Join us for our first ever pop-up open studios on the 12th and 13th of September in the Main Yard at Sunny Bank Mills. This is an opportunity for artists, craftspeople, and makers who live in Leeds and do not belong to a collective or studio that is participating in Leeds Open Studios to join us in our inaugural open air pop-up studios as part of our Heritage Festival!

We are pleased to offer the opportunity to 12 artists to sell and exhibit their work over one or two days in the Main Yard of Sunny Bank Mills - any and all mediums are accepted.

This event will be taking place on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th of September 2026 as part of Heritage Open Days – England’s largest celebration of history and culture.

The theme for Heritage Open Days 2026 is Everyday Histories and aims to highlight the everyday stories of working lives.

The pop-up studios will be part of a vibrant weekend of festivities celebrating the rich history of the people of the Mills, including Open Studios across our Spinning Mill, Twisting Mill and Red Lane Mill Studio community.

We're inviting artists, makers and creatives to be part of the festivities by exhibiting and selling their work, in this unique historic setting.

With visitors across the site all weekend coming to explore the mill’s heritage, it's a fantastic opportunity to showcase your practice, connect with the community, and contribute to a weekend where art, culture and local history come together.

Sunny Bank Mills is proud to be part of Leeds Open Studios, a city wide celebration of artists and makers.

POP-UP STUDIO INFORMATION

1 Day Stall - £45

2 Day Stall - £90

Your fee includes a 6ft x 2.5ft wooden trestle table, chair and pop-up gazebo.

A FEW THINGS TO CONSIDER DURING YOUR APPLICATION

• Please include high-quality photos showing examples of work that you would be exhibiting on the weekend. Photos of previous stall layouts are also very helpful.
• We are looking for handcrafted art or products, so will not accept applications from stallholders selling mass-produced items, repackaged sweets, hampers etc.
• Exhibitors must be selling their own work (unless part of a collective or studio).
• Please note that our events do get incredibly busy at points and may not be the best environment for anyone with sensory sensitivities. If you have any questions or concerns regarding accessibility, please message our CuratorSpace account.
• Similar to this, the event will take place outside and while it will be physically accessible, may not be suitable for everyone!

You will be contacted via CuratorSpace if your application has been chosen.

If accepted, you will be allocated a day or days to exhibit via CuratorSpace.

Your stallholder guidelines and invoicing information will be emailed to you closer to the time of the event.

Please ensure the email address you use on your application is correct and up to date.

Applications for this event are free, and we are only accepting applications via CuratorSpace.