We bring together all ages, sexualities, genders, ethnicities and abilities in a creative celebration of equality & diversity with an annual week long arts festival, year-round community events, youth engagement programme and art-focused mental health project. We work with international stars from RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Jinkx Monsoon to alt-cabaret duo Bourgeois and Maurice, and our patrons include Human Rights activist Peter Tatchell, Lesbian poet Jackie Kay, trans Artistic Director Kate O’Donnell and Lesbian hero artist Horse McDonald.
Created in response to a piece of homophobic graffiti seen in Hebden Bridge in the summer of 2015, our first ever project brought our community together in defiance & solidarity. We have been celebrating LGBTQIA+ life & promoting tolerance, understanding & friendship through access & participation in community created art & culture ever since. With support from Calderdale Council, Arts Council England and a range of other funders and partners, we are now working with over 2,000 5-18yr olds, 50+ community volunteers, 50+ artists, 12+ schools & reaching 3,700+ audiences each year.
We work to:
- promote equality & diversity to make our community a happier & healthier place
- eliminate discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity
- break down social barriers, reduce social isolation, encourage conversation & share learning
- use advocacy, empathy & fun as the key tools to our success
- increase opportunities for everyone to access & participate in live events
- create & deliver the highest possible quality artistic activities, to inspire & connect people
Happy Valley Pride consistently punches above its weight, but we no longer have capacity to sustain its growth as an organisation mainly reliant on volunteer hours. We are now in a position where we are transitioning to a sustainable model, with staff as well as volunteers, and need new passion and energy to take us to the next level.