Sign up for our Newsletter to keep up to date with all things Festival related - see you in 2026 for next year's festival! Sign up today and never miss out.

Events

Culture Collective Networking event

Join the Culture Collective for a free networking event designed for anyone working in the local creative industry. 

The event follows on the success of the recent Culture Collective: Creativity in Kirklees day at the Media Centre, which attracted individuals and organisations from a wide range of creative arts.  

It’s free to attend and there will be complimentary refreshments on offer, thanks to Merrie England. 

This is your chance to meet, chat and share ideas with individuals and organisations from a wide range of creative arts from the local area.  

Culture Collective exists to represent and advocate for the cultural sector in Kirklees, by: 

  • Bridging the gap between cultural organisations, the local authority and other key policy makers, funders and governing bodies 
  • Providing opportunity for discussion, building relationships, collaboration and collective action around sector specific and place-based priorities 
  • Working to increase representation within the sector 
  • Sharing knowledge and information 

 

What people said about Culture Collective’s last event: 

“Culture Collective and days like these are really significant and important for heritage and culture and what Kirklees is trying to achieve through culture. Culture is the driving force for change.” Qaisar Mahmood, CEO Radio Sangam  

“Culture Collective and what they are doing today is something that I’ve been yearning to be in the room with for a long time. This is phenomenal. The energy in the room, the way people are engaging, the projects that are happening and the level of the projects are exactly what Huddersfield needs.” Benaiah Matheson, artist and designer 

“Today has been a show of how many people there are in this sector, how diverse they are in their artforms and their ages and what they’re doing and where they want to go. There’s so much to be proud of in Kirklees and we should champion that.” Becky Dash, CEO Lawrence Batley Theatre 

“The creative sector within Kirklees is an absolutely thriving sector. There’s lots of people employed in it, the financial value of the sector is huge. It’s the fastest growing sector in Kirklees. Robin Widdowson, Kirklees Council Cultural Development

Date: Thursday 15 May 

Time: 12pm-1.30pm 

Location: Tipi, Courtyard, Lawrence Batley Theatre, Queen Street HD1 2SP 

Free (booking recommended) 

Age guidance: 16+ 

Access Guide: https://www.accessable.co.uk/huddersfield-literature-festival/access-guides/lawrence-batley-theatre

Book tickets

Please note: When purchasing tickets please download the Eventbrite ‘app’ or ‘create an Eventbrite account’. This will facilitate quicker access to your tickets.

Design a Graphic Novel with Penny O’Neill

THIS EVENT IS NOW SOLD OUT!

A fun workshop-style event designed for children aged around 6-9 years old. 

 

Learn how to make your own graphic novel with Penelope O’Neill, from designing a comic book hero and villain to mapping out a comic book strip. Plus a draw-a-long of a Floof character from her new debut graphic novel The Floofs Reach for the Stars. 

Penny will sign copies of her new book and answer questions on her journey into creating her first ever graphic novel.  

 

The Floofs is a new young graphic novel series about friendship, working together, and the power of the imagination. A perfect new read for fans of The Moomins and The Clangers! 

 

The event will be held in the events room below the shop. 

 

To book your ticket(s), visit: https://to-be-read.co.uk/books/penny-oneill-event/ 

Or call 01484 688 692. 

 

Date: Saturday 10 May 

Time: 1pm – Approx 2pm

Location: Read Bookshop, 41 Huddersfield Road, Holmfirth HD9 3JH  

Tickets: £1

Age guidance: 6-9 years (U16s should be accompanied by an adult) 

Access information: contact Read bookshop at: [email protected]

 

THIS EVENT IS NOW SOLD OUT!

Workshop: Silk Painting

This workshop is now fully booked. Please check our What’s On page for other workshops, including Finding Stories in the Park – a fun, creative session exploring Greenhead Park with creative coach Juliet Thomas.

 

If you would like to be added to a waiting list for this event, please email [email protected] with your name and email address. Please note that there is no guarantee a place will become available.

Due to limited spaces at this event, if you can no longer attend, please let us know as soon as possible at [email protected] so we can offer your place to someone else.

 

Capture a special place in Yorkshire and learn the relaxing art of silk painting.  This workshop will teach you how to create a well-known Yorkshire landscape with a stained-glass effect through the clever use of silk paints in the style of a watercolour.  

Suitable for beginners or those that have tried it before. Participants will choose one small image (7″ x 5″) and one large image (10″ x 8″) to complete with a vivid palette. There will be six images of famous Yorkshire places to choose from, pre-drawn on to silk, so you are bound to find the ones that mean something to you.   

Your artwork will be taken home with a mountboard frame to finish it off.   

Louise Grassby is a local artist, who has been teaching silk painting techniques for many years and has developed this workshop especially for HuddLitFest 2025. Materials provided – all you need is some enthusiasm and an apron!  

Limited places, early booking advised. 

For further information, contact [email protected] 

Access and Covid safety measures: if you have specific access needs or queries and/or prefer to be seated away from other workshop members as a Covid safety measure, please contact our Admin at: [email protected] with your request.  

Date:Saturday 10 May

Time: 1pm-4pm 

Location: Tolson Museum, Ravensknowle Park, Wakefield Road, Moldgreen HD5 8DJ 

Tickets: £15 

Age guidance: 12+ (U16s must be accompanied by an adult) 

Access guide: contact the venue on 01484 223240

Book tickets

Please note: When purchasing tickets please download the Eventbrite ‘app’ or ‘create an Eventbrite account’. This will facilitate quicker access to your tickets.