New artwork showcases Brighouse today and its potential for the future

Reflections on Brighouse today, and its potential for the future with the £19.1 million Brighouse Deal investment, are being showcased in a new piece of art which is going on display in the town.

‘Creative Brighouse’, curated by Calderdale artist Sandra McCracken, is a collage based on a map of the town centre and was crowdsourced from the words, images and memories of children and adults who visited Brighouse Open Market last year during the Deal Open Day.

The artwork will be on display at Hub4Hope, from charity Focus4Hope, with everyone invited to pop in and have a look at the map at their new pre-loved charity boutique Replenish.

David Whitehead, co-chair of the Brighouse Town Deal Board, was at the unveiling of the artwork. He said: “Sandra’s art is a beautiful illustration of Brighouse today and captures the thoughts of those who took part in our Open Day which showcased the plans that make up the Brighouse Deal.

“This is an exciting time for the future of our town and the £19.1 million investment will help unlock more opportunities for everyone in the future. We are looking forward to sharing more about what is planned later in the Spring and getting more thoughts from residents and businesses who, as this piece of art shows, are so proud of where we live and work.”

Hub4Hope is open Monday to Friday between 9am and 3pm on Huddersfield Road, opposite Sainsbury’s near The Calder, with all money raised from Replenish going to support the Focus4Hope’s support of the homeless, isolated and vulnerable across West Yorkshire.

Louise Reed, who founded the charity in 2016, is a community representative on the Brighouse Town Deal Board. She said: “Focus4Hope is proud to be a part of the Brighouse community and we are always so grateful for the incredible support of people across the town for the people we provide with a helping hand.

“Our Hub4Hope and new Replenish charity boutique is an exciting addition to what we do, and to the town centre, and we were delighted to be able to agree to host this beautiful artwork which is a showcase of Brighouse today and its potential for tomorrow which the £19.1 million Deal investment will unlock.

“We are proud to be a key part of story of our town, and excited to be helping write what happens in the next chapter. Please call down and see the artwork, browse the beautiful range of pre-loved items, and replenish your wardrobe, your home and our community.”

Calderdale textile artist Sandra McCracken added: “It was a really lovely experience co-creating this piece with the people of Brighouse. Some enjoyed drawing the local environment, others preferred to select images of possible cultural activities they’d like to see in the town centre, or write a few words.

“We hoped that the activity would start a conversation about the future of Brighouse, and it certainly did. It was an added bonus that the drawings were so brilliant - too good to be hidden away in a folder somewhere. I’m delighted that they’ve found a home with Louise and the team at Focus4Hope.”

The project was coordinated by 509 Arts who are appointed by Turner & Townsend, the West Yorkshire-based global professional services company whose team of architects, engineers, quantity surveyors, planners and project managers are working with Calderdale Council and the Brighouse Town Deal Board to develop the Deal.

Alan Dix, artistic director of 509 Arts, said: “People were asked to think about what the creative energy of the town could mean for the planned redevelopment. We talked about festivals and carnivals, brass bands, public art and much more. This artwork which Sandra has created with that input captures a moment in time with the dreams, hopes and aspirations of people who love and cherish their town centre.”

Peter Foy, director at Turner & Townsend, said: “As part of the consultation on the design development for the Town Deal we were delighted to work with Sandra and the Brighouse community to bring to life the important elements of this vibrant market town highlighting the future aspiration, it was great our Project Manager Bill Waller and Graduate Project Manager Watson Joseph attended the showcasing of this exciting artwork.”

The plans making up the Brighouse Deal were approved by the Brighouse Town Deal Board and Calderdale Council, and given the go ahead by government, in late 2022.

Planning is now underway on how to turn the vision of the Deal into reality, benefitting the town’s residents, shoppers, visitors, retailers and businesses.

More details on the next stage of the Deal developments is expected in May.