Campaigners trying to save Halifax's Square Chapel Arts Centre to hold lantern procession
Square Chapel Arts Centre in Halifax closed its doors to the public around a year ago
Campaigners striving to get an arts centre re-opened are hosting a re-arranged lantern procession to mark the anniversary of its closure.
Save Square Chapel Campaign had hoped to hold the procession earlier this month but adverse weather conditions caused its cancellation.
A little over a year ago, Square Chapel Arts Centre in Halifax closed its doors to the public, and has remained closed ever since.
The planned lantern procession will now take place on Saturday, February 28, meeting outside the old Wilko building on Southgate, Halifax, at 5.30pm.
The procession will make its way down to the open space between Square Chapel and Halifax Central Library, where a short rally will be held.
Campaigners wants Square Chapel restored as space for public events, a home for local arts organisations and a hub for community outreach and creative jobs.
The campaign has been lobbying Arts Council England, which has the charge on the building, Calderdale Council and others to enable a leadership “that puts the community first.”
Square Chapel Arts Centre closed suddenly in February 2025 with all scheduled performances cancelled, following which Arts Council England pulled its funding for the theatre.
Square Chapel was taken over by Arts At The Mill CIC – the umbrella for Wigan organisations The Old Courts, Wigan Pier and The Royal Court Theatre – in 2020.
The centre had admitted prior to closure that there were “a number of artists” who had not been paid following performances there.