Sowerby Bridge high street awarded £90,000 for huge cultural programme

Creative artist Bryan Tweddle in his workshop

Sowerby Bridge HSHAZ is one of more than 60 high streets to receive a share of £6 million for its cultural programme.

In Sowerby Bridge, ‘Soar Bridge Shine!’, the programme put together by Sowerby Bridge Shines (a consortium of the town’s cultural organisations set up in November 2020) will provide support for artists and enterprises through cultural space Fire & Water.

This will help to sustain existing festivals and create a new community arts festival and street art opportunities.

The aim of Sowerby Bridge HSHAZ is to transform disused buildings, restore local historic character and improve public areas.

Nearly £2 million was secured in 2020 from the Government’s HSHAZ programme, to help create more things to attract people to Sowerby Bridge during the day and improve pedestrian areas to make the high street a more pleasant place to spend time.

This will include repairing and refurbishing a number of historic buildings in the town and revitalising the marketplace as a multi-purpose space for a variety of activities and events.

Councillor Jane Scullion, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Strategy, said: “Our local heritage and culture are hugely important to the story and distinctiveness of Calderdale, and will play a significant role in our recovery from the pandemic.

“We’re delighted to be working with Fire & Water to revitalise and welcome people back to Sowerby Bridge’s high street. The further £90,000 from Historic England is another boost for our exciting plans.”

Soar Bridge Shine’s Why Sowerby Bridge, Why Not? film premiered in March 2021 and a new website will be launching soon to keep people updated on the exciting upcoming projects.

Phil Hawdon from Sowerby Bridge Fire & Water said: “Sowerby Bridge Fire & Water has been promoting performing art and interventions in the town for a number of years, mainly with its annual Winterlight street festival but also with many smaller scale events which it or its community colleagues have been more than willing to showcase.

“We were delighted to be asked to be cultural partner with Calderdale Council in the Sowerby Bridge HSHAZ project and especially delighted to be the lead partner in the Cultural Programme itself, working in collaboration with and in support of the many community groups in this remarkable town.

“We believe that the Cultural Programme, and the Hothouse Hub which it will establish at Fire & Water, could be the generator for excitement and growth in the town long after the HSHAZ programme itself has finished, drawing the whole town together and creating the means for increased opportunity and enjoyment for all its residents, putting Sowerby Bridge on the national cultural map.”

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