Square Chapel Arts Centre: Campaigners set out ‘path of hope’ to save much-loved Halifax arts centre

Square Chapel Arts Centre at Square Road in Halifax town centre closed suddenly in February last year, following which a major campaign has been under way to lead to it opening its doors again.

But last week His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) issued a winding-up order on the owners of Square Chapel Arts Centre, Square Chapel CIC (Community Interest Company).

The order forces the company to close down and go into voluntary liquidation.

Save Square Chapel Campaign, which has organised events including lobbying of Calderdale councillors outside Halifax Town Hall and a procession through the town centre to the venue, say they have set out a strategy to rescue it.

The campaign calls for the ownership of the Square Chapel building to be transferred to Arts Council England as soon as possible.

This is a necessary pre-requisite to the process of finding a new operator to re-establish Square Chapel as a thriving arts centre, says the group.

Square Chapel is not a council building but Calderdale Council has been involved in lobbying over the centre’s future, and is in dialogue with the Arts Council, senior councillors conformed this week.

Arts Council England holds the legal charge over the Square Chapel Arts Centre building in Halifax.

The Save Square Chapel Campaign reiterates also its call for the people of Halifax and the wider area to be consulted over who should take over the running of the venue

To succeed, the new operator will need to establish good community links and outreach as well as a financially robust business plan, says the group.

In addition, a successful new arts centre must receive adequate public investment from sources such as Arts Council England, Calderdale Council and West Yorkshire Combined Authority, say the campaigners.

Sandra Shearn, one of the campaign’s convenors said: “Square Chapel has been closed for sixteen months too long.

“While there has been much speculation, the winding up of Square Chapel CIC removes a major barrier to reopening our arts centre.

“The Save Square Chapel Campaign is seeking resolution of the ownership of the building and meaningful community engagement in selecting a new operator as well as the necessary public funding for Square Chapel to thrive as an arts centre once again.”

Halifax MP, Labour’s Kate Dearden, said when news of the winding-up order broke last week that she was speaking to Government Ministers to see what could be done.