Culture events and activities

Calderdale Creates Launch Event November 1 and Events schedule

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CalderdaleCreates is the new strategic Cultural Partnership for Calderdale.

After delivering Calderdale’s new Cultural Strategy, ‘Where Creativity Flows’, it’s now time to start developing detailed plans to strengthen, energise and grow our cultural sector so we can maximise our impact and deliver on the strategy.

Join Us If you want to influence, shape, lead or hear about how the cultural sector is making a difference to Calderdale.

If you’re a creative professional, living in Calderdale, come along to our series of
networking events and/or training that will cover: Developing your freelance practice or creative business; health and wellbeing; financial resilience; educational achievement; sector specific training and career development; digital engagement; bringing communities together; events & festivals; tourism; making culture more accessible and affordable; play; living a larger creative life.

 

CalderdaleCreates Launch Event Tuesday 1 November 2pm – 5pm
Artworks, the Everybody School of Art Gallery Space, Halifax HX3 9ET

Booking required
www.wherecreativityflows.co.uk/training-events/

Download flyer with event schedule and further information (PDF format)

VIRSA – A celebration of South Asian Heritage Month 2022

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Calderdale’s South Asian Heritage Festival begins with a Weekend of Celebration at Square Chapel Arts Centre and The Piece Hall.

The festival, commissioned by Calderdale Council, promises a month of events and activities to celebrate the long and rich history of British Asians and the positive impact they have within the borough. It will bring together leading British Pakistani and Indian writers and performers plus local businesses and community groups at venues across Calderdale.

Download Flyer here

The Piece Hall

The Piece Hall event begins at midday and will feature Indian drumming, henna painting, calligraphy arts, face painting, antique Pakistani jewellery, handmade bags and free, fun, family activities in the main courtyard. There will also be music and writing workshops and performance events at Square Chapel Arts Centre over that weekend. All activities are FREE! And there will be a real community market feel in the courtyard … a chance to celebrate the friendship and generosity of South Asian culture …

Square Chapel Arts Centre

Brilliant FREE workshops for women and girls, not just of South Asian heritage. This is an invitation to all women interested in culture, identity, sense of place and empowerment.

Booking is essential. You can book workshops and events at Square Chapel Arts Centre here: squarechapel.co.uk/whats-on/

Saturday 16th July @ 1.30 pm
” I Belong Here ” – Talk & Writing Workshop with Award Winning author Anita Sethi
A two-hour session with Anita Sethi. Short talk after which Anita will explore themes of place, nature, journeying – both geographical and emotional journeys – and how nature and writing can bring a sense of belonging.

Saturday 16th July @ 4 pm
Into the Wilds – New South Asian Writing
Fox & Windmill is the UK’s first independent book publishing company for British South Asian writers. They are dedicated to bridging the gap in the industry for writers from underrepresented backgrounds and sharing their unique stories and perspectives.

Sunday 17th July @ 2pm

Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan Free Workshop & Performance Event
Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan is a writer, poet and educator disrupting understandings of history, race, knowledge and violence. In 2019 she published Postcolonial Banter, an anthology of poetry critiquing racism, Islamophobia and notions of national identity. The collection includes poems which have had millions of online views and been featured across TV and radio.

Saturday July 23rd
Square Chapel will host a screening of acclaimed film ‘Lakeer’ followed by a Q&A with the film’s producer

Victoria Theatre

Saturday July 23rd – South Asian Comedy Club

Comedy club with some of the best South Asian comedians on the comedy circuit.Calderdale’s museums and libraries will feature a number of displays and events to complement the celebrations.This is an opportunity for all communities to come together and share the best South Asian culture has to offer – please let your friends and colleagues know and help make this a regular feature of Calderdale’s Cultural Calendar!The full programme of events and activities can be found at:

issuu.com/verddegris/docs/programme

 

Cash boost for cultural projects from the Calderdale Cultural Fund

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For more information about the Calderdale Cultural Fund and to apply, visit https://calderdale.gov.uk/v2/residents/community-and-living/grants/grants-voluntary-organisations/cultural-fund

More people will be able to benefit from the joy of Calderdale’s distinctive culture, thanks to the launch of a new Council grant for voluntary organisations to fund cultural projects.

In 2024, Calderdale will celebrate its 50th birthday. As part of this, there will be a Year of Culture in 2024, where organisations and individuals will come together for a major events programme that recognises the importance of culture to the local economy and communities.

In the run up to the Year of Culture, the Council is inviting the local voluntary sector to apply for a share of the Calderdale Cultural Fund 2022 – 2025.

Voluntary organisations can apply for between £5000 and £25,000 a year, for up to three years, to deliver their cultural projects. The deadline for grant applications is Wednesday 23 March 2022.

Cllr Jenny Lynn, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Services and Communities, said:

“Culture plays a huge part in making Calderdale vibrant and distinctive, transforming people’s lives and recovering from the pandemic. We know that every one of our neighbourhoods in Calderdale has stories to tell and talents to showcase. That’s what we want to celebrate in our Year of Culture, and we want everyone to be involved. We want to open up cultural events and activities to all our diverse communities, and this is the aim of our new Calderdale Cultural Fund.”

Cllr Scott Patient, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Resilience, added:

“The Calderdale Cultural Fund recognises the important role of voluntary organisations in enriching people’s lives through culture and the arts. It will also help the sector to get back on its feet after being one of the hardest hit by the pandemic. We want as many organisations as possible to apply for a grant so we can all continue to work together to help build back our cultural sector, towns, tourism and local people’s shared experiences, which are a significant part of Calderdale’s story.”

The aim of the grants is to make culture more accessible to the wider community, to deliver the new Cultural Strategy for Calderdale and to help achieve the Vision2024 for Calderdale, by harnessing the talent of the local cultural sector to build resilience and help people live a larger life.

