What's on

In 2022 Bankfield Museum in Halifax hosted ‘Costumes from Gentleman Jack’ exhibition. To share the exhibition further, the exhibition and content have been recorded in a film and slideshow.

For Anne Lister's 229th birthday on the 3rd April 2020 we wanted to share her diary entries from her journals 1818 to 1840. Here we have the extracts from Anne's birthdays, with transcriptions kindly provided by members of the #AnneListerCodeBreaker team.

An online exhibition to commemorate the anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo on the 18th June 1815.

Join us on a journey through 600 years of history and discover the secrets of Shibden Hall from the comfort of your home. 

Shibden Hall has 15 unique oil paintings, that are mostly portraits, on permanent display; some have been on site for centuries. We have lots of information on these paintings but would love to find out more.

During 2023 the main hall at Bankfield will be hung with several works by John Holland (1829-1886), held in Calderdale Museums Service’s collection. Holland was born in Nottingham and painted landscapes and coastal scenes.

A unique exhibition celebrating women’s clothes and the stories they tell. This exclusive exhibition features highlights from the private collection of dress historian Lucy Adlington.

Celebrating all things hats! This new exhibition examines the style, function, and symbolism of headwear in British society. Showcasing highlights from the Museum collection and contemporary examples from Yorkshire milliners, the exhibition traces the evolution of the hat from the bonnet and topper of the Nineteenth Century to Royal Ascot and catwalk showstoppers of the present day.

Both galleries at the Smith Art Gallery in Brighouse will showcase highlights of the art collection of William and Susannah Smith. Alderman William Smith (1839-1922), who was Mayor of Brighouse from 1893-1895 and 1904-1907, and his wife Susannah (1838-1916) began collecting paintings in the 1870s from exhibitions around the UK.

To tie in with our new exhibition: Opening the Wardrobe, we're hosting four History Wardrobe evening presentations. The third evening event is ‘Divine Deco, The Art of the Dressmaker’.

The Calderdale Open is returning in 2023! Showcasing the best works entered into the Calderdale Open Art Competition. To mark Calderdale’s Year of Culture in 2024, the theme of this year’s exhibition is the landscape, people, history, and heritage of Calderdale.

The official launch of the Calderdale Open Art Exhibition 2023. Successful entrants to the Open Art Competition and members of the public are invited to attend the opening ceremony.

The watercolours of Jane Austin A special collection from watercolour artist Jane Austin that explores both the famous views and the hidden wonders to be found within three miles of her Halifax home. Jane’s work explores the effects of light and the changing of the seasons on architecture and the natural world, creating a deeply personal celebration of the local area.    Jane will be appearing in Bankfield Museum throughout the exhibition to give demonstrations of her painting.

What dark and macabre secrets does Shibden Hall hold? What phantoms and beasts hide in the dark woods?

Join watercolour artist Jane Austin in the Bankfield Museum gallery for a free demonstration observing how animals in the wild can blend into their background using tone. The way that light passes over an animal can describe their bone structure through shadows, which can be simplified in a drawing allowing the eye of the observer to complete the unseen outlines.

Join watercolour artist Jane Austin for a workshop to learn how to draw animals through shade with lost and found outlines. The way that light passes over an animal can describe their bone structure through shadows, once simplified in a drawing this can allow the eye of the observer to complete the unseen outlines.

Join watercolour artist Jane Austin in the Bankfield Museum gallery for a free demonstration on mark making with both watercolour paint, the freedom of brushstrokes, laying colour on colour and the use of masking fluid – liquid latex used to retain white paper. Using the image of a bird’s nest and the random, circular movement there are multiple painting techniques which can be used to build the construction of the nest, reflecting nature itself.

Shibden Hall’s Winter Craft Fair will be returning for 2023. Join traders from across the region for a weekend of shopping and festive fun.

Join watercolour artist Jane Austin for a workshop to learn the many ways in which to layer watercolour paint, masking fluid and mark making to create the image of a bird’s nest. Jane will explain the pitfalls commonly experienced with these techniques and provide guidance which will make their application easy and very helpful when painting in the future.

To tie in with our new exhibition: Opening the Wardrobe, we're hosting four History Wardrobe evening presentations. The last of our events for the year is ‘Top of the Frocks - a 1980s Christmas!’ Two Lucys revisit the amazing Eighties for power-dressing, ultra-glamour and even fitness kit for after the festive feasting. Roll up your stonewash jeans, flick your perm and grab your plastic bangles...

Join watercolour artist Jane Austin for a workshop creating your own Christmas image of a natural wreath, either as a painting or small personal cards. Jane will show you several watercolour techniques which suit the different elements of a Christmas wreath including the use of shadow to bring depth.

Bankfield Museum’s Christmas Craft Fair will be returning on Saturday 9th December 2023 with the venue welcoming a range of traders from across the region for a day of shopping and festive fun.  The Museum will be filled with stalls selling a range of local produce including artisan crafts, just in time for buying those special Christmas gifts and treats. No booking required and free admission to the event.

Join watercolor artist Jane Austin in the Bankfield Museum gallery for a free demonstration of the watercolour techniques she applies to painting feathers. Birds of prey are particularly wonderful to observe closely as the complex layers can be seen clearly to give depth to a painting.

Join watercolour artist Jane Austin for a full-day workshop painting the detailed head and body of a hawk. Learn how to work with layers of colour over fine detail with masking fluid to build the body of feathers, using different sizes of brush and implement as needed.

This exciting new exhibition showcases fashion makers from across the country who design and make clothing based on historical dress. It explores the process of how you go from a museum garment or fashion plate to producing an item of historically inspired dress that is ready to wear.

Join watercolour artist Jane Austin in the Bankfield Museum gallery for a free demonstration of the watercolour techniques she applies to painting floral images. Background colour and tones are built with transparent layers of random marks, alternating from the warm and cool side of the colour wheel.

Join watercolour artist Jane Austin for a full-day workshop painting the blossom in nature. Learn how to build background colour and tones with transparent layers of random marks, alternating from the warm and cool side of the colour wheel to create form, painting positive shapes, and creating soft highlights.