To Sunny Bank
Sunny Bank Mills , home of the Sewing Bee, have an Open Studio event this weekend as part of their Heritage Festival where you can visit their Spinning Mill, Twisting & Red Lane Mill Studios for the opportunity to meet and chat to resident artists, meet talented makers and artists, discover their processes and buy new work direct from independent artists and craftspeople. Happening as part of Leeds Open Studios.
This year, local artists to exhibit their work at the Mills in their first Pop-Up Studios in the Main Yard. Come along to see the work of artists and makers usually working from home studios.
To Crafty Wales
For those in Wales, the Craft Festival Wales returns to Cardigan Castle in September following rapturous praise from audiences and makers alike. Founded in 2023, Craft Festival Wales is dedicated to supporting makers, celebrating Welsh making and creating cultural and economic opportunities for communities in Ceredigion and beyond.
Craft Festival Wales will host 100 exceptional makers at Cardigan Castle featuring The Capital of Craft LIVE, Out of the Woods, demonstrations, exhibitions, workshops, children’s activities, live music, sculpture trail, theatre & storytelling with satellite events hosted across the Town.
To Secondhand
A bit late to the party but it is secondhand September this month - a reason to try Vinted if you haven’t already, pop to your local charity shop or persuade a friend to have a swap to liven up your autumn wardrobe.
In a world of overproduction and overconsumption, small habits can create real change. Oxfam’s Second Hand September is about building a fairer future, without compromising on style or joy and who better to front the campaign this year than Richard E. Grant. For those who remember Withal & I, he is the perfect front man.
The reason is that making clothes uses vast amounts of the planet’s precious resources and 4 in 10 Brits have worn an item of clothing just once. The water used to make those barely worn new garments would fill 88 billion single-use bottles. Choosing pre-loved clothing is a simple way to reduce the environmental impact of your wardrobe.
So, the good news is: what you wear has power. Every time you choose second hand whether that’s finding a vintage tee or donating what you no longer wear, you’re dressing for the world you want and directly funding meaningful change.
Please let us know if you have any suggestions for events, exhibitions, books, workshops or just an artist that you like and we will do our best to include it in future.
Have. good weekend and let us know if you go to any of the events listed here, Charlotte