Hebden Bridge Web

Calderdale's Year of Culture 2024

Sunday, 24 September 2023

Five new faces have joined the Council to take the lead on delivering Calderdale's show-stopping Year of Culture 2024. 

The foundations are already well underway for the iconic cultural events programme, to celebrate Calderdale turning 50 in 2024. 

And now, the newly created Year of Culture delivery team will step up the preparations with local communities.

The Year of Culture will run from Saturday 6 April 2024 to April 2025, with a variety of cultural, arts, heritage and sports events and festivals across Calderdale, a pathways development programme to encourage people into creative careers, and programmes focusing on heritage and the famous Halifax diarist, Anne Lister.

The Year of Culture delivery team, along with team members from
the Council's Cultural Services (photo: We Are Social Folk)

The Council is also encouraging creativity and activity in the runup, by developing opportunities throughout 2023.

A grant of £850,000 from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority is going towards developing the Year of Culture plans. This is part of the £21 million of new funding that the Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, announced in June 2023 to support the West Yorkshire Plan, which aims to create a "happier" West Yorkshire by 2040.

Some of the £850,000 grant for Calderdale has funded the appointment of the new delivery team, which is made up of:

• A Cultural Programme Manager who is leading the team.
• A Festival and Outdoor Events Manager to deliver engaging, safe, environmentally friendly festivals that appeal to all of Calderdale's diverse communities, in partnership with artists, cultural organisations, volunteers and venues throughout the borough.
• A Community Engagement Officer to deliver activities such as informal pop-up events, community consultation sessions and workshops, and to support community-led events.
• A Cultural Programme Support Officer who will support the team and the programme and collect valuable feedback.
• An Anne Lister Programme Coordinator who is helping to build on the growing profile and legacy of Anne Lister following the success of TV drama Gentleman Jack. This includes growing the annual Anne Lister Birthday Festival and Anne Lister Memorial week, and developing year-round events and activities. 

Cllr Jenny Lynn, Calderdale Council's Cabinet Member for Public Services and Communities, said, "The generous Combined Authority grant, and the new team starting, are really exciting milestones for Calderdale Year of Culture 2024. 

"The talented team members bring a wealth of experience and enthusiasm for all things CultureDale. Working with our local communities, they will not only ensure that the events programme is as vibrant, interactive and inclusive as possible, but also that the legacy is felt for all local people, cultural organisations and our place.

"The Year of Culture supports our priority for thriving towns and places. It helps to boost the economy by promoting Calderdale as a culturally rich destination – somewhere inspiring to live, visit, work, be creative, showcase talent and do business."

Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin said, "It's fantastic to see new jobs being created as a direct result of Calderdale's upcoming Year of Culture.

"We're investing in culture to spread creative opportunities, drive economic growth and level up our region.

"This new team will help us build a stronger, brighter West Yorkshire that works for all." 

For more information about the Year of Culture's exciting lineup, and the CultureDale brand that celebrates Calderdale's distinctive cultural offer, head to www.culturedale.co.uk

The celebrations for the Year of Culture are being guided by Where Creativity Flows, Calderdale's Cultural Strategy, which was created in partnership with the borough's cultural sector.