Pride at the Crags

Come and discover the origins of Happy Valley Pride here at Gibson Mill. Our newest exhibition on the ground floor includes the tarpaulin scrawled in graffiti that led to the beginning of Happy Valley Pride in 2015.

Back in the summer of 2015, a piece of homophobic graffiti was seen in the town of Hebden Bridge. A reminder that we are still fighting for equality, even in one of the most LGBTQIA+ welcoming towns in the UK. Four locals founded Happy Valley Pride and agreed on a mission:

“To celebrate LGBTQIA+ life in Hebden Bridge and surrounding areas. Promoting equality and diversity to eradicate discrimination, based on sexual orientation and gender identity, through arts, education and engagement.”

With the help of local artists, we turned the offensive graffiti statement into an art piece of celebration and acceptance. Sally Wainwright launched Happy Valley Pride early in 2016 where we proudly displayed the artwork to our community and allowed everybody to add their own messages of hope.

Come along and see the amazing art work created ten years ago - and add your own messages of solidarity and hope to this iconic symbol of community power.