Arts in Calderdale reflect the place - independent, offbeat and passionate. Do you love art and design? You'll find permanent and rotating displays by local artists and craftsmen giving you a rich and varied choice of viewing throughout the year.

The Smith Art Gallery, Brighouse offers an intimate insight into Victorian tastes and values with an extensive 19th century collection housed in The Rydings Estate - an 18th century house and public park. Bankfield Museum in Halifax displays a textile collection of international importance adding a bold focus on contemporary crafts. The building housing Bankfield museum, a former mill owner's mansion, is a work of art itself! Haifax Visitor Centre and Art Gallery is located in the oldest remaining cloth hall in Britain, Halifax Piece Hall. Here you will find a family friendly gallery with a range of events and activity sheets for children and a vibrant and diverse series of temporary exhibitions. Formerly the largest carpet mill in the world, Dean Clough in Halifax is one of Britain's larges contemorary art spaces, with nine galleries offering a rolling programme of art, craft, photography and design. With Viaduct Theatre, Dean Clough is also an acclaimed Jazz venue and home of the Northern Broadsides theatre company. A grassroots tradition of music – choral, orchestral, brass is strong here – as is the pub music circuit. The Independent rates Hebden Bridge Trades Club “one of the country’s top venues” for jazz, blues and world music,. Don’t miss the chance to enjoy a performance by multi-award winning Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band, Elland Silver Band or the Halifax Choral Society. Hebden Bridge Arts Festival and the Pennine Spring Music Festival are hot spots in the cultural year, along with The Halifax Festival and an annual festival celebrating Mytholmroyd's famous son - the Ted Hughes Festival. For those interested in purchasing unique gifts and creations, the Piece Hall in Halifax houses over 30 independent shops, including Gina B Glass, The Friendly Dragon and Bloc Chocolate, or take a trip to Hebden Bridge, the home great little shops, including the Heart Gallery and Calder Gallery, both boasting superb artistic gifts. All of our market towns offer great independent shopping where you'll be able to find different and often unique gifts that you won't see in high street stores. The arts are a huge part of the culture and community of Calderdale - come and see for yourself!