What was it?

A project with local artist Michael Powell to create visions of a utopia in Calderdale plus proposals that turn hopes into reality! 

Over summer 2022 people living in Calderdale joined us across a series of free creative sessions where they collectively created pictures of the challenges we face as a community, our visions for a better world, then worked together to co-create proposals for a Utopian Calderdale

About the sessions

During session one we explored the question ‘what does Calderdale mean to you?’ through conversation and fun creative activities.

Session two explored the question ‘What could Calderdale be?’ through a collaborative making session exploring our hopes, dreams and shared visions.

In the final session we collectively created our proposals for a utopian Calderdale.

DIY Utopia Community Summit and exhibition launch 

From 2- 4pm on the 9 September 2022 we came together to see and hear the proposals created during the session.

About the artist

Michael Powell is an artist, writer and creative producer living in Todmorden, West Yorkshire.

He creates illustrations, poems and stories which often feature alternative worlds made up of mythic and hybrid creatures, inspired by a love of story, folklore, mythology and the natural world. 

He also likes to make use of found and discarded objects to create illustrative installations within both derelict and forgotten spaces as well as gallery walls. 

Calderdale is…

Calderdale is green.

Calderdale is grey.

Calderdale is stone.

Calderdale is railways.

Calderdale is co-operative.

Calderdale is old buildings.

Calderdale is touristy.

Calderdale is extreme.

Calderdale is UFO’s.

Calderdale is flood.

Calderdale is wild.

Calderdale is yorkshire brick.

Calderdale is vibrant.

Calderdale is heather.

Calderdale is a valley fed by hills

and moors and water.

Calderdale is a lot of things to a lot of people.

Calderdale is etched in the heavens.

Calderdale is invisible.

Proposals | Environmental

1. Less car focused transport/ town planning.

  • More public transport/ bike focused transport/ town planning with integrated community owned transport hubs.

  • More free bike usage storage and better bike lanes that encourage use.

2. Rewild the valley and help prevent more floods.

  • Rewild the moors- to help with flooding rather than just passing the problem down from town to town.

  • Rewild the hedgerows- more fruit, nuts and vegetables freely available.

  • Encourage farmers to adapt to a climate changing world- scale down meat production, make use of land for cereals and pulses as well and rewilding.

Proposals | Support the local

1. More community involvement and collective ownership of the local economy.

  • Resurrect Calderdale Local Exchange Trading System.

  • Create/ support the development of local transport co-operatives that are more focused on local community needs and wants.

2. More public spaces: Better use of libraries, canals and empty shops for community use that are community run.

  • Offer long term rent to artists/ start ups, small businesses to encourage regeneration of empty spaces.

  • Re-purpose phone boxes as a means to free internet.

3. More green space and public places for people to meet and children to play- in Winter and Summer.

  • Again involve more co-production in the design and delivery of what these places are and how they might develop.

  • More play parks and green routes that encourage walking- with Winter ready shelters.

4. More arts funding- for free events that bring people together more from different perspectives and for community run spaces.

  • Create more artist residencies and artist led projects that engage with the local community. For instance, an artist residency project in Streets in the Sky Halifax would be an amazing opportunity to do something like this.

  • As would artist residencies in empty buildings that repurpose and improve them.

  • Create a Calderdale App- to share information and promote free/ cheap cultural events.

Proposals | Health

1. The return of the local practice

  • Better access to a GP service that is more person centred and holistic in its approach.

  • People to be able to see the same GP more regularly.

2. Support local growers and food shops that source locally, ethically and seasonally.

  • Promoting healthy eating and growing the local economy.

  • Offer reduced/free rents and rates for unused buildings and spaces.

3. Access.

  • Free drinking water in public spaces.

  • Free accessible public toilets.

  • Free sanitary products in public spaces.

  • Cheaper/free access to local sport for children and families with less income.

Thank You!

This project could not have happened without the people who came along to the DIY sessions.

  • Andy

  • Anita

  • Bernadette

  • John

  • Jonnie

  • Jude

  • Luke

  • Lyndsay

  • Margaret

  • Nigel

  • Oliver

  • Sam

  • Tom

Thanks to Calderdale Council for supporting this project

This project is funded and made possible by Calderdale Council’s Community Small Grant’s scheme.