Editing Wakefield (section)

==Culture==
The [[Theatre Royal, Wakefield|Theatre Royal Wakefield]] on Westgate, designed by architect [[Frank Matcham]], opened in 1894 as the Opera House, and currently presents a programme of entertainment including musicals, drama, live music, stand-up comedy and dance.<ref name="theatreroyalwakefield">{{cite web |title=theatreroyalwakefield |url=http://www.theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk/aboutus/ |publisher=theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk |access-date=20 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091128095746/http://www.theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk/aboutus/ |archive-date=28 November 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
[[File:Theatre Royal, Wakefield (17216645475).jpg|thumb|Theatre Royal]]

Wakefield's two central libraries moved into the £31&nbsp;million [[Wakefield One]] in October 2012. The new library was officially opened by singer [[Jarvis Cocker]] on 10 November 2012.<ref>{{cite news |title=Jarvis Cocker opens new Wakefield library |work=BBC News |date=10 November 2012 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-20279865 |access-date=17 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904133046/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-20279865 |archive-date=4 September 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Wakefield Museum]] moved from the former Mechanics' Institute on Wood Street to Wakefield One at the same time. The museum was officially opened by [[David Attenborough|Sir David Attenborough]] on 9 March 2013.<ref>{{cite web |title=Wakefield Museum |url=http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/CultureAndLeisure/Castlesandmuseums/Museums/Wakefield/default.htm |publisher=Wakefield Council |access-date=17 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130501022013/http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/CultureAndLeisure/Castlesandmuseums/Museums/Wakefield/default.htm |archive-date=1 May 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Balne Lane library once managed a regional collection of more than 500,000 items of music and 90,000 copies of plays for Yorkshire Libraries & Information (YLI).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/CultureAndLeisure/Libraries/FindLibrary/MusicAndDramaLibrary/default.htm |title=Yorkshire Libraries and Information Music and Drama |publisher=Wakefield Council |access-date=2 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110308102758/http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/CultureAndLeisure/Libraries/FindLibrary/MusicAndDramaLibrary/default.htm |archive-date=8 March 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> The Yorkshire Music and Drama Library at Balne Lane closed on 31 March 2012 when the music section moved to Huddersfield and the drama section to Leeds.<ref>{{cite web |title=Music and Drama Library |url=http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/CultureAndLeisure/Libraries/FindLibrary/MusicAndDramaLibrary/default.htm |publisher=Wakefield Council |access-date=17 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110308102758/http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/CultureAndLeisure/Libraries/FindLibrary/MusicAndDramaLibrary/default.htm |archive-date=8 March 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:The Hepworth Wakefield - geograph.org.uk - 1507085.jpg|thumb|The Hepworth Wakefield and the River Calder]]

In May 2011 [[The Hepworth Wakefield]] gallery opened on the south bank of the River Calder near Wakefield Bridge, displaying work by local artists Barbara Hepworth and [[Henry Moore]] and other British and international artists. The gallery is thought to be the largest purpose-built gallery to open in the United Kingdom since 1968.<ref name="Gallery" >{{cite news |title=New Barbara Hepworth gallery opens in Wakefield |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-13483212 |work=BBC News |access-date=22 May 2011 |date=21 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521112459/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-13483212 |archive-date=21 May 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Wakefield's three adjoining parks have a history dating back to 1893 when Clarence Park opened on land near Lawe Hill. The adjacent Holmefield Estate was acquired in 1919, followed by Thornes House in 1924, becoming Holmefield Park and [[Thornes Park]] respectively. The three parks form Wakefield Park to the south west of the city.<ref name="chatparks">{{cite web |title=CHaT Parks |url=http://www.chatparks.org.uk/index.php?pageid=20 |publisher=chatparks.org |access-date=20 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100607122946/http://www.chatparks.org.uk/index.php?pageid=20 |archive-date=7 June 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Clarence Park Festival|Clarence Park Music Festival]] is held annually in Clarence Park, promoting local bands.<ref name="CPMF">{{cite web |title=Clarence Park Music Festival |url=http://www.themusiccollective.co.uk/ |publisher=themusiccollective |access-date=18 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090418211227/http://www.themusiccollective.co.uk/ |archive-date=18 April 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Wakefield's newspaper, the ''[[Wakefield Express]]'',<ref name="WEx">{{cite news |title=Wakefield Express |url=http://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/ |publisher=wakefieldexpress.co.uk |access-date=22 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091029131404/http://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/ |archive-date=29 October 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> was founded in 1852. Another newspaper, the ''Wakefield Guardian'' was established in 2007, but has ceased publishing.{{cn|date=November 2024}}

Local news and television programmes is provided by [[BBC Yorkshire]] and [[ITV Yorkshire]]. Television signals are received from the [[Emley Moor transmitting station|Emley Moor]] TV transmitter.

Wakefield's local radio stations are [[BBC Radio Leeds]], [[Heart Yorkshire]], [[Capital Yorkshire]] and [[Ridings FM]], was founded in 1999,<ref name="rfm">{{cite web |title=RidingsFM |url=http://www.ridingsfm.co.uk/ |publisher=ridingsfm.co.uk |access-date=22 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091130153957/http://www.ridingsfm.co.uk/ |archive-date=30 November 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> and rebranded in September 2020 as [[Greatest Hits Radio West Yorkshire]].

