Wakefield: String of events to launch district's culture year

Poet Ben Taylor, Ossett Brewery and Sandal Castle will be part of Our Year 2024's launch events

Wakefield is to kick off a year celebrating culture and creativity in the district with a day of free events.

Saturday 13 January will see 24 activities, exhibitions and workshops promising "something for everyone".

Wakefield Cathedral will host a performance from poet Ben Taylor, known as Yorkshire Prose.

Our Year 2024 will see dozens of festivals and major events in the Wakefield district - spanning music, art, heritage, sport, food and drink.

The poet has written a new poem to mark the beginning of Our Year, with references including the district's coal mining history, the Yorkshire Sculpture Park and the Wakefield Pie Shop on Cheapside.

The poem, based on contributions from residents across the district, will be performed for the first time at the cathedral event at 14:00 GMT.

The opening day will include art workshops, craft lessons and a rugby league open session at Featherstone Rovers.

Tours of the Hepworth, Grow Wakefield and Sandal Castle will also be offered.

The Wakefield Council-led culture year aims to boost visitor numbers in the district, create investment opportunity and give local people the change to get involved in community events.

The team behind the offering recommends early booking for events with limited spaces.

Wakefield's Our Year will bring cultural festivals and events to the district throughout 2024

Councillor Michelle Collins, cabinet member for culture, leisure and sport at Wakefield Council, said: "Ahead of our year-long celebration of creativity, we're getting the party started with not one but 24 exciting events, with something for everyone to enjoy.

"Our ultimate aim for Our Year is for people to be amazed, inspired and create memories which will last for years to come."

West Yorkshire Combined Authority has provided £800,000 towards the cost of staging the year-long programme, with Arts Council England giving £500,000.

Despite the local authority facing a £35m funding gap over the 2023/4 financial year, the council said Our Year 2024 was still a key priority.

"We've run our finances responsibly over the years, and that enables us to continue to invest in important things that will make a real difference for our communities and our economy," said Mark Lynam, corporate director for regeneration and economic growth.

"The council is investing £500,000 match funding and utilising £2.22m from our existing budgets over the next two years to enable Our Year to leave a lasting legacy for our people and places."

Discussing his collaboration with Our Year, Mr Taylor said: "I'm so proud to be from a place which has so much to offer from art and history to food and sport.

"For me, it's the people who create Wakefield's unique character and charm and I hope that shines through in the poem."