Calderdale Council Cultural Commission – Response to the floods

As part of the ongoing flood recovery process, Calderdale Council has allocated funding to commission a cultural organisation to produce a major event in spring 2017 which will truly celebrate the recovery and resilience of Calderdale’s market towns that were affected.
The event will be of the highest quality and profile, reaching large numbers of local audiences and participants and attracting visitors to Calderdale. The lead organisation will identify and work with relevant partners, businesses and communities to encourage the engagement and participation of local people from all six towns affected by the floods: Todmorden, Hebden Bridge, Mytholmroyd, Sowerby Bridge, Elland and Brighouse. This programme should be delivered through well considered outreach and partnership work in the lead up to the event.

The activity will hold a strong overarching theme underpinned by local stories, bringing communities together. It will be a celebration of people and place, encourage further community spirit, resilience, and leave a legacy that both compliments and goes beyond existing arts and cultural activity.

To achieve this, Calderdale Council want to commission a cultural organisation with a strong artistic track record and the capacity to design and deliver a high profile cultural event, and reach out to communities. They are interested in proposals from individual organisations and partnerships, and are looking for creative responses to deliver a large scale cultural event which engages the community and provides clear social and economic benefits to the area, with the potential for a lasting legacy.

A percentage of the commissioning budget will be allocated to a project manager, identified by the successful applicant. Their role will be to oversee the life of the project and all elements of the event, working with the lead organisation, key partners and the community.

This fund is a separate commission to their Small Grants Scheme and Community Festival and Event Fund, which continue to support grass roots organisations and community driven activity. However, they will be particularly interested in seeing proposals that build successfully on and work in partnership with their existing grass roots events and festivals.

If you would like to find out more:

They are inviting all interested parties and cultural organisations with the potential to lead on this commission to join them for light refreshments followed by a presentation, Q&A and a creative conversation about the co-design of this project.

Date: Tuesday 13th September 2016 Time: 12:30pm – 14:30pm Venue: Eureka! The National Children’s Museum, Discovery Road, Halifax, West Yorkshire, HX1 2NE.
To book your place at this event, please email Victoria.McCorkell@calderdale.gov.uk by 5th September 2016.