Bussing Out to hit the road for national tour

Bussing Out, an immersive art installation set in the top deck of a 70s bus, produced by University of Bradford-based arts organisation, Theatre in the Mill, will tour six venues across England between November 2025 and March 2027.

The project brings to life memories of those affected by bussing out via a bus journey through Bradford, alongside animation and black and white photographs, shown through the windows of the bus, during an 18-minute-long art installation also featuring audio of young passengers talking on the last day of school.

Dr Shabina Aslam, writer and director of Bussing Out and Artistic Director at Theatre in the Mill, said: "It will be fantastic to take it around the country.

"When people have watched the installation, they are shocked and surprised that something like that could have happened. People are moved, and some of the stories are funny.

It started as a passion project for me. It's nice that it has got a momentum of its own now with a tour

The national tour has been made possible after the project secured £126,928 from Arts Council England and £32,760 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

What was Bussing Out?

Taking place between 1965 and 1980, 'bussing out' was an educational policy, The Education of Immigrant Circular 7/65, which impacted South Asian, West Indian and African children who migrated to Britain in the 60s and 70s from former British colonies. The policy stated no school should have more than 30 per cent immigrants on roll, or they had to be taken to other schools.

Dr Aslam herself was directly affected by the policy in Bradford. Aged seven, she and her brother were placed on a bus and moved out to a white-majority suburban school's special needs department.

She said: "It was weird for me to be bussed, and it was alienating. Sometimes it was fun, but it was a weird moment in time."

The project originally opened as an art installation at the University of Bradford in October 2022. This followed Dr Aslam collecting the experiences of 21 people who were involved in 'bussing out' in Bradford during the 60s and 70s.

More on the Bussing Out tour

The national tour will travel to six venues - Rotherham in November 2025, Halifax in January 2026, Blackburn in February 2026, Luton in April 2026, Southall, West London, in summer 2026 and Bristol is the final stop between January and March 2027. The bus will be at each location for three to four weeks, with dates and venues to be confirmed in due course. Of the tour venues, only Rotherham does not have a record of bussing.

The bus installation, seating 10 people at a time, will open to visitors, with workshops, talks and an education programme also held at each venue. Dr Aslam hopes to collect further bussing out experiences from people who attend each venue across the country.

Following the tour, the bus installation will be parked permanently at the Bradford Industrial Museum.

Largely untold story

Helen Featherstone, Director, England North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: "We're delighted to support this tour of Bussing Out thanks to money raised by National Lottery players.

The story behind the practice of Bussing Out is still largely untold, and it is an important part of Bradford's multicultural heritage

"We are pleased to fund this project to explore and share the lives, and experiences of those affected by it."

The Bussing Out exhibition highlights the University of Bradford's strategic priorities by promoting inclusive learning, widening access, and mobilising research to drive social change. The project transforms lived experience into immersive storytelling, aligning with the University's mission to empower communities and make a lasting impact locally and nationally.