Art charity 'closure risk' due to regeneration work

MakerWorld offers free art projects for children in West Yorkshire

A children's arts charity says it is at risk of closure after it was told to move out of its home to allow for regeneration works.

The Children's Arts School offers drop-in art sessions in Huddersfield and Dewsbury and has been based in Huddersfield's Piazza Centre since 2020.

Founder Chloe Williams said MakerWorld – the charity's free offering – has reached more than 2,500 children over the summer holidays, but the charity could close if it fails to find a suitable new space by March 2026.

"It's a funny situation because they're building a cultural heart, and we are in the cultural heart, but we're going to get moved on," she said.

"There is lots of conversations going on and there is a desire to try and help us stay."

Kirklees Council purchased the Piazza Centre in order to demolish it to make way for its Our Cultural Heart scheme.

The project would see the construction of a live music venue, food hall, museum and art gallery and new library.

In the meantime, the centre has been used by The Children's Arts School and other projects.

'Filling huge gap'

The council has provided the space rent-free, with organisations only paying for service charges and utility bills.

Ms Williams said: "The council has allowed us to have these spaces, but the council doesn't own most of the town.

"We're working with them to try and identify spaces that might work, but the reason why it has worked is because it's visible and on the high street."

The Children's Arts School was set up in 2015 and aims to offer inclusive and accessible art projects.

"It is filling a huge gap," she said.

"I started the children's art school because of that - at that point the focus was on the Olympics and after-school sports clubs and there wasn't any arts.

"It's not quite like that anymore, but the schools don't have time and if you want to do painting with a group of 30 kids in a carpeted classroom it's not easy to do."

Kirklees Council has been approached for comment.

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