The Council is looking to support projects that help achieve the cultural objectives from the Cultural Strategy for Calderdale:

  1. A larger creative life

Each and every person has the opportunity for culture and creativity to be woven into the fabric of their lives – whatever their age – to delight and inspire happier, healthier lives.

  1. Creative citizens

Every community is empowered to grow and sustain its own cultural capacity, bringing to life the unique identity of each place and community.

  1. A resilient valley

The cultural sector inspires creative and regenerative actions to build a sustainable future.

  1. Distinctively Calderdale

Businesses and visitors are attracted by the vibrancy of the cultural offer, strong sense of identity and creative possibilities.

  1. A thriving cultural scene

The sector – its people and organisations – is invested in so that it flourishes and plays a unique, dynamic and effective role in wider society.

 

For more information about the Calderdale Cultural Fund and to apply, visit https://calderdale.gov.uk/v2/residents/community-and-living/grants/grants-voluntary-organisations/cultural-fund

Vision Calderdale 2024

In the year 2024, Calderdale will celebrate its 50th birthday. Where do we want to be by 2024? Join the conversation by following #VisionCdale2024 on social media and visit www.calderdale.gov.uk/vision

 

Cultural Events and talks by Calderdale Heritage Walks

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As well as their local history inspired walks, the Calderdale Heritage Walks group are hosting a series of talks and cultural events around Halifax.

Please note face masks may well be essential at these events

Talk evenings with David Glover
Illustrated Historical Talks Wednesdays @ Grayston Unity at 8:15pm

£5.00 entry + service fee – Advance Booking only via https://www.seetickets.com/search?q=grayston

 

The story of Halifax Zoo and Amusement Park by David Glover
Illustrated Halifax Antiquarian Society Lecture
Tuesday 18th January – 7.30pm
At the Graygill Rooms, Halifax Piece Hall

Entry via donation on door

Just over 100 years ago, Halifax had a Zoo. Opened in 1909, this early “theme park” at Chevinedge housed many wild animals, yet also had other attractions – the first cinema in Halifax, a roller-coaster, and a miniature railway. Tales abound of special events, including balloon flights and an early aeroplane display in the skies above. Then there was the meandering bear!

Calderdale Heritage Walks

For the Calderdale Heritage Walks, view the full Winter schedule on the Calderdale Heritage Walks website

Because of Covid, and more limited numbers, Walks must be paid for and prebooked via https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/calderdale-heritage-walks

Upcoming walks highlights – Full walk details here

  • January 19th – Some Calderdale Murders – 1858-1957
    From the Wadsworth Moor murder of 1858, through to the tragic killing of Emily Pye in Gibbet Street, Halifax, in 1957; looking at six different tragedies, and how they were investigated.
  • Sunday 23rd January 2022 – Lost Churches and Chapels of Halifax
    And there were many! We visit the sites of over twenty; a few remain, given new uses. From Square Congregational Chapel and Church, we move to the sites of vanished buildings.
  • February 16th – More Calderdale Murders – 1556-1964
    Who killed Holdsworth, Vicar of Halifax in his home? Why was the Excise Collector slain in Savile Park Road? Who went mad and killed his boss in the newspaper office?

 

For more information visit Calderdale Heritage Walks

Have your say on Calderdale’s Cultural Strategy

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Now is the last chance to have your say in shaping our ambition for Culture in Calderdale.

Our Cultural Strategy will set out a borough-wide commitment, investing in and supporting Culture and the role that it plays in supporting wider economic, social and environment strategies. It is also valuable for the borough and individual organisations in helping to attract external investment into Calderdale. This might be to improve specific cultural venues, deliver borough-wide and year long programmes such as a ‘Year of Culture’ in 2024 and developing Calderdale as a strong tourism destination.We are consulting on Calderdale’s proposed draft Cultural Strategy. We welcome your comments on the draft vision, priorities and themes outlined within the draft strategy to inform and drive investment.

Park & Warley Our Communities Award 2016: Contribution to Culture – WINNER ANNOUNCED!

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WINNER: St Hilda’s Church Choir

In December 2015 St Hilda’s Church Choir held a Carols in the Park event which is believed to be the very first of its kind to be held at West View Park.

As well as attractions, excellent food stalls and a fairground roundabout ride the evening was made special and extra Christmassy by St Hilda’s Choir who lead the singing of carols for over an hour.

St Hildas Church Choir also take part in the Churches Together singing at Asda at Easter time and choir members remain very active in all areas of church life and present annual entertainment covering many musical styles open to the whole community.

As individuals several people take leading parts in local choirs and amateur operatic productions.

North Halifax Star 2016: Contribution to Culture – WINNER ANNOUNCED!

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WINNER: Daisy Mae Fry

Daisy Mae Fry is a young artist and fashion designer from Ovenden who is currently studying at Calderdale College.

She has just held her first exhibition of her limited edition prints in Leeds and one will find its way to a Tate exhibition in the future.

Daisy has been studying art and design for 4 years, currently doing a HND course at Calderdale College with specialisms in fashion design and graphics.

She creates controversial and eye catching pieces and has always had a huge interest in fashion. She says her biggest influences are the fashion designer Vivienne Westwood and photographer Terry Richardson, both two very controversial but extremely creative artists.

In February, Daisy’s work was displayed in the penthouse at Bar Fibre, Leeds – a hugely successful event which featured 3 collections of numbered and signed works with a variety of different themes as well as the chance to see the Daisy Mae’s fashion collection.

You can read about Daisy at leedscitymagazine.co.uk/daisy-mae-fry-bar-fibre/ or see some of her work on Behance at https://www.behance.net/Miss_Mae

If you’re on Twitter, follow Daisy at @Miss_Mae_96