Calderdale communities are getting behind an exciting bid to crown Halifax the UK’s Town of Culture 2028.
The Government’s brand new national Town of Culture competition comes with a £3 million prize for the winner to deliver an inspiring cultural programme.
Calderdale Council, in partnership with local organisations, is putting Halifax forward for the prestigious title.
Halifax has a real chance of winning, with its extraordinary heritage, showstopping events, unique landmarks and creative people, as well as the strong legacy of Calderdale’s phenomenally successful Year of Culture 2024. This legacy will be discussed at the Council’s next Cabinet meeting on Monday 16 March 2026.
Culture is one of Calderdale’s superpowers, setting it apart on the national and international map. It’s central to the borough’s Vision 34 and something that local people are proud of. This pride shone through when the Council asked members of the public what they thought about entering Halifax into the UK Town of Culture competition:
“Halifax has got a very strong culture in terms of all of the history that is in the area.”
“Halifax has got a very rich culture – that’s what I love about it!”
“It is the best town – the friendliest of people. When I’m coming back from different towns, different cities, I always feel like I’m home.”
“I’ve lived in Halifax all of my life. I think it would be amazing for the town!”
Calderdale has always had a strong identity as a place where creativity, culture and community thrive. The Year of Culture 2024 and the CultureDale(external link) legacy magnified this even more, and was one of Calderdale’s most ambitious and successful borough-wide initiatives. It was funded through £2.4 million from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Arts Council England, the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Calderdale Council.
At the Cabinet meeting on Monday 16 March, Councillors will discuss the Year of Culture’s impact and the next steps for making the most of the borough’s distinctive culture. They will also be asked for formal approval to submit an expression of interest for Halifax to be named UK Town of Culture 2028.
Cllr Danielle Durrans, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Services and Communities, said:
“Calderdale’s iconic Year of Culture 2024 proved just how powerful culture can be, with some incredible impacts for local people and their wellbeing, our towns and places and the local economy. We’re determined to keep CultureDale alive and build something even bigger.
“In our Council budget for 2026-27, we’ve increased funding to deliver even more brilliant events for residents and visitors, and to strengthen and support our vital creative sector. And one of the most exciting parts of our cultural legacy is our bid for Halifax to be crowned UK Town of Culture 2028, which would help even more people to enjoy cultural activities here.
“It’s wonderful to see so many people and organisations backing the bid and saying brilliant things about Halifax and Calderdale’s culture and heritage, which make it such a vibrant, welcoming place to live, work and visit. Let’s get behind the bid and show the rest of the UK who we are!”
Just some of the Year of Culture’s amazing impacts include:
- More than 900 events delivered and supported across Calderdale.
- Over 200,000 people taking part in creative and cultural activities. People said they felt supported and connected, with reduced isolation.
- A 15% increase in visitor numbers, helping to drive an incredible £50 million uplift.
- Almost £1 million distributed to 171 community projects involving arts, culture, sport and heritage.
- 1,000+ volunteer hours contributed, strengthening local pride.
The impacts don’t stop there – CultureDale has developed from a one-year celebration of the borough’s 50th birthday into a legacy brand showcasing Calderdale’s creative spirit. Next steps include:
- Delivering the CultureDale Connect Fund – grants to support stronger communities by bringing people together through shared cultural activity.
- Boosting major cultural events to increase their impact even more, including the Anne Lister Festival, People’s Park Festival and the Tinker, Make, Create roadshow. The recently-announced ‘Stage at Lake’ will bring a brand new open-air festival of classical music, comedy, musical theatre, brass bands, interactive family performance and an imaginative community garden trail to Shibden Park from 13 to 16 August 2026, marking 100 years of it being a public park.
- Continuing to support local cultural organisations through advice, skills development, shared equipment and joint working.
How you can support the bid for Halifax to be Town of Culture:
Help champion Halifax by sharing why you think it should win. When you post on social media, please use:
#MyHalifaxStory
#UKTownOfCulture2028
#Halifax2028
These hashtags feed directly into the Vision 34 media wall at MyCalderdaleStory.com(external link). You can also get involved by posting directly on MyCalderdaleStory.com(external link).
Creativity is a key theme of Vision 34 – the shared, long-term ambition to work towards over the next 10 years to make Calderdale a better place for everyone, based on the stories that unite us.