Sculptures by Sir Antony Gormley to be displayed in The Festival of Halifax

The new independent festival taking place between May 14 to 16, 2021 has revelaed the work will be placed in the town centre and remain in position as a long term loan.

All this is being made possible by Michael Hinchliffe, Managing Director of Hargreaves Foundry in Halifax, said: “Hargreaves Foundry have collaborated closely for many years with Sir Antony Gormley to produce his cast iron sculptures and he has designed these four bollards for Hargreaves to cast and distribute exclusively”.

The festival will include music, photography, art, food, film and more. It is being funded by The Arts Council via The Grayston Unity bar in Halifax town centre.

Michael Ainsworth, Festival Director said: "We are very grateful to Michael a d Hargreaves Foundry for lending the Gormley bollards to the town. They are quite special and are a great illustration of how the town’s industry and creativity work together."

The festival will celebrate the cultural and creative life of the town. As well as the Grayston Unity, independent businesses and venues will benefit from hosting events across the weekend.

"The idea for the festival came about after being successful in obtaining Arts Council funding for my bar ,The Grayston Unity, in response to the impact of the pandemic.

"As someone who has always believed in Halifax's independent spirit, I wanted to organise something that sent out a clear message that the town’s cultural renaissance was in full effect. Something that highlights the amazing creative diversity that exists within the town," said Michael.

Whilst The Grayston Unity will curate some of the events, the opportunity exists for individuals and organisations working within creative and cultural industries to get involved.

Although it will be the end of January before the full programme is announced, here’s a taster of what’s to come:

A home coming gig by The Orielles playing the Orange Box, Hope & Social playing The Albany Arcade at Halifax Borough Market and the first national exhibition in over a decade of ‘The North’ the classic 1960s photography exhibition of renowned photographer John Bulmer, which includes photographs taken In Halifax and Elland.

Anyone wishing to get involved in the festival is asked to email [email protected] www.thefestivalofhalifax.co.uk