WELCOME TO THE CENTRE FOR FOLKLORE MYTH MAGIC
Todmorden, West Yorkshire
A home and meeting point for Folklore in the North of England.
Arts Film Crafts Library Archive Education Workshops Exhibitions Storytelling Conferences Local Folk History
Autumn/ winter Opening times:
Wednesday-Friday 10am-3pm
Saturday 10am-4pm
Sunday- events only
F.A.E. FRIDAYS
Starting 27th January 2023, 6.30-9.30pm
FAE meet-ups are a place for film lovers, creators and mischief makers to converge every last Friday of the month to pool insights and inspiration in a relaxed and informal space. At every session we’ll watch a film from our library’s archive, then begin a loosely guided dissection of its themes and execution – the good, the bad and the downright bizarre!
During the month that follows attendees are encouraged to create their own work, of any medium, in response to what they saw, be that a mashed potato Stoodley Pike or a Haiku’d ‘Ode to the Wee Folk’. Previous skills are not required, and the only limits are your own imagination. Films will be selected from a range of experimental and B-movie cult classics to modern reimaging's of old tales. Take our word for it, things are likely to get weird.
FAE Friday’s are adult only events as many of the movies have unsettling adult content. FAE have come to stir up your subconscious and get those creative cauldrons a-bubbling!
Members only, please see events tab for membership.
Folkloristan
presents
Whispers of the Past:
Pakistani Folklore Unveiled
21st July-21st September 2023
Tales We Tell
Saturday 14th October
Free entry
Bryony Good
Uncanny Writing Workshop
28th October 2023
For tickets: see events tab
The Devil at the Window
with
Jacqueline Harris
28th October 2023
4pm
For tickets: see events tab.
PREVIOUS EVENTS
FAIRY LIGHT
21st July- 23rd September 2023
Harry Wheeler
Precognitive Dreams
Saturday 23rd September 4pm
For tickets see events tab
Ali Matthews:
A Fungal Gothic
Saturday 16th September 4pm
For tickets see events tab
Witch of Salopia
Harvest Traditions of Britain
Saturday 9th September 4pm
For tickets see events tab
Jacqueline Harris
The Cinderella Experiment
19th August 2023 4pm
See events tab for tickets.
Garry Stringfellow
Sowerby Rushbearing:
History and Tradition
Saturday 12th August 2023
For tickets: see events tab
Acting Out Mushroom Language
Ali Matthews with Live Wild
Saturday 15th July
1-3pm
Helen Frisby
Traditions of Death and Burial
Saturday 1st July 2023
For tickets, see events tab.
Cerys Hafana
Triple Harp
Friday 16th June 2023
for tickets, see events tab
TELL ME WHERE ALL PAST YEARS ARE: A JOURNEY THROUGH PSYCHICAL CALDERDALE
An art exhibition by Oliver Neilson
Launch event 5pm 26th May 2023
FOLKLORE TAPES PRESENTS THE RITUAL YEAR- BOOK LAUNCH
24th June 2023 5-8pm
For tickets, see events tab.
HOODED ENTITIES
Steve Jones - Saturday 10 June 2023
This talk will look at sightings of hooded entities large and small, both at sites and by people being haunted and suggest a possible explanation, as well as covering Steve's own sighting at Tamworth Castle.
Steve Jones is the founder of Britain's oldest Pagan Moot. A co-founder of The Oakleaf Pagan Camp and for 21 years Britain's only Pagan Magistrate. He has featured on TV, Radio and both local and national newspapers as well as being mentioned in books. He is interested in folklore, paganism, Forteana or anything weird!
See Upcoming Events page for tickets
LUCKY TOD EXHIBITION
1ST APRIL TO 21ST MAY 2023
EXTENDED!
Launch event Saturday 1st April, 4pm with guest speaker Ceri Houlbrook.
FREE, all welcome!
Supported by Todmorden Town Council
STORYTELLING- DEMONS, DARKNESS AND DEADLY DAMSELS
Graeme Cooke - Saturday 27th May 2023
Storyteller Graeme Cooke performs tellings of two darker stories from English legend, taken from his podcast Tales of Britain and Ireland.
Starting off with some very atypical Princesses, and finishing with a tale about the night the moon (foolishly) came to Earth.
