Joint with Northern Broadsides as part of the CultureDale Year of Culture
Saturday 18 January – Saturday 26 April 2025
Various Locations across Calderdale
Iron People @ Eureka!: Saturday 26 April 2025
Eureka! The National Children’s Museum
Halifax’s Northern Broadsides Theatre Company presents the grand finale to Iron People, an ambitious and imaginative community project celebrating nature and creativity of Calderdale. As part of the area’s Year of Culture, CultureDale, and inspired by Ted Hughes’ critical novels The Iron Man and The Iron Woman, this project is centred around the rich history of the local lands. Bringing together local artists, eco-activists and communities, Northern Broadsides’ Iron People explores environmental themes through creativity, connecting participants to Calderdale’s unique landscapes and heritage.
Iron People marks an exciting new chapter for Northern Broadsides. Renowned for their touring productions, throughout 2024/2025 the company has also focused on celebrating the creativity within its local area. By working with the people of Calderdale, Iron People reflects a commitment to platforming local stories, voices and talent while addressing vital environmental issues.
The culmination of Iron People will be an unmissable outdoor event, Iron People @ Eureka! taking place on Saturday 26th April. The event, which reimagines Ted Hughes’ celebrated works for a modern audience, features three puppet creatures, designed by local children from Todmorden, Sowerby Bridge, and Park Ward, and brought to life by Thingumajig Theatre. Accompanied by a powerful live soundtrack performed by Elland Silver Youth Band, with three specially commissioned pieces, these creatures will emerge from Calderdale’s rivers, moors, and streets, uniting with the local community to demand urgent action to save the planet.
This family-friendly, free performance invites everyone to imagine a brighter future, combining music, puppetry, and community spirit in a truly unique celebration.
Artistic director and joint CEO of Northern Broadsides Laurie Sansom comments, The grand finale of Iron People at Eureka! will be a spectacular culmination of all the creativity and collaboration we’ve nurtured over the past year. It’s a powerful call to action for environmental change, showcasing the talent and imagination of Calderdale’s communities. We’re excited to share this unmissable celebration with everyone.
Ahead of their grand finale, Northern Broadsides offers a diverse programme of free workshops and events that blend storytelling, acting and writing to sculpture building sessions, illustration and family crafts throughout this Year of Culture.
Hidden in the Landscape – Stories of Cromwell Bottom will delve into the history and biodiversity of one of Calderdale’s most significant wildlife sites, presenting an immersive audio trail. Inviting participants to adorn headphones and join the adventure, this trail shaped by centuries of human activity, industrial heritage, and environmental change will uncover the layered stories of Cromwell Bottom. The experience weaves together the voices of the past and present to celebrate the remarkable habitat it has become.
Another highlight includes the Big Green Fun Day, offering a day of family-friendly creative activities celebrating Halifax’s green spaces and connecting local people to the nature around them. With a range of workshops from cooking and growing your own food, to performances and communal meals, Big Green Fun Day reflects the shared values of sustainability, hope and community spirit. The event will also launch a new anthology by Northern Broadsides Writers’ Refuge group.
Executive director and joint CEO of Northern Broadsides Ruth Cooke comments:
“Iron People has been a remarkable journey so far, engaging communities across Calderdale through storytelling, poetry, art, and performance. From family creativity days inspired by The Iron Man to workshops exploring Ted Hughes’ poetic legacy, and community events connecting people to the River Calder, this project celebrates the creativity of everyday people and our connection to the environment. It has long been an ambition for the company to embed our roots more firmly in Calderdale. Iron People and the year of culture has enabled us to build more local relationships and establish our first ever youth theatre, which will continue alongside our programme of touring theatre.”
Iron People reflects Northern Broadsides’ dedication to creativity and their mission of inspiring the next generation of theatre makers. Engaging Calderdale’s communities in creative activities that connect them to the region’s natural and historic landscapes, this bold initiative is a testament to the company’s commitment to innovation, inclusivity, and cultural celebration.
Cllr Danielle Durrans, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Services and Communities, comments:
“As Calderdale’s Year of Culture reaches its last exciting months ahead of its spectacular finale in April, we’re thrilled to be supporting Northern Broadsides and its Iron People project. The project is the perfect fit with CultureDale’s vision to showcase Calderdale’s extraordinary heritage, stories, traditions and creativity. It’s a great celebration of our local culture that gets everyone involved, whilst addressing an important theme around looking after our precious environment.”
Iron People is supported by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, as well as Calderdale Council, The Liz and Terry Bramall Foundation, Tracy Brabin Mayor of West Yorkshire’s Safer Communities Fund, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority’s Community Climate Grants programme, Arts Council England, National Lottery Community Foundation and Community Foundation for Calderdale.