Campaigners to host lantern procession to mark year since Square Chapel Arts Centre closure
Centre closed suddenly last year with some acts not having been paid for shows
Hello and welcome to The Calderdale Lead.
In today’s edition we’ve got details of a lantern procession that is taking place next week to mark a year since the Square Chapel Arts Centre closed.
Campaigners are still trying to get Calderdale Council to use their influence to get the centre reopened and the procession is the latest call to action.
Plus, we’ve got a couple of nuggets in the Calderdale Digest…
Calderdale Digest
🏳️🌈 A lack of funds has led to the organisers of Calderdale Pride cancelling the 2026 event.
In a Facebook post, organisers said they’d not been able to secure enough sponsorship for this year but hope to return in 2027.
They said: “It is with a heavy heart we have to announce that Calderdale Pride 2026 will not be going ahead this year.
As many of you know, this event costs a huge amount of money to put on each year for you all to enjoy, and we have always committed to keeping this free for all to attend.
We fundraise all year round and with the help of incredible sponsors over previous years, we have been able to achieve this. This year however has proven to the toughest yet.
We have seen the difficulties small prides have faced along with the major pride events in the UK. With a difficult environment to apply for grants and funding of which we have previously been successful in, we have had no choice but to come to this decision.”
🚧 Calderdale’s significant role in protecting people from the impact and ongoing threat of climate change was showcased at a major regional event.
The Yorkshire & Humber Climate Commission chose Todmorden Learning Centre and Community Hub as the location for its full meeting this week, recognising the outstanding work that communities do together across the borough to tackle climate change.
The Climate Commission is an independent advisory body that brings together a wide range of people from the public, private and community sectors to support and guide ambitious action on climate and nature across Yorkshire and the Humber.
The meeting attendees visited sites in Todmorden that show high levels of sustainability and have been developed or improved to excellent environmental standards, thanks to funding from the UK Government funded Todmorden Town Deal transformation work – including Grade II-listed Fielden Hall and Ferney Lee Enterprise Centre.
Attendees also heard about Calderdale’s Climate Action Partnership Influencing Strategy, which aims to drive meaningful change across the region and shows how local insight can create positive change nationally. Calderdale’s Citizens’ Jury gave an update on how pioneering, community-led work is supporting warmer and healthier homes through improvements to energy efficiency.
Campaigners hope procession will shine light on arts centre’s plight
By John Greenwood
Campaigners trying to get a Halifax arts centre re-opened to the public are hosting a lantern procession marking the anniversary of its closure.
Square Chapel Arts Centre closed its doors to the public in February 2025.
The Save Square Chapel Campaign will be holding a lantern procession and rally on Thursday (February 5) to mark this anniversary.
Campaign supporters will be meeting at 5pm outside the old Wilko building on Southgate, Halifax, and forming a lantern procession down to the open space between Square Chapel and Halifax Central Library, where a short rally will be held.
The campaigners want Square Chapel restored as “a vibrant and inclusive space for diverse culture, arts and socialising, a vital home for local arts organisations and a hub for community outreach and creative jobs,” they say.
The Campaign has been lobbying Arts Council England, Calderdale Council and others “to enable a leadership that puts the community first.”
The group says people can help the campaign by signing up to receive campaign e-mails and updates, by liking and following its Facebook page and by joining the lantern procession and rally, also by talking to other people about the campaign and encouraging them to sign up.
They are asking people bring their own lanterns, torches, banners and placards.
Campaigners have urged Calderdale Council to use its influence to help get the arts centre back into use for Calderdale residents.
Senior councillors have said the council does not have any direct influence over the owner or operator of Square Chapel or over Arts Council England, which has a charge over the building.
But Leader of the Council, Coun Jane Scullion told opposition councillors last autumn that: “We do have the kind of role of ‘soft power’, which is a convening role and a lobbying and pressurising role”.
Almost 2,700 signed a petition organised by the group last year to save the centre as a community asset.
Square Chapel Arts Centre closed suddenly with all scheduled performances cancelled, following which Arts Council England pulled its funding for the theatre.
Square Chapel was taken over by Arts At The Mill CIC – the umbrella for Wigan organisations The Old Courts, Wigan Pier and The Royal Court Theatre – in 2020.
The centre had admitted prior to closure that there were “a number of artists” who had not been paid following performances there.
That’s it for this edition, thanks for reading!
I’ll be back in your inbox on Wednesday with another edition but don’t forget you can get in touch via calderdale@thelead.uk with any story tips, comments or just to say hello.
Until next time, have a great week!
Andrew