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Events

Musica Kirklees Open Mic

An open mic with performances from students from Musica Kirklees, a local charity providing music lessons and opportunities to individuals, school and centres throughout Kirklees. 

 

Musica Kirklees exists to promote the advancement of public education in all aspects of music. It was formed in 1992 and works closely in partnership with Kirklees Council’s Children and Young People’s Service. The organisation delivers tuition through Whole Class Ensemble Tuition and small group instrumental tuition. Musica’s Live Music Experiences bring recital teams, orchestras, rock bands and singalongs to schools. 

 

To find out more, please visit https://www.musicakirklees.org/  

Date: Saturday 17 May 

Time: 5.30pm-7pm 

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

Free (no booking required) 

Age guidance: 12+ 

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

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.

Wrap Party

Join us for our Festival Wrap Party in the Tipi.  

On the final day of events, we will be getting together in the Tipi at Lawrence Batley Theatre to celebrate another fabulous year of our award-winning Festival. 

Free event – all welcome! 

Date: Sunday 18 May 

Time: 6pm onwards 

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

Free (no booking required) 

Age guidance: All ages (U16s should be accompanied by an adult) 

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

Introduction to Bollywood Dance

Let your inner Bollywood star shine with Salma Zaman’s fun Bollywood dance session for women and girls (age 13+).  

 

All levels welcome, from beginners to more experienced dancers. Anyone with limited mobility can take part seated.  

 

Salma Zaman is a dance and drama teacher, a SEND specialist and a children’s author. She runs Salma’s Bollywood Academy, Yorkshire’s leading professional Bollywood dance academy.  

https://salmasbollywoodacademy.com/ 

 

Date: Wednesday 14 May 

Time: 7pm-8pm 

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

Free (booking recommended) 

Age guidance: 13+ (U16s should be accompanied by an adult) 

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.

An Introduction to Give… A Few Words

An introduction to the letter-writing organisation Give… A Few Words by its founder Sharron Wilkinson. 

 

Give…A Few Words post “one off” uplifting letters and artwork out to others to reduce social isolation and improve social connections. In this introductory session you will get to hear all about this uplifting project, find out why letter writing for others is good for writers too and there will also be hints, tips and ideas for your first letters.   

 

Give…A Few Words CIC is a social enterprise that aims to provide social benefit to people feeling socially isolated and those wishing to improve social connections across our community. Founder of Give…, Sharron Wilkinson, came up with the idea of letter writing during the first Covid lockdown in 2020, when a local care home in Kirklees was looking for ways to alleviate some of the isolation and loneliness faced by its many residents who were unable to meet their family and friends. The idea spread and the organisation has grown from strength to strength. 

 

Date: Wednesday 14 May 

Time: 12.30pm-1.30pm 

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

Free (no booking required) 

Age guidance: 12+ 

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

Workshop: Give… A Few Words

THIS EVENT HAS SOLD OUT.

If you would like to be added to our waiting list if space becomes available, please email this request to [email protected]

In this fun and interactive workshop, Sharron Wilkinson of Give… A Few Words and Alex Hutchinson (Little Enchanted Hut), will explain the wellbeing benefits of writing for others, share some top tips and ideas and show you how to get creative by making flowers out of recycled books.  

No experience needed and all materials provided. 

 

Give…A Few Words CIC is a social enterprise that aims to provide social benefit to people feeling socially isolated and those wishing to improve social connections across our community. Founder of Give…, Sharron Wilkinson, came up with the idea of letter writing during the first Covid lockdown in 2020, when a local care home in Kirklees was looking for ways to alleviate some of the isolation and loneliness faced by its many residents who were unable to meet their family and friends. The idea spread and the organisation has grown from strength to strength. 

THIS EVENT HAS SOLD OUT.

If you would like to be added to our waiting list if space becomes available, please email this request to [email protected]

Date: Friday 16 May 

Time: 2pm-4pm 

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

Free (booking recommended) 

Age guidance: 12+ 

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.

Huddersfield Authors’ Circle – Celebrating 90 Years

Huddersfield Authors’ Circle launches its latest book with readings and a Q&A. 

Huddersfield Authors’ Circle, a group for local writers formed to support each other, share their work and find new inspiration, is turning 90 this year. The Circle have put together a collection of short works to commemorate this occasion.

Over the years, HAC members have included playwrights, poets, novelists, journalists and both fiction and non-fiction writers. Many of these were well-known, such as HAC’s first president, James R Gregson, a writer and actor known for BBC Sunday-Night Theatre, Sing As We Go! and The Way of an Angel, and Hazel Wheeler, author of First of the Summer Wine, Half a Pound of Tuppenny Rice: Life in a Yorkshire Village Shop (Reminiscence) and others.

The latest generation of HAC writers—including Nick Stead (the Hybrid series), Vivien Teasdale (Struggle and Suffrage in Huddersfield) and Susie Field (A Moment in Time)—will be sharing this proud history, as well as prose and poetry from their latest book, 90: An Anniversary Compilation. A short Q&A will follow. You’re cordially invited to an evening of local literary celebration.

 

Date: Sunday 18 May 

Time: 2pm-4pm 

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

Free (no booking required) 

Age guidance: All ages (U16s should be accompanied by an adult) 

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

Open Mic with Talking Zebras

A welcoming free Open Mic night run by Cleckheaton spoken word group, Talking Zebras. Free to attend, sign up on the night or drop in to listen. Booking advised but not essential. 

 

Talking Zebras was founded in 2012 to promote enjoyment of the spoken word. The group now meets on the first and third Saturday of each month at the Rose & Crown in Cleckheaton and online (Zoom) on the fifth Saturday, when there is one in the  month. The group also enjoys taking part in charity fundraisers as well as local literature, folk and arts festivals. Talking Zebras is a diverse group, with participants who enjoy a wide range of spoken word. 

Find out more at: https://www.talkingzebras.co.uk/about.html 

 

Date: Thursday 15 May 

Time: 6.30pm-8pm 

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

Free (booking recommended) 

Age guidance: All ages (U16s should be accompanied by an adult) 

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.

Tipi Launch – The Great Gatsby + Open Mic

Join us for our free Festival Tipi launch, followed by an Open Mic night – all welcome!  

 

To celebrate the centenary of the publication of F Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, the launch theme will be The Great Gatsby. Come dressed up and enjoy discounted drinks. Booking not essential, but will help us with our planning. 

 

In partnership with Huddersfield Live, sponsored by Huddersfield BID and with the support of Lawrence Batley Theatre. 

 

Creative Writing Society Open Mic – 7pm-8.30pm 

The launch will include a Creative Writing Society Open Mic from 7pm-8.30pm. Organised by the University of Huddersfield’s Creative Writing Society, the open mic will be hosted by local writer and university postgraduate Joseph Blythe. It will feature early career writers debuting their prose, poetry and stand-up – with slots for any audience members who would like to get up and perform, simply sign up on the night. 

 

Following launch night, the Tipi will open daily to Sunday 18 May, with a Festival Wrap Party that evening. 

 

Date: Tuesday 13 May 

Time: 5pm-8.30pm 

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

Free (booking recommended) 

Age guidance: All ages (U16s should be accompanied by an adult) 

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.

Meet Peter Rabbit in the Tipi (Sunday)

Hop along to meet and get your picture taken with Peter Rabbit, the mischievous character from the Beatrix Potter books, film and TV shows.  

 

A free drop-in event. 

 

Date: Sunday 18 May 

Time: 12pm-12.45pm 

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

Free (no booking required just come along) 

Age guidance: All ages (U16s should be accompanied by an adult) 

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