'Calderdale remains the place to be for culture, art and music': Reflecting on the success of the 'CultureDale' programme

Calderdale’s Year of Culture programme, named “CultureDale”, was launched in April 2024 to mark the borough’s 50th birthday.

Reflecting on the past 12 months, Coun Danielle Durrans, Calderdale Council’s cabinet member for public services and communities, said that the programme has brought joy to the borough.

She said: “What a fantastic year we’ve had!

“The Year of Culture has wowed a diverse range of people from across the borough, country and even the world.

“It has showcased the talent, creativity and distinctiveness that make Calderdale special, it has strengthened relationships with communities, artists, performers and creative professionals, and has paved the way for culture to play an even bigger part in Calderdale’s future.

“With the CultureDale legacy set to stay beyond the end of April, culture in Calderdale doesn’t just stop there.

“There’s an amazing summer ahead, including festivals, fairs, the Piece Hall events programme, the English Chamber Orchestra’s Lark Ascending concert in June and another People’s Park Festival in August. Proof that Calderdale remains the place to be for culture, art and music.”

Calderdale Council’s CultureDale team is evaluating the impact that the Year of Culture has had, and the full data will be available in the coming months.

Some of the Year of Culture highlights included:

The People’s Park Festival, which saw more than 11,000 people enjoy a weekend of cultural celebration, with music, film and food.

Little Amal, the internationally acclaimed 12-foot puppet of a 10-year old refugee girl, which visited Halifax to bring a message of hope and to raise awareness of the experiences of refugees.

The Anne Lister Memorial Weekend and the Anne Lister Birthday Festival, which welcomed visitors from as far as Australia and the USA to celebrate Calderdale’s famous diarist, landowner and businesswoman.

The Happy Valley Pride festival, which brought famous drag acts, creative activities and community spirit to Calder Holmes Park in Hebden Bridge.

The Starlight Parade, which dazzled Halifax with lights, music and performances to kick off the festive season in style.

Northern Broadsides’ Iron People, an imaginative community project celebrating Calderdale’s nature and creativity, culminating in a grand finale at Eureka! with puppet creatures and live music.

Mr Wilson’s Opal’s Comet, an animated performance taking place on a boat, which also acted as a stage, navigating Calderdale’s heritage waterways over six days.

The Tinker, Make, Create roadshows, showcasing children’s arts and crafts activities and culminating in a festival day at Eureka!

The Annapurna Indian Dance and music festival at Dean Clough, Halifax, celebrating classical Indian dances and music with ancient stories on the theme of “The world is one family”.

The iconic wet shirt worn by Colin Firth as Mr Darcy in the BBC’s Pride and Prejudice entered the council’s costume collection and went on public display at Bankfield Museum.

Todmorden Town Hall held its 150th anniversary celebrations, and the transformation project at the Victoria Theatre in Halifax continued.

Arvon North’s Festival of Writing brought a celebration of creative writing, imagination and the power of storytelling to Hebden Bridge.

Northern Rascals’ dance-theatre project “Reviving Her” told the brave stories of young women from Calderdale, investigating what it means to be a young woman in the North today through dance, theatre and spoken word.

Inspired by a mid-century French short story by Jean Giono, Hebden Bridge Arts’ community arts programme included a brand new play – performed over multiple locations in July – as well as guided nature walks, creative workshops, community creative days, an artist’s lecture event, two community volunteering days and three art exhibitions.

Curious Motion’s Welland Festival saw more than 400 people come together in Elland to explore and celebrate arts for well-being.

The Chocolate Has a Name (CHAN) festival in October featured artists from Africa, honouring the dignity and stories of cocoa farming and those whose destinies are closely tied to chocolate, through art and culture.

IOU Theatre’s community-led social history project “This Landscape Is Ours” gathered stories from people across Calderdale to celebrate and spotlight the cherished, forgotten and remembered places that hold significance for Calderdale’s diverse people and communities.

Working in partnership with communities and organisations across Calderdale, Handmade Productions created a series of walkabout performances, inspired by local folklore and tales from across the borough.

Across the Year of Culture, Everybody Arts funded artist residencies at unique local venues for artists living and working in Calderdale.

The CultureDale BEACONS project in Brighouse, Halifax and Todmorden saw a series of striking light installations which were one of the last spectacles marking the grand finale of the Year of Culture.

The release of Calderdale’s tourism figures showed an increase in visitor numbers and economic impacts.

A spokesperson for the CultureDale team said: “Culture was at the heart of Calderdale’s 50th anniversary celebrations because it is one of the qualities that makes the borough so distinctive, and it plays a key role in local regeneration, well-being and the council’s priorities for thriving towns and places, reduced inequalities and climate action.

“The whole CultureDale programme featured locally-created events, festivals, exhibitions, performances and initiatives for everyone to enjoy from April 2024 to April 2025.

“The programme reflected Calderdale’s rich history, amazing landscapes, incredible people, creativity, entrepreneurship, talent and diversity.”

The year-long programme was funded by Calderdale Council, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Arts Council England, National Lottery Heritage Fund and UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

For more information, visit www.culturedale.co.uk