Told with humour, wandering asides and above all else a great love for the stories.
Please note that, as with much folklore, adult themes will be covered - 16+ recommended.
See Upcoming Events page for tickets
IN A LAND - CREATIVE LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP
Bryony Good - 20 May 2023 11am - 1pm
Join Bryony for an inspiring walk around the local environment, be guided in your photographing and then bring your photos back to the Centre for a creative workshop.
See Upcoming Events for tickets
THE BALLAD OF JOHNNY ARMSTRANG
Talk, Film and Live Performance from John Armstrong and Friends
Saturday April 29th 2023, 4pm
See events tab for tickets.
SOPHIE PARKES-NIELD
OUT OF HUMAN SIGHT- WRITING A NOVEL FROM THE FOLKLORE OF MURDER
SATURDAY 22ND APRIL 2023, 4PM
Please see events tab for tickets
DIRECTOR GEORGE POPOV PRESENTS SIDEWORLD: DAMNATION VILLAGE, WITH Q&A
Saturday 15th April 2023, 4pm, £7
EXHIBITION
JEREMY BURGOYNE
ECHOES OF ELMET
11th January to 11th March 2023
FREE to view during opening hours
LUCKY TOD PROJECT
Throughout January and February we are collecting anecdotes from the people of Tod leading to an exhibition and publication which will be launched on 1st April. We'd love to hear from YOU!
What do you keep of do for luck? What did your parents or grandparents do? What do your children still carry on doing? We want to find out the customs and traditions of Todmorden. From seeing two magpies, not stepping on the cracks in the pavement, a black cat crossing your path, ladders, umbrellas, see a penny, pick it up... four leafed clover, turning your purse under a new moon, a coin in the Christmas pud... please get in touch and let's find out what customs and traditions we have in our town. Please us the contact page, email folkloremythmagic@gmail.com or pop in and see us!
JO HIRONS MCAVOY
KILL THAT WOMAN!
The Fatal Princess and the Forgotten Pandemic- the True Story of Oscar Wilde's Salome and the Dance of the Seven Veils
Saturday 18th March 2023, 4pm
For tickets, see events tab.
Burd Ellen plus support
Sunday 5th March 2023, 3pm
For tickets, see events tab
JACQUELINE HARRIS
THE SECRET LIFE OF STORIES
Saturday 4th March 2023, 4pm
See events tab for tickets
MOSS MATTHEY QUEERING FOLKLORE
Saturday 25th February 2023, 4pm, £5
For tickets, please see events tab.
HOLLY ELSDON
PORTALS, OTHERWORLDS AND THE LEGEND OF ONG'S HAT
Saturday 18th February, 4pm
For tickets: see events tab.
GARRY STRINGFELLOW
THE RUSHBEARING TRADITION IN CALDERDALE AND THE NORTH
Saturday 4th February 2023, 4pm
For tickets, see events tab.
JACQUELINE HARRIS
THE CINDERELLA EXPERIMENT
WORKSHOP
Sunday 22nd January, 1-4pm
For tickets, see events tab.
CLAIRE SLACK AND HOLLY ELSDON- FUNGI FOLKLORE EXHIBITION
Part of the Being Human Festival event- Breaking Through to Faerie: Re-enchantment and the Gothic Folklore of Fungi. (see below) Runs until January 21st, 2023, Free. In the Saker Tea Room.
ELIZABETH HOPKINSON
MORE ASEXUAL FAIRY TALES LAUNCH
Saturday 21st January 2023, 4pm
Readings
Book signing
Art for sale
Cake!
FREE please register your place on the events tab.
JEREMY HARTE AND HOLLY ELSDON: THE COMING OF THE FAIRIES: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW...
Free exhibition in the Saker Tea Room, runs until December 31st, 2022
WHITBY KRAMPUS RUN ON TOUR
WITH JOHN BILLINGSLEY AND FRIENDS
Saturday 17th December 2022
We will be joined by the Krampuses of Whitby for an afternoon of talks and thoughts about European Christmas traditions from Krampus to Yule and more...
Followed by our Alice meets the Krampus Mad Hatter's Tea Party- a well deserved Christmas party to celebrate all we've acheived this year. Expect lots of Krampus mischief!