25 signatures reached
To: Cllr Jane Scullion, Leader of Calderdale Council & Pete Massey, Arts Council North Director for Northern Economy and Partnerships
Save Square Chapel for the people
Reopen Square Chapel in Halifax! The building has been closed to the public since February 2025. Five months later, this valuable community asset remains closed and not serving the people of Halifax, with no date in sight for its reopening.
Why is this important?
Square Chapel has a strong history of supporting community events and professional performances and is a popular venue in the local community.
Square Chapel was a popular arts centre with good community outreach prior to becoming insolvent during the covid pandemic. In September 2020, the venue was reopened when it was taken over by Wigan based Arts at the Mill. Square Chapel CIC was subsequently established.
In early February 2025, Square Chapel CIC announced the arts centre was closing and all future events were cancelled. Five months later, this valuable community asset remains closed and not serving the people of Halifax. Arts Council England (ACE) has now withdrawn its funding from Square Chapel. It has recently been announced that the Square Chapel building will be rented out to provide dressing rooms during the Piece Hall concert season.
Square Chapel should provide good art, good work and be an artistic hub for the community. Halifax MP Kate Dearden has written to ACE supporting the reopening of Square Chapel and calling for the Halifax community to be involved in discussions about the future of the centre.
We need this popular arts centre back! We need answers and we need the building to be back open and operating for the people of Halifax.
Equity, TUC Yorkshire & Humber Creative and Leisure Industries Committee and Calderdale Trades Union Council are jointly calling for the public to have their say on the future of Square Chapel Arts Centre.
Make your voice heard by joining the petition to Save Square Chapel for the people.
Square Chapel was a popular arts centre with good community outreach prior to becoming insolvent during the covid pandemic. In September 2020, the venue was reopened when it was taken over by Wigan based Arts at the Mill. Square Chapel CIC was subsequently established.
In early February 2025, Square Chapel CIC announced the arts centre was closing and all future events were cancelled. Five months later, this valuable community asset remains closed and not serving the people of Halifax. Arts Council England (ACE) has now withdrawn its funding from Square Chapel. It has recently been announced that the Square Chapel building will be rented out to provide dressing rooms during the Piece Hall concert season.
Square Chapel should provide good art, good work and be an artistic hub for the community. Halifax MP Kate Dearden has written to ACE supporting the reopening of Square Chapel and calling for the Halifax community to be involved in discussions about the future of the centre.
We need this popular arts centre back! We need answers and we need the building to be back open and operating for the people of Halifax.
Equity, TUC Yorkshire & Humber Creative and Leisure Industries Committee and Calderdale Trades Union Council are jointly calling for the public to have their say on the future of Square Chapel Arts Centre.
Make your voice heard by joining the petition to Save Square Chapel for the people.