Watch: Jazzy flourish as arts centre campaigners take campaign to the streets
With a jazz band flourish of brass, campaigners fighting to get a much-loved arts centre re-opened a year after its sudden closure took their case to the streets of Halifax.
Save Square Chapel Campaign supporters wound their way down through the town centre, including Square Chapel’s iconic neighbour the Piece Hall, to the venue.
There may be hope on the horizon for the Calderdale venue, and campaign supporters hope the procession will help press the case for re-opening – and show how much it is missed.
Campaigner and councillor Colin Hutchinson said he moved to Halifax with his young family in 1995 and his two sons grew up getting an appreciation of live music and live theatre at Square Chapel that “has stayed with them for the rest of their life.”
“I’d like other children , other families, to have that opportunity too.
“So that’s what we are wanting to see – we are wanting to see a community arts centre that’s accessible to everybody, running a broad programme of arts as before.”
Fellow campaigner Corrine McDonald said: “It’s hosted so many brilliant events and groups.
“Community groups have done a lot of outreach work in the past.
“And it’s just closed at the moment – we’re just wanting for it to be revitalised.”
Arts Council England (ACE), which has a charge on the building, says it is committed to working with Calderdale Council and other local partners to ensure the building is used as an arts centre.
The council says that while it does not own Square Chapel, it is keen to see it brought back into use as an arts centre and is in ongoing dialogue with ACE about the matter.
Square Chapel Community Interest Company (CIC), the operators of the centre, said there might be some welcome news soon – and campaigners are certainly watching closely to see what happens.
“The directors of Square Chapel CIC have been working hard behind the scenes to ensure the future of the venue as an arts centre for the community of Calderdale, and hope to have a positive announcement over the coming weeks that will see this become a reality,” said Square Chapel Community Interest Company in a statement.
Square Chapel Arts Centre closed suddenly in February 2025 with all scheduled performances cancelled, following which Arts Council England pulled its funding for the theatre.
Soon after, campaigners began lobbying for its re-opening.