Close to 100 people turned out to a public meeting in Halifax on Thursday night to support the ‘Save Square Chapel for the People’ campaign, with organisers having to turn dozens of people away at the door.
The public meeting, which was held in the Calderdale Industrial museum on 3 July, was co-ordinated by Equity, the Calderdale Trades Council, and the TUC Yorkshire Creative and Leisure Industries Committee in response to the ongoing closure of Square Chapel Arts Centre.
The popular arts centre, which is also the home base of a number of community groups, including the Halifax Philharmonic club and Cube Choir, has been closed since February 2025.
A petition set up by the campaign has now hit 2,000 signatures, after one supporter who attended the meeting handed organisers over 100 signatures collected by hand from local residents who did not have internet access to sign the online petition. You can sign the petition online here.
The public meeting heard from local resident and Equity member Pete Keal about the history of the Square Chapel venue, with Equity official Dominic Bascombe relaying statements from Arts Council England, local MP Kate Dearden, and the current venue operators, Square Chapel CIC.
There is a clear demand from the local community to see this venue reopen to serve the local people. Decisions need to be taken to properly secure its funding and future very quickly. It should not be kept closed .
Dominic Bascombe, Equity official
The public meeting also heard from two groups with an interest in operating the venue. Michael Payne of Square Circle consortium and Laurie Sansom of Northern Broadsides spoke of potential business uses for the building.
There were no representatives from Calderdale Council present, despite the meeting organisers offering the Council a speaking slot.
Dominic Bascombe, Regional Official for Equity, said:
“The turnout at the public meeting and strength of feeling in the room about Square Chapel cannot be ignored. There is a clear demand from the local community to see this venue reopen to serve the local people. Decisions need to be taken to properly secure its funding and future very quickly. It should not be kept closed . This beautiful venue deserves to be open and fully utilised as an arts centre, performing venue and community hub.”
Calderdale TUC Chair Dan Whittall, said:
“People-powered pressure groups are a vital part of our democracy. It’s clear from the 2000 petition signatures and packed public meeting that there’s a strong desire to put workers, volunteers, performers and community groups at the heart of Halifax’s arts centre. Calderdale TUC looks forward to supporting the campaign as it moves forwards.”
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 took 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. Arts Council England (ACE) has now withdrawn its funding from Square Chapel. The Square Chapel building is currently being rented out to provide dressing rooms during the Piece Hall concert season.
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.
[sign the petition]
