Friday, 30 June 2023
Join in with Open Space 70 festival fun this July
Hebden Bridge Arts invites everyone to join in with its environmental arts festival: Open Space 70.
Taking place from 13-16 July 2023 in Hebden Bridge and surrounding areas, this vibrant celebration merges creativity, nature, and the urgent call of the climate emergency.
Expect the unexpected as Open Space 70's programme offers guided nature walks, film screenings, art installations, poetry readings, workshops, live performances, lectures, music, a magic show, and a captivating 'moth night' across a range of free, paid and donation events with something for all ages to get involved in. Venues hosting festival events include Hebden Bridge Town Hall, Wainsgate Chapel, Hope Baptist Church, Hebden Bridge Picture House, the Trades Club and several outdoor spaces.
Open Space 70 features a weekend Arts Trail that offers the opportunity to explore installations, happenings and creative works exhibited in unconventional 'opened up' spaces in the Upper Calder Valley such as people's homes, studios, garages, as well as museums, community spaces and allotments. Grab an Arts Trail pass in advance (online, by donation, Under 18s free) to enjoy all of the short films, dance, music, installations and exhibitions over Saturday and Sunday at Arts Trail venues ranging from Gibson Mill, Lumb Bank and the Bowling Club to Redcare Allotments and the Local Motive in Mytholmroyd.
Among the highlights of the festival programme are an intimate and exclusive immersive performance of 'Flight // In Conversation' by multi-disciplinary Propellor Ensemble headed up by clarinettist and composer Jack McNeill, with Mark Cocker joining the line up, and appearances by celebrated young naturalist and author Dara McAnulty - pictured right, Californian writer and life guru, Jules Blaine Davis, and renowned writer Amy Liptrot. Thanks to the support of the Environment Agency several family events, including art workshops with Julia Ogden and magic shows with Martin the Magician, are offered for free, but advance booking is essential for all events.
Propellor: Flight // In Conversation
To view the festival programme and buy tickets for the Open Space 70 events and a pass for the Arts Trail visit www.hebdenbridgearts.co.uk.
Established as Hebden Bridge Arts Festival 30 years ago, Hebden Bridge Arts has long been at the forefront of Calderdale's cultural landscape. Since 2020 the charity has moved away from the format of an annual arts festival, focussing on projects which bring communities and inspiring artists together to create thought-provoking art on the theme of the environment and climate emergency. Open Space 70 festival is the sharing of 14 months' work and everyone is welcome to be a part of the 4 day celebration.
See also
HebWeb "What's on" section to see the range of Hebden Bridge Arts events coming up.