Mill expands to meet demand for art studios

A former textile mill in Leeds has announced the successful expansion of its studio provision for artists after the closure of other arts spaces in the city.

Ten years ago Sunny Bank Mills in Farsley was home to nine artists, but there are now 48 of them in residence.

The new studios are in the Red Lane Mill area of the complex, which was where the pattern looms were during the mill's operational years.

Sunny Bank Mills arts director Anna Turzynski said: "After spending three years of my life championing the culture of our city, it was devastating to feel the sector being forced out of Leeds."

Textile production at the mill ended in 2008 and it has since been restored as a destination for culture, leisure and retail.

The studios will host a variety of artists working across mediums such as ceramics, signwriting, textiles and weaving.

Leeds has lost arts spaces such as Aire Street Workshops, The Tetley and Sheaf St in recent years.

More than 100 applications to occupy the new studios were received within an hour of them being advertised.

Ms Turzynski said: "I think there is a massive demand and I think it's such a shame that so many places have had to close around the region because of various different factors.

"We were just really fortunate to have the space and to be able to notice the need and act on it."

The site also has a large art gallery as well as a museum and archive. Its owners are the sixth generation of the same family to run the business.

Ms Turzynski added: "It's all about the legacy of what happened here before it closed.

"For that similar level of quality and skill to be valued in the same space, to me, just feels really satisfying.

"I think there's something about the circularity of that, that these spaces were built and designed for people to make in and that now people are able to do that again, it is just really special."

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.