Holmfirth Arts Festival is back on the streets for 2021

Holmfirth Arts Festival will return as a live event on the streets of Holmfirth and in its venues, between 17-19 September 2021.

There will be an extensive community engagement programme to include a History of Holmfirth Parade, Carbon Capture Sculpture in the Community and Art in the Woods.

A professional venue based ticketed programme and pay as you feel street theatre programme is also planned, with the full programme to be announced in June 2021.

Bev Adams, festival director, said: “We are excited about producing a live event this year and are working with Kirklees Council to ensure Covid safety across the whole programme.

"We are also delighted to have all funding in place for our community engagement programme thanks to One Community, Longley Farm, National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Parish Council, Ward Councillors and Co-op Local Causes.

"We invite local schools, families and community groups of all ages, cultures and abilities to get in touch and express their interest in participating in the projects which will take place in advance of the Festival between June and September.”

"The History of Holmfirth Parade is an opportunity for local people to work with professional artists to create a parade that charts the history of Holmfirth from its agricultural roots to the present day.

Art in the Woods will provide opportunities to work with artists to create an art trail for installation at Earthworks - New Mill Community Garden Project and Carbon Capture Sculpture is an opportunity to create living willow sculptures which will firstly be installed as part of Art in the Woods and then returned to communities for them to nurture permanently.

Last year's festival was presented as an online event over three nights, due to Coronavirus restrictions. Performances were filmed in advance and also presented live, attracting an audience of 48,000 from around the world.

Holmfirth Arts Festival is continuing its fundraising campaigns to secure the professional and street theatre programme.

Donations can be made via Local Giving and DONATE - The National Fundraising Scheme - by visiting the Festival website at www.holmfirthartsfestival.co.uk.

Co-op shoppers can also pledge a percentage of the value of their spend at any Co-op by selecting Holmfirth Arts Festival cause 52550 as their Local Cause through their membership scheme https://membership.coop.co.uk/causes/52550

Schools, families and community groups wishing to participate should visit www.holmfirthartsfestiva.co.uk/participate or email director@holmfirthartsfestival.co.uk for more information.

For more information visit http://www.holmfirthartsfestival.co.uk/