Wakefield is known as the capital of the [[Rhubarb Triangle]], an area notable for growing early forced [[rhubarb]]. In July 2005 a sculpture was erected to celebrate this facet of Wakefield, and there is an annual 'Wakefield Festival of Food, Drink and Rhubarb" which takes place over the last weekend in February.<ref>{{harvnb|Bell|2009|p=2}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Rhubarb |url=http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/cgi-bin/MsmGo.exe?grab_id=0&page_id=12377&query=rhubarb&SCOPE=www.wakefield.gov.uk&hiword=RHUBARBS%20rhubarb%20 |publisher=Wakefield Council |access-date=7 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130728154009/http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/cgi-bin/MsmGo.exe?grab_id=0&page_id=12377&query=rhubarb&SCOPE=www.wakefield.gov.uk&hiword=RHUBARBS%20rhubarb%20 |archive-date=28 July 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Rhubarb">{{cite web |title=Rhubarb Festival |url=http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/CultureAndLeisure/RhubarbFestival/default.htm |publisher=Wakefield Council |access-date=20 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100205114427/http://www.wakefield.gov.uk/CultureAndLeisure/RhubarbFestival/default.htm |archive-date=5 February 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The West Riding Registry of Deeds on Newstead Road is the headquarters of the West Yorkshire Archive Service, housing records from the former West Riding and West Yorkshire counties, and is the record office for the Wakefield Metropolitan District.<ref name=WYJS>{{cite web |url=http://www.archives.wyjs.org.uk/index.asp?pg=ablocw2.html |title=W Yorkshire Archives |publisher=wyjs.org.uk |access-date=13 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611043210/http://www.archives.wyjs.org.uk/index.asp?pg=ablocw2.html |archive-date=11 June 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1913 Albert Winstanley opened the Picture House cinema in Westgate. Shortly after opening it was renamed the Playhouse, and by 1972 it was part of the Classic cinema chain. It is now a nightclub.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theatrestrust.org.uk/resources/theatres/show/2326-playhouse-wakefield |title=Playhouse (Wakefield) |publisher=The Theatres Trust |access-date=22 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224111401/http://www.theatrestrust.org.uk/resources/theatres/show/2326-playhouse-wakefield |archive-date=24 December 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1935 [[Associated British Cinemas]] (ABC) opened the Regal Cinema in Kirkgate. The [[Art Deco]] building was renamed the ABC in 1962 and became a [[The Cannon Group|Cannon]] in 1986. [[Cineworld]]'s first purpose-built multiplex in Britain opened in Wakefield in December 1996. The ABC closed in 1997 and has remained derelict, but there have been successive proposals to redevelop or demolish it.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/news/local-news/former-abc-cinema-on-kirkgate-will-make-way-for-new-homes-and-shops-1-6301083 |title=Former ABC cinema on Kirkgate will make way for new homes and shops |newspaper=[[Wakefield Express]] |publisher=[[Johnston Press]] |date=7 December 2013 |access-date=22 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224103731/http://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/news/local-news/former-abc-cinema-on-kirkgate-will-make-way-for-new-homes-and-shops-1-6301083 |archive-date=24 December 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> The ABC cinema was finally and fully demolished in August 2023

The British rock band [[The Beatles]] played at the [[ABC Cinema, Wakefield|ABC Cinema Wakefield]] on 7 February 1963 as part of the Helen Shapiro Winter Tour. The Cinema may still have been named the Regal at the time. This was their only performance in Wakefield and took place just a few days before the band recorded their first album [[Please Please Me]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Lewisohn |first1=Mark |title=The Complete Beatles Chronicle |date=2004 |publisher=Hamlyn |isbn=9780681028906 |page=99}}</ref>

===Film and television locations===
The 1963 film ''[[This Sporting Life]]'' starring [[Richard Harris]], [[Rachel Roberts (actress)|Rachel Roberts]], [[William Hartnell]] and [[Arthur Lowe]] was partially filmed in Wakefield, specifically at [[Wakefield Trinity]] Rugby Ground, Belle Vue, the area around the top of Westgate and the demolished "Locarno Night Club" – Southgate, now the Cathedral entrance to [[The Ridings Centre|Ridings Shopping Centre]]. The film's screenplay was by Wakefield born writer [[David Storey]].<ref>{{cite web |title=IMDB This Sporting Life Filming Locations |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057578/locations |website=IMDB |access-date=12 November 2022 |archive-date=13 November 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221113094248/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057578/locations |url-status=live }}</ref>

The 1996 film ''[[Brassed Off]]'', starring [[Ewan McGregor]], was partly filmed at [[National Coal Mining Museum for England|The National Coal Mining Museum]] in Wakefield.{{citation needed|date=November 2022}}

The 2018 television mini series ''[[The ABC Murders (TV series)|The ABC Murders]]'', starring [[John Malkovich]], [[Eamon Farren]], [[Michael Shaeffer]] and [[Rupert Grint]] was partly filmed at [[St John the Baptist's Church, Wakefield, West Yorkshire|St Johns Baptist's Church]] and St John's Square.{{citation needed|date=November 2022}}