Calder Valley CND’s ‘Our Greenham’ exhibition put the women’s peace camp into the context of the wider struggle against nuclear weapons. The exhibition featured objects from The Peace Museum’s collection and many memories and memorabilia of people from the Calder Valley who were there.

5th September 2021 marked 40 years since women first arrived at Greenham Common in Berkshire to protest against the British Government's decision to store Nuclear Weapons on the site. 

For the next 19 years women stayed at the site to protest, resist and raise awareness of the threat posed by Nuclear Weapons. Together they created Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp, one of the longest and most famous examples of feminist protest.

Artworks was extremely privileged to be able to show some of the objects and artefacts made at and for the peace camp’s protest activities. 

A virtual tour of the exhibition with the show’s curators Calder Valley CND

People play

Psst…If you pass by Artworks you can catch a glimpse of Alice’s wonderful Sculpture. It’s big and Pink- you cant miss it!

We are excited to be part of People Play, a new sculptural commission by Alice Irwin at The Piece Hall Halifax, in collaboration with the Art Charity Dean Clough, Yorkshire sculpture park and the Artworks, funded by the Arts Council England. The Peoples play installation will feature nine colourful sculptures taking over the grounds of the Piece Hall along with two more at Dean Clough and at the Artworks.

These contemporary sculptures reference both Irwins use of colour in her printing, etching and sculptures, along with representing childhood experiences with her large imaginary like figures paying acknowledgement to the families and children working in the once vast array of textile mills (both Dean clough’s and the Artworks building being surviving examples of textile mills) which put Halifax on the world map for cloth production. A strong theme that Peoples Play refers to is the importance of play, Irwin has taken into account the long hours so many children worked in the victorian mills of Halifax and still around the world to this day.

“Re-imagining The Piece Hall courtyard as a place for play is an incredible opportunity. The scale of the space is monumental and by adding into this exceptional example of Georgian architecture some contrasting contemporary and colourful sculptures I hope that the piece will resonate at different levels. On the one hand, we’re creating unusual playground for people to enjoy. At the same time, we’re recognising the roles that families and communities have played in the various stages of the cloth trade and ther impact on wider society. I’m really looking forward to seeing how everyone reacts, and interacts, with Peoples Play”

— Alice Irwin

Creative Learning Activities For The Home Inspired By Alice’s People Play