It seems like Welland was only yesterday, and yet, as I write this, it’s been almost an entire month since we came together to celebrate all things arts for wellbeing in Elland. A truly inspiring and uplifting day, Welland welcomed community members, artists and practitioners from all walks of life to Elland Community Hub, joining us to sing, dance, craft and chat.
Upstairs in the main hall, organisations doing fantastic work in the community set up their stalls. Wandering around I saw a myriad of insightful conversations, as well as people busy at work on drop-in craft stalls making unique decorations and contributing to a community mural.
Downstairs, workshops were in full swing, as people got stuck in, learning musical instruments, dancing and more! The grins on the faces of participants as they tried something new really lit up the room. There was even a chance for the budding ukulele players to share their newfound talents with the crowd in the main hall, a stage that was shared later with dancers and choirs alike, giving drop-in performances that captivated the room. We even got to enjoy time to rest and recharge with homemade soup and chilli at lunchtime, courtesy of Elland Community Hub volunteers.
As the daylight began to fade, we transformed the space; we wrestled with trestle tables, laid out chairs, turned on the fairy lights and got ready for our evening of performances. The packed audience was treated to a smorgasbord of Calderdale’s artistic talent. First, Annapurna Indian Dance took us on a journey with masterful Indian music and dancing complete with dazzling costumes. Then, Elland Silver Band’s Community Band had the crowd clapping in time as they shared a variety of hits. This was followed by Musa who shared his insightful and moving poetry based on his own experiences as a refugee, throughout which you could have heard a pin drop in the audience. Finally, Curious Motion’s very own inclusive adult performance company, of which I was proud to be a part of, performed ‘This Here Land’ – a piece about Elland, for Elland, inspired by the dancers’ own experiences and the rich cultural landscape of Calderdale itself.
It truly was a magical day. I had the pleasure of meeting and chatting to a variety of passionate people, sharing their ideas, artistry and compassion with their community. As we packed up for the night, I was filled with warmth at the celebration that the day had been. And of course, we were all also filled with tiredness and headed off home to tip ourselves into bed!
If you’d like to find out more about Welland and Curious Motion’s other community projects, head to our website: www.curiousmotion.org.uk. Check out our socials too, and keep an eye out for a special video all about the day!
