Our Freedom – a celebration of creativity and community
2025 September 16Local community groups and artists unite with Lawrence Batley Theatre on an exciting new national project to explore what freedom means to us 80 years after the end of the Second World War.
Lawrence Batley Theatre is delighted to be one of the organisations taking part in Our Freedom Then and Now, a £2 million national creative programme marking the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Supported by the UK Government through Arts Council England, the Future Arts Centres and Libraries Connected, the initiative will see 60 arts centres and libraries across Britain present community-led projects exploring the legacy of VE Day.
At the launch of the campaign in June, Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage gave a reading of a specially commissioned poem Freedom Road. This became the initial inspiration for organisations to explore the legacy of VE Day through community-led events, including exhibitions, performances and installations.
For the project, Lawrence Batley Theatre have partnered with local groups Sikh Soldiers, Ukrainian Friendship Group, IASK (Immigration and Asylum Support Kirklees) and 6 Million Plus. Each group has been collaborating with a local artist, using different sections of the poem and their own chosen medium to express what freedom means to them.
We will be hosting a free celebration event Our Freedom on Sun 19 October which will see all the groups and artists come together to share their art and performances where all are welcome.
Our Chief Executive Becky Dash told us what it means to our theatre to be part of this special national campaign.
“We are delighted to be part of Our Freedom: Then and Now. At Lawrence Batley Theatre, we believe the arts have the power to bring people together, spark conversation and celebrate different voices. Working with sanctuary seekers, local community groups and South Asian communities here in Kirklees allows us to explore what freedom means today through shared creativity and storytelling. This project is not only about remembering our past, but also about recognising the hopes, challenges and diverse experiences that shape our collective future.”
At the beginning of the project, we came together for our first joint session where we shared ideas and creative activities to inspire each other. Since the first joint session, the community groups and artists involved in the project have begun running their individual workshop sessions to collaborate on their art and performance pieces ahead of the celebration event in October.
Hardeep Sahota, who is an Artist/Creative Practitioner and one of Lawrence Batley Theatre’s Community Ambassadors, is working with the Sikh Soldiers group to explore their journey within the Huddersfield community.
“This celebration is not only about marking key historical moments like the end of the Second World War; it's about recognising the lived experiences of those who came after — people like our grandfathers and fathers who, after serving in global conflicts, arrived in post-war Britain and built new lives in the foundries and mills of Yorkshire. Their labour and love laid the foundations for the thriving communities we are part of today.
Our contribution to this year’s event looks at that legacy in all its depth — from the battlefields of the world wars to the building of Guru Nanak Gurudwara in Springwood, the first purpose-built Sikh temple of its kind in the UK. That milestone — now reaching its Golden Jubilee — is a reminder of how far we’ve come as a community. From worshipping in converted houses to raising funds, laying bricks, and building something that would serve generations.”
We are looking forward to seeing the collaboration between Hardeep and the Sikh Soldiers and to see how the other local groups and artists have interpreted what freedom means to them - both in 1945 and now in 2025. We hope that our local community will join us for Our Freedom to reflect on the past, to commemorate those who shaped our present and to reimagine the future through art and creativity.
Our Freedom - A Celebration Event is on Sun 19 October from 2pm. This is a free event and there is no need to book, all are welcome.
