Submit your zine or book to be part of the Zine Library for our upcoming exhibition that celebrates contemporary craft and explores how our emotional attachment to everyday objects can survive a break, fracture, or tear.

About the exhibition:

Broken / Makeshift is an exhibition that celebrates contemporary craft by finding the beauty in everyday objects and explores how our emotional attachment to them can survive a break, fracture, or tear.

The show and surrounding programme will highlight modern and historic methods of mending, inviting a conversation about how our relationship to things has changed since the popularisation of mass production and the recent resurgence of upcycling, repurposing, and repair.

Craft is a powerful tool to unpack our understanding of self through objects. 

We want to draw on the heritage of the Mills and shine a light on the rich textile culture here by showcasing craft in the Gallery. The show includes ceramics, jewellery, furniture and textiles. 

There are some works in the show that will explore the idea of the maker themselves being ‘broken’, in a bid to further the dialogue around visibility of disability in contemporary craft.

We are working with artists who have lived experience of disability or have self-identified with the theme.

We are keen for audiences to leave the exhibition with an unexpected feeling of hope and newfound appreciation for the items they spend their lives with. 

About Sunny Bank Mills:

Sunny Bank Mills is an inspirational cultural destination in the heart of the local community of Farsley, Leeds.

Founded in 1829, Sunny Bank Mills offers beautifully restored creative business spaces for both small and large organisations.

Sunny Bank Mills Gallery is the epicentre of our arts programme, spanning exhibitions, workshops, studio spaces and events.

Sunny Bank Mills Museum & Archive protects and promotes the history of the Mills and the community.

The Gallery, located in a 3,000 sq. ft. former cloth warehouse, has hosted diverse exhibitions and events for the past 10 years. Our annual Ones to Watch exhibition has supported over 350 emerging Yorkshire artists.

We are enhancing our Arts and Heritage Programmes, focusing on inclusion and accessibility. The Gallery also features a shop and tearoom, and runs an extensive workshop programme. The Mills has a large artist studio community.

More on Access at Sunny Bank Mills

What are we looking for? 

We are looking for zines and books to include on our Zine Library within the Gallery.  

If selected, your work be seen by thousands of visitors throughout the course of the exhibition and may be featured on our social media with a reach of 30,000+ followers.

Through this open call, we hope to hear from a range of voices, and strongly encourage emerging artists to apply.

Eligibility:

We will be accepting work that is for sale in limited or unlimited runs, one-off artists' books and books that are not for sale.

Please note - the work featured in the library will be handled by visitors on a daily basis, so please consider this when applying.

Applications are welcome from anyone based within the UK and Ireland.

Accepted formats:

• Photographic or illustrative zines or self published books
• Artists’ books
• Poetry or prose books / pamphlets
• Dummy / prototype books

Relevant themes

• Mending
• Repair
• Archiving
• Preservation
• Craft
• Mental health
• Physical Health
• Disability
• Upcycling
• Sustainability
• Sentimentality
• Heirlooms
• Heritage 

Tips to strengthen your application:

• Attach clean, high-quality photos of the work you plan to exhibit and add names and approximate dimensions.
• Please include any other images that support your application or will help to create an impression of your practice as a whole.
• Clearly describe the work you are submitting, as well as discuss your practice in general.

Important dates and additional information:

The exhibition runs 11th October - 24th December 2025 at Sunny Bank Mills Gallery, Leeds.

Work will need to arrive to the Gallery w/c 29th September at the latest.

Work will remain in the library throughout the duration of the exhibition. If work is for sale, 1 copy will be a display copy to include on the library trolley until the exhibition ends.

Postage costs can be covered upon request, as we may request up to 5 zines/books if available.

Our standard rate of commission is  45% including VAT, so please consider this when pricing your work.

Please include the retail price on your application form.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Midnight on Sunday, 21st September.

Find out more about the exhibition on our website.

When applying for this opportunity, we would really appreciate it if you could fill out our equal opportunities survey here.

If you have any questions or need support with your application, please contact us here on Curatorspace.