Campaigners in Halifax to hold lantern parade to press for Square Chapel reopening

Campaigners will hold a lantern parade in Halifax on Feb 5 to mark 12 months since Square Chapel Arts Centre closed; a short rally is planned and organisers say they continue to lobby Arts Council England and Calderdale Council.

Campaigners in Halifax will hold a lantern parade and rally to mark 12 months since Square Chapel Arts Centre closed. Participants are invited to gather at the former Wilko on Southgate at 5pm on Thursday, February 5, and walk to the open space between Square Chapel and Halifax Central Library. The event is organised by members of the Save Square Chapel Campaign, who say they want the venue restored as an inclusive arts and community space. The group has been in contact with Arts Council England, Calderdale Council and other local organisations about the building's future. Key details: - A lantern parade is scheduled to start at 5pm on Thursday, February 5, from the former Wilko on Southgate. - The parade will finish at the open space between Square Chapel and Halifax Central Library, where a short rally is planned. - The action is organised by Save Square Chapel Campaign, which has lobbied Arts Council England and Calderdale Council. - A petition of more than 3,000 signatures calling for the theatre's rescue was handed to Arts Council England in November. - Square Chapel Arts Centre closed suddenly in February 2025, cancelling planned performances, and the building has had limited use since then. Summary: The event marks a year since the theatre closed and is part of an ongoing local campaign to see the venue returned to community arts use. Organisers point to the petition and continued contact with funders and local authorities as part of their efforts. The next scheduled action is the lantern parade and rally on February 5. Further outcomes and any formal decisions on reopening are undetermined at this time.