Equity has welcomed a statement from Arts Council England (ACE) on the future of the Halifax based Square Chapel Arts Centre, calling it a "positive move towards addressing the closure of this much-loved venue." An Equity petition garnered more than 3,000 signatures and was handed in to ACE on 14 November in advance of a Board meeting.
A statement sent to Equity from Pete Massey, ACE North Director for Northern Economy and Partnerships said: “The petition and its contents were referenced in a report to our Executive Board last month along with representations from other concerned groups and individuals. The strength of local feeling regarding this matter is clear and we have taken this into account when looking at how best to resolve this matter.”
The statement continued: “whatever course of action we decide to take involves a certain amount of cost and risk. Executive Board have asked officers to do further work to establish exactly what legal routes we have to resolve the situation and what the likely legal and estate related costs would likely be incurred. We hope to be able to update you and the campaign regarding our course of action in the new year.”
Equity and the Save the Square Chapel for the People campaign group have welcomed the decision.
Dominic Bascombe, Equity official for North East, Yorkshire and Humber said: "This is a positive move towards addressing the closure of this much-loved venue. The people of Calderdale and the wider community have shown just how much they value this venue and want to see it reopened. Square Chapel Arts Centre needs to be re-opened quickly giving local people access to a fully functioning, fully funded, and sustainable cultural venue."
The Square Chapel Arts Centre has been closed to the public since February this year. Between May and August, the venue operators, Square Chapel CIC, entered into an arrangement for Square Chapel to be used as green rooms for the Piece Hall's Summer Concert series. That arrangement ended this autumn.
Equity – along with a local campaign group, TUC North East, Yorkshire & Humber’s Creative and Leisure Industries Committee and Calderdale Trades Union Council – has been calling for the venue to be reopened. A public meeting on the topic earlier this year was attended by more than a hundred people.
ACE currently holds a legal charge on the property and is being asked to make a decision about the operation of the venue. There has been a requirement that the venue must be used as an arts centre.
A number of local arts organisations have expressed an interest in taking over the running of the venue but the decision on how the venue is run is down to ACE and the local Calderdale Council.
About Square Chapel
Square Chapel was a popular arts centre with good community links and outreach prior to becoming insolvent during the Covid pandemic in 2020. Extensive building works had taken place to create a second performance space and other facilities at Square Chapel with the new centre opening in June 2017.
In September 2020, the venue was reopened when it was taken over by Wigan-based Arts at the Mill. Square Chapel CIC was subsequently established.
In early February 2025, Square Chapel CIC announced the arts centre was closing and all future events were cancelled. Months later, this valuable community asset remains closed and not serving the people of Halifax. ACE has now withdrawn its funding from Square Chapel. The Square Chapel building was then rented out to provide dressing rooms during the Piece Hall concert season over the summer.
As ACE has affirmed in their response to Equity, it “no longer has a funding relationship with Square Chapel CIC. We do, however, maintain an interest in the building, due to a charge relating to our previous capital award which restricts the building’s use.”
There is also a requirement by Calderdale Council that the building is used for cultural purposes.
