
PARTICIPATE
There are a number of ways you can participate in Holmfirth Arts Festival this year - from the River of Art project linked up with local schools, the Graveship of Holme creative exploration of the ancient land around Holmfirth, take festival activities to local care homes, or take part in activity walks exploring nature, history, and landscape. There's plenty to engage with - full details below...
River of Art Curated by Sarah Branson

River of Art is a creative community engagement project that matches local artists with schools and community groups to co-create visual art works that will be installed along the River Holme in central Holmfirth for Holmfirth Arts Festival on 14 and 15 June. If you know a group or school that would like to participate, please contact Sarah Branson at sarah.branson@btinternet.com
Graveship of Holme Project
ALL EVENTS FREE/PAYD donations welcome



The Graveship of Holme refers to an historic administrative district within the Manor of Wakefield, where the area is governed by a "grave" or constable. This is a community engeagement project celebrating the townships of Austonley, Cartworth, Fulstone, Hepworth, Holme, Upperthong, and Wooldale.These communities have worked with The Children's Art School to share their ideas, stories, creativity, memories and passions at seven Township events. Details of these events below...
Drop in Craft Activities + look out for scheduled activities with your group/school

Make a Protest Placard
Sun 25 May 11am-1pm
Coopers Yard HD9 3BP
Craft a placard with purpose! We've teamed up with the amazing Coopers Yard and The Children' Art School to bring you a placard-making workshop exploring the powerful Luddite history right here in our area The Luddites played a significant role in the early 1800s around Huddersfield, protesting the introduction of new machinery in the textile industry.

Make a Paper Bird
Tues 27 May 11am-1pm
Earthworks New Mill Community Garden, New Mill, HD9 7BL
Make a bird in this craft workshop in the garden and add your contribution to the Fulstone Township map, both of which you can show off at the Graveship of Holme Pageant on 14 June
Township Events
Austonley Celebrates Textiles
Saturday 31 May 2pm-4pm
Holme Sunday School, HD9 2QG
Arts, crafts and singing from Common Threads, Monkey Business and Vocal Expressions Ladies Choir.
Fulstone Celebrates Singing
Sunday 1 June 10am-12noon
Earthworks New Mill Community Garden, HD9 7BL
Come and learn about this beautiful community garden, enjoy a cuppa and a cake, take part in the family bird making workshop and enjoy some singing with singers from New Mill Male Voice Choir.
Upperthong Celebrates The Luddites
Sunday 1 June 2pm-4pm
The Tech, HD9 3AR
A launch of David Hinchliffe's new book, A Dark and Cheerless Time: The Upperthong Shooting of 1812 and extracts from The Red Shed Players new play AI vs The Luddites
Cartworth Celebrates Water and Wool
Friday 6 June 3.15pm-4pm
Hinchcliffe Mill School, HD9 2PF
A share of art work and singing from children of Hinchcliffe Mill School.
Holme Celebrates Victorian Children
Saturday 7 June 1.15pm-2pm
Meet at children's playground, HD9 2QQ
Join Holmfirth Writers' Group and Holme School for a story walk with music, poetry and dancing, then head to Mackie's Barn for the Holme Garden Party from 2pm-4pm
Hepworth Celebrates Hepworth
Sunday 8 June 10am-12noon
Hepworth Church, HD9 1TR
Take part in craft activities and see a display of art created by Hepworth Art Group and Hepworth School.
Wooldale Celebrates Music
Sunday 8 June 4.30pm-7pm
Holmfirth Parish Church, HD9 1HA
A talk by Tony Johnson about his craft of making lutes, a display of photos of lute making taken by Adrian James and music on lutes played by Tony and Dr Sara Saloum.

THE GRAVESHIP OF HOLME PAGEANT - The Thread That Binds Us (A STEVE SYKES COMMISSION)
Saturday 14 June 4pm
Holmside Gardens, HD9 1AB
The Graveship of Holme project culminates in a pageant that weaves together the stories and imagery of the seven townships of The Graveship of Holme into a colourful performance.Pageant makers, who have worked with The Childrens’ Art School, Charlie Wells. Holmfirth Writers’ Group, Caroline Devenport and Nick Wells include: Common Threads, Families at Coopers Yard and Earthworks New Mill Community Garden, David HInchliffe, Dave Hanvey, Hepworth J&I School, Hinchliffe Mill J&I School, Holme J&I School, New Mill Male Voice Choir, Monkey Business Playgroup,Square Peg Activities, Upperthong J&I School, Vocal Expressions Ladies Choir, Wooldale Rainbows plus participants that may join us on the day.
Note: There is a pageant rehearsal for all groups at 4pm on Friday 13th June in Holmside Gardens. This will give us an opportunity to pull the work from all the Township Workshops and Events together.
Festival in Your Home

Bringing festive activities to local care homes.
If you would like craft, singing and musical activities in your care home, please contact Jo by email at
access@ holmfirthartsfestival.co.uk
Guided Actvity Walks
Booking a Free/Pay As You Decide ticket is essential - Donations welcome
- Sonic Ramble with Suzie CrossSun 25 MayMeet outside Holmfirth Co-op, HD9 7AX
- Accessible Activities AmbleWed 25 JunSands Car Park, Huddersfield Rd, HD9 3JL
- The Graveship of Holme WalkSat 02 AugPark off Cartworth Moor Road, HD9 2QS