Hebden Bridge Arts: Open Space 70 Launch Party - The Waterfront Hall
Saturday 4th June
11am - 4pm
Free Entry
Hebden Bridge Arts will taking over the Town Hall on Saturday 4th June for the launch of their exciting year-long project: Open Space 70, supported by the Platinum Jubilee Fund
Over a weekend in July 2023 Hebden Bridge Arts will be bringing the town 70 exhibitions, happenings, performances and walks in which local communities and members of the public will, alongside professional artists, be makers, curators, artists and hosts - opening their homes, yards, barns, gardens and taking over public spaces to celebrate the natural world and share calls for action and change.
The theme is climate emergency and what creative action we all, as 'ordinary people', can take to tackle it. Supported by environmental experts and professional artists, through hands-on activity and project work Open Space 70 will provide the opportunity for a range of new skills to be developed around positive action and what is required to 'make things happen'.
Saturday 4th June marks the launch of the project at Hebden Bridget Town Hall, with live music, free workshops, stalls, an art exhibition and more.
The Open Space 70 launch party will include information on how you can be involved, taster workshops for all the family – making, walking, exploring the natural world (bookable and drop-in – all free - see below for full details and booking links), live music performed by young people from across the region (check back soon for the full line up of amazingly talented young performers) and stalls and information from local environmental organisations.
Hebden Bridge Arts will be displaying art work from their April Land Marks exhibition, and affordable work made by our artists and makers involved in the launch will be on offer.
The Town Hall café will be open and serving refreshments. The day is an opportunity for to launch Open Space 70, give people the chance to find out more, get inspired and to sign up to get involved as a host, maker or participant.
There will be music, workshops and walks at The Town Hall, check out the Hebden Bridge Arts website for more information
See the timetable for the day below and book for a workshop or a walk for free via Eventbrite.
Drop in printmaking workshop: Tetra Pak Insect Etching with Rachel Red, Printmaker and teacher.
A celebration of insects as pollinators and foundations of our ecosystems. And a recognition of our need to protect them and stop the destruction of nature. Come and make your own dry point etching of an insect using tetra packs and a printing press. You can chose your species from pictures available, draw it with an etching needle, ink it up and put it though the press. Plus, bring me an insect fact if you’d like! All day, drop in, subject to space at the table.
Free performances by talented young musicians: The McGuire Family (Klezmer/Country/Irish Folk music), Mabel Dalgleish-King (Recorder), Ben and George Fearnley (Cornet and Tenor Horn) and Luca Kelly (Jazz Piano) - timetable for performances in the Waterfront Hall is below.
Workshops: Kokedama – Wildflower Mossballs with Laura Burfitt, Creative Gardener
We’ll be making ‘Kokedama’ moss balls, inspired by the Japanese bonsai technique. You’ll take home your own wildflower moss ball to hang outside to welcome you and your visitors, feed pollinators and set seed in the wind. These are a unique way to display a plant, easy to make and completely biodegradable. Gloves provided. Outside if weather allows, inside if it doesn’t.
Walks: Past and Future Landscape Stories with Paul Knights, Writer and Photographer
Is the landscape handed down by our ancestors fit for a climate-changed future? Can we restore nature while preserving the inheritance from our predecessors of a traditional farmed environment? Or to do well by our descendents must our familiar countryside be radically transformed to lock up carbon and return wildlife to abundance?
A 90-minute walking conversation above the town to explore the stories written into our landscape. Stopping in a wooded clough, a traditional hay meadow and a ‘rewilded’ cemetery, we will discuss and exchange ideas on the remarkable history of how the valley was fashioned by our predecessors, how we will continue their narrative in the face of the challenges ahead and what stories the landscape will go on to tell posterity.
You will be encouraged to take photographs, and for younger walkers there will be time travel spotting challenges along the way. Please bring a camera (phone cameras are fine) and ensure you have sturdy footwear for walking on rough paths. The walk will take in steep steps; uneven, muddy paths; and long grass that will potentially be wet. It will cover about 1.5 miles, and there will be three breaks for discussion.
