"Let's get behind the bid!" says councillor as Halifax goes for UK Town of Culture crown

The Government’s brand new national Town of Culture competition comes with a £3million prize for the winner to deliver an inspiring cultural programme.

Calderdale Council, in partnership with local organisations, is putting Halifax forward for the prestigious title and believes Halifax has a real chance of winning, with its extraordinary heritage, showstopping events, unique landmarks and creative people, as well as the strong legacy of Calderdale’s Year of Culture 2024. This legacy will be discussed at the Council’s next Cabinet meeting on Monday 16 March 2026.

Calderdale has always had a strong identity as a place where creativity, culture and community thrive. The Year of Culture 2024 and the CultureDale legacy magnified this even more, and was one of Calderdale’s most ambitious and successful borough-wide initiatives. It was funded through £2.4million from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Arts Council England, the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Calderdale Council.

At the Cabinet meeting on March 16, Councillors will discuss the Year of Culture’s impact and the next steps for making the most of the borough’s distinctive culture. They will also be asked for formal approval to submit an expression of interest for Halifax to be named UK Town of Culture 2028.

Coun Danielle Durrans, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Services and Communities, said: “Calderdale’s iconic Year of Culture 2024 proved just how powerful culture can be, with some incredible impacts for local people and their wellbeing, our towns and places and the local economy. We’re determined to keep CultureDale alive and build something even bigger.

“In our Council budget for 2026-27, we’ve increased funding to deliver even more brilliant events for residents and visitors, and to strengthen and support our vital creative sector. And one of the most exciting parts of our cultural legacy is our bid for Halifax to be crowned UK Town of Culture 2028, which would help even more people to enjoy cultural activities here.

“It’s wonderful to see so many people and organisations backing the bid and saying brilliant things about Halifax and Calderdale’s culture and heritage, which make it such a vibrant, welcoming place to live, work and visit. Let’s get behind the bid and show the rest of the UK who we are!”