News

A Lion guards the Sheep….

Posted: 17/06/2019

A vacant shop in Huddersfield’s historic Lion Arcade has been re-purposed for several weeks – as an art installation.

To those of a certain age the shop will be fondly remembered as Hays Shoe Shop which will, over the coming weeks, play host to a series of local art events and exhibitions featuring artists from Huddersfield and afar.

The series of events is called Yan Tan Tether and the first part of the programme Yan: Atropelos opened it’s doors to the public on Thursday 6th June.

The project is the vision of Dave Charlesworth, London based but originally from Quarmby, Huddersfield, who along with creative production company KitMapper, has applied the drive. Dave said: “I was born and raised here in Huddersfield so I’m incredibly happy to be able to breathe some life into part of this historic building and use it as a platform to showcase some of the wonderful talent we have fostered here in Yorkshire.”

Dave was quick to thank Kirklees Council, Arts Council England, the landlord Lion Estates and Walker Singleton – Lions’ property agents. Phil Deakin of Hanson Chartered Surveyors, part of the Walker Singleton Group of Companies, commented “Dave first approached us with the kernel of his idea looking for help in identifying suitable properties and receptive landlords. Lion Estates are longstanding local investors who I felt confident would support the project due to the shared strong local ties and efforts to add diversity and new interest into the town centre  – and so it proved”. He added “the unit remains available to let and ready for occupation as soon as the exhibition ends allowing the next Hays Shoe’s to make their own memorable mark in Huddersfield town centre.”

For those not familiar with sheep farming in Northern England – Yan Tan Tethera was a form of counting language used by shepherds to count their flock where words were used instead of numbers.