IN just one year, Holmfirth Arts Festival has become part of the local landscape; a three-week celebration of the creative talent that keeps the Holme Valley buzzing.

When the festival organisers first got together, they could hardly have hoped for a bigger success story for an event, which they created to spread the word about the depth and diversity of artistic talent, which packs every corner of the area.

A year on from that first festival, it seems like the event has always been there. And as the countdown begins to a new collection of cultural events featuring everything from jazz, outdoor sculpture, orchestras, youth theatre, classical guitar, the music of Bob Dylan, mechanical toys and literature to street dance, the idea of this being a very new festival seems impossible.

Gervase Phinn, one of the country’s best loved comic authors, will share his gift for storytelling in the festival’s headline event at Holmfirth Church on June 12.

Writer Michael Gray, a world authority on the work of Bob Dylan, will be in town too to share his thoughts on the musicians and the Poetry of the Blues.

The literature theme continues with the nomination of a festival book, which will be debated by the Festival Book Club. There will be a chance to meet Paul Dowsell, author of this year’s choice, Auslander, the story of a young boy in Nazi Germany.

Many of the Valley’s artists will contribute work to the festival. The popular art market returns on June 7 and 14, selling work by dozens of professional artists who live and work in the Holme Valley.

This is where you can see and buy, textiles, jewellery, paintings, sculpture, ceramics, leatherwork, photographs, woodwork and many other crafts and visual arts.

For those whose passion is music, the festival offers everything from jazz, with Holmfirth-based New Orleans Wiggle, to the sound of Schubert played by the Silvana Quartet in the idyllic rural setting of Choppards Mission. Local singers and musicians will sing Handel’s Messiah in Holmfirth Parish Church on June 7, the festival’s opening weekend.

Look out too for a rare concert appearance in this country by musical duo Arrin whose him is in France and whose work is more often heard at French folk festivals. Andrea (flute) and Richard Heaney (guitar) are graduates of Leeds College of Music and they will play on June 13 in Holmbridge Church, the place where they were married.

Richard’s parents, Brian and Bridget Heaney, still live in the Holme Valley.

There are strong local connections too for Max Kenworthy, a young organist of considerable repute. Max was born in Huddersfield, his parents still live in the area and he is now based in London as a freelance organist, pianist, singer and conductor.

He spent six years in New Zealand giving recitals both there and in Australia though his work has brought him back to Europe. Max will play at Holmbridge Parish Church on June 20.

The festival also has a large series of family workshops aimed at getting children, mums and dads and grandparents involved in making things together.

Sculptor Mick Kirkby-Geddes will be showing you how to make beautiful things out of all kinds of household rubbish. You can make a willow lantern, design a T-shirt, or try out street dance or African drumming.

Popular events such as Vanstallation, where artists create a weird, wacky but fun world inside their vans, are back.

New this year is Art in the Woods, a collection of outdoor art created by artists in Hade Edge. It’s a place to explore, be inspired and see art reflecting nature and working in harmony. with it. More on that, and the art markets, next week.