We’re opening 2026 with a celebration close to our hearts Portrait of a Town is a love letter to Hebden Bridge and other great Northern towns, seen through the eyes of the artists who know it best.

This exhibition explores how our towns are felt, remembered, reimagined and treasured - not just as a place on the map, but as a community, a muse, and a way of life.

We invited artists to capture what their town means to them, whether that’s the winding streets and weavers’ cottages, the moody skies and wooded hillsides, or the people, politics, northern grit, inclusivity and independent spirit that makes our towns more than just a pretty face.

This isn’t just about literal landscapes (though we do love a good hill!), it’s about emotion, memory, place and belonging.

From paint to print, clay to cloth, we have brought work together that captures the unique flavour of a Northern town and the creativity it inspires.

Whether you were born there, moved there, or simply found home there, our carefully curated artists are part of this visual storybook - a portrait painted by many hands.

18.01.26 - 19.04.26