Workshops: Indian Woodblock printing with Saima Kaur, textile artist
A hands-on workshop exploring the craft of Indian woodblock printing. You will use authentic wooden blocks to create a piece of wall art that can then be embellished with stitch. Organic cotton and some natural dyes will be used as part of the workshop.
Workshops: Trees in the Sun with Lizzie Lockhart, Artist and teacher
Make a beautiful print of a tree using the power of the sun. During the session you will study the shapes of trees and leaves, cut out a stencils of them in paper, arrange them on your board, take them outside into the sun and hey presto - as if by magic your print will appear. Whilst your print is drying you can have a go at making your own envelope using recycled paper then send your print off in the post, either to yourself or a friend.
Music, workshop and walk times:
11am - 4pm
Drop in printmaking workshop: Tetra Pak Insect Etching. No need to book – come and see if there is space at the table and join in. All ages welcome (close adult supervision is needed for those aged under 9). Run by Rachel Red, Printmaker and teacher.
11am - 12pm
Workshop: Kokedama – Wildflower Mossballs. Ages 8+. Children will need adult supervision. Booking essential. Run by Laura Burfitt, Creative Gardener. Book your Kokedama workshop place here
11.30am - 11.55am
Music: The McGuire Family – Klezmer/Country/Irish Folk music - live music by young musicians in the Waterfront Hall
11.30am - 1pm
Walk: Past and Future Landscape Stories. All ages welcome. Booking essential. Run by Paul Knights, Writer and photographer. Book your place on this walk here
12.15pm - 1.15pm
Workshop: Kokedama – Wildflower Mossballs. Ages 8+. Children will need adult supervision. Booking essential. Run by Laura Burfitt, Creative Gardener. Book your Kokedama workshop place here
12.15pm -12.40pm
Music: Mabel Dalgleish-King – Recorder - live music by young musicians in the Waterfront Hall
1.15pm -1.40pm
Music: The McGuire Family – Klezmer/Country/Irish Folk music - live music by young musicians in the Waterfront Hall
1.45pm - 2.45pm
Workshop: Trees in the Sun. Ages 7+. Children will need adult supervision. Booking essential. Run by Lizzie Lockhart, Artist and teacher. Book your Trees in the Sun workshop place here
1.45pm - 2.45pm
Workshop: Indian Woodblock printing. Suitable for all ages. Children will need adult supervision. Booking essential. Run by Saima Kaur, Textile artist. Book for woodblock printing here.
2pm - 3.30pm
Walk: Past and Future Landscape Stories. All ages welcome. Booking essential. Run by Paul Knights, Writer and photographer Book your place on this walk here
2.15pm -2.40pm
Music: Ben and George Fearnley – Cornet and Tenor Horn - live music by young musicians from Pateley Bridge - in the Waterfront Hall
3pm - 4pm
Workshop: Trees in the Sun. Ages 7+. Children will need adult supervision. Booking essential. Run by Lizzie Lockhart, Artist and teacher. Book your Trees in the Sun workshop place here
3pm - 4pm
Workshop: Indian Woodblock printing. Suitable for all ages. Children will need adult supervision. Booking essential. Run by Saima Kaur, Textile artist. Book for woodblock printing here.
3.15pm -3.40pm
Music: Luca Kelly – Jazz Piano - live music by Luca, a local young musician - in the Waterfront Hall
Notes on bookable Open Space 70 launch day activities: Please only book yourself on to one bookable workshop / walk as these free places are very limited and we want as many people as possible to have a go at something new on the day. You can also enjoy the live music and drop-in print making and the stalls in the Waterfront Hall.
Please email us to let us know if you can no longer make it to a booked event, so we can offer your space to someone on the waiting list. If you are booking a space on a workshop / activity for someone aged under 16 please ensure one responsible adult accompanies them to support them in the activity. If that accompanying person wishes to also participate in the workshop, rather than just support a young person/ child, they should book their own space on the workshop. For the walks, all accompanying adults should book their own space.