this weekend and an exhibition of the images will be open to the public this week. More details below.
Bob, who worked as press photographer on the Keighley News for more than 30 years, said: “I loved photographing the people of my home town during my time on the paper, and this limited-edition publication is a nod to that period.
“It’s also inspired by the Picture Post, a photojournalism magazine published from the 1930s, which made a point of featuring ordinary people.
“I was determined to seek out and photograph my town’s ordinary people. It turned out many of them had an extraordinary tale to tell.
“One of the first things I was told when I started as a photojournalist was: ‘faces sell papers’, and this publication has plenty of pictures of local people.”
K-Town People will be launched at a special event between midday and 4pm on Saturday March 21 at the Keighley Creative headquarters in the former Argos building in Cooke Lane, next to the Airedale Shopping Centre.
The event includes a film-loop in the charity’s Stockroom Cinema, showcasing Our Patch and Keighley Creative projects. K-Town People newspaper callers were due to pop up around town, sharing local stories and handing out the free newspapers.
From midday to 3pm, visitors to the Airedale Shopping Centre’s event and piano space have the chance to join in a free, family-friendly drop-in workshop to try Zine Making and Polaroid photography to create their own mini K-Town People newspaper with artists Lauren Kelly and Adriana Szczerepa.
And from 3pm to 4pm, visitors can have a go at singing with choir leader Hannah Butterfield, featuring international pianist and vocalist Shane Durrant and the wonderful Keighley Chorus, a choir who learn as they go.
Bob, who has operated as a freelance photographer for the past 11 years, said: “I’m interested in capturing everyday moments, and this snapshot of my home town in 2025 reminded me how extraordinary our ordinary lives can be. I was born in Keighley and, apart from my time away at university, have lived, worked and taken photographs here all my life.
“I love this town and all its foibles, and I wanted to capture moments that represent daily life – at work, at play, at rest.”
Free newspapers can be picked up at the launch event. The exhibition of images will also be open to the public on Tuesday 24 and Wednesday 25 March, 12-4pm then 5-7pm, and on Saturday 28 March, 10am-4pm.
The Our Patch Project for Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture is funded by the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation and the National Lottery Community Fund.