Boost for Calderdale tourism with £150k grant

Tourism in Calderdale has been given a huge boost thanks to a £150,000 investment from Arts Council England.
Calderdale tourism - Calderdale road sign, Queensbury Road.Calderdale tourism - Calderdale road sign, Queensbury Road.
Calderdale tourism - Calderdale road sign, Queensbury Road.

The money has been given to the newly-established Halifax Culture Hub.

Building on the existing work of the Calderdale Cultural Destinations project, the hub will work to enhance the cultural landscape of Calderdale and drive the visitor economy.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The funding will support the creation of eight themed travel itineraries, as well as a coordinated approach to marketing. Working with Visit Calderdale, the hub will develop new, ambitious and diverse cultural experiences for visitors.

David McQuillan, director of the Halifax Culture Hub and Square Chapel Centre for the Arts, said: “Locally we’ve known for a long time that Calderdale is blessed with some of the most inspiring and unique cultural spaces in the country and thanks to the support of the Arts Council’s first Cultural Destinations grant, we’ve been able to let everyone else know and make it easier and more attractive for people to visit.

“We’re absolutely thrilled to receive an award in the second round from Arts Council and, with major developments at The Piece Hall and Square Chapel coming to fruition, it couldn’t come at a better time.

“Our mills, minsters, museums, chapels and cloth halls are becoming vibrant spaces of creativity and innovation that we want everyone to see - this grant and the work of Halifax Culture Hub help make that a possibility.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Susan Press, Calderdale Council’s cabinet member for neighbourhoods and communities, added: “It is fantastic news that more funding has been received to develop cultural tourism in the area further.

“Cultural Destinations has been an excellent partnership between cultural organisations, the council and the third sector to encourage more visitors and local people to experience our fantastic offer, and this additional funding and resource will help this to continue into the future.”