Does your creative practice explore storytelling through folklore, whether passed down through generations or from your own personal lore? Apply now to take part in an exhibition that celebrates folklore. FREE TO APPLY.

PLEASE NOTE THIS OPPORTUNITY IS NOW CLOSED AS THE DEADLINE HAS PASSED. 

What is LORE?

LORE is an exhibition and surrounding events hosted at Sunny Bank Mills. It will platform artists and creatives who are inspired by folklore. Sharing stories of identity, whether through generational lore or new narratives.

What is Folklore?

Folklore encompasses customs, tales, sayings, dances, material objects or any art forms preserved among a people, rooted in place and time, memorialising communities
and celebrating the personal craft of the artist or artists.

Folklore is continually evolving and can be used as a tool to help us connect and make sense of personal and social landscapes that can be challenging to navigate. Folklore is created by people.

Folk can refer to any group of people whatsoever who share at least one common factor. That linking factor could be location, occupation, language or religion. This is not a static history, the 'folk' (people) and the 'lore' (stories) continually inform and influence each other.

Why Folklore?

Folk culture has been historically overlooked as an artform due to the influence of many voices shaping and moulding it.

Folklore does not have a single author. They develop as different people tell them over time. As such, they are creations of “the folk,” or the people.

Folklore is the voice of community artfully expressed in many forms and help improve intercultural and intergenerational understanding.

Who we are

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

https://www.sunnybankmills.co.uk/arts/

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: https://www.sunnybankmills.co.uk/arts/access/

What you are applying for

We are looking for artists, makers, musicians, performers, poets, designers and creatives working in any media to present work in our exhibition.

The exhibition will take place between October 19th and December 24th 2024.

There are different commissions available:

-         x10 Seed* commissions of £154.00 (NB. Even if you are not successful at this stage, artists may be asked to feature in the exhibition with existing work)

-         x1 commission for an outdoor artwork of £2,558.00, made by an artist with over 3+ years of experience. This commission includes a materials budget.

-         X1 commission for an artwork of £2,558.00, made by an artist with over 3+ years of experience. This commission includes a materials budget.

-         X1 commission for an artwork of £1,949.30, made by an artist who has just graduated arts education alternative or formal e.g. self-taught or Leeds Arts University Graduate. This commission includes a materials budget.

All art created via the commissions will remain the intellecual property of the artist, not the gallery. 

*A Seed Commission is a small amount of money, equivalent to a day’s pay in this scenario, to enable an artist to make an application, develop an idea or test something out. 

What we are looking for

-         Artists can apply with new or existing work in any medium.

-         No formal qualifications are necessary to apply for this opportunity, but we do want to see examples of your work and hear about your practice.

-         Artists can be based anywhere in the UK to apply. Please note: If you are hoping to access studio space at Sunny Bank Mills you will need to be within commutable distance to Leeds. We have a limited travel budget to support the project.

Sunny Bank Mills is committed to equal opportunities and to Arts Council England’s Creative Case for Diversity. We are actively seeking a diverse group of commissioned artists, not only across protected characteristics, but also of skills sets, art forms and interests. We would like to hear from Deaf, Disabled and Neurodivergent artists as well as artists from any non-white background.

Exhibitors will be selected by a panel who judge independently and together. The panel is made up of Sunny Bank Mills staff and a guest judge: 

             Professor Emily Zobel Marshall, Reader in Postcolonial Literature, Leeds Beckett University; Poet and Folklorist.

             Lally Macbeth; Artist, Writer and Curator of @thefolkarchive

Reasons to apply: 

• The opportunity to exhibit in a professional, established independent gallery with extensive social media & website coverage and thousands of visitors annually
• Travel expenses
• Childcare expenses
• Free studio / accessible making space
• Producing and production support from the SBMs team
• We will produce an audio description of the exhibition
• We will produce a Visual Story of the exhibition
• The exhibition will also involve a surrounding programme of engagement workshops and public events. These will be BSL interpreted
• Professional photographs of the exhibition and your work
• Press release produced for the exhibition
• The opportunity to sell your artwork in the Gallery or shop
• The opportunity to meet and network with other artists from across the region

Key Dates:

DEADLINE for applications:  30th August 2024 12noon.

Kick off meeting with successful seed commissioned artists 9th September

Second stage submission deadline: 16th September 2024

Final selection of commissioned artists: 18th September 2024

Making period: 19th September – 18th October 2024

Install Week: 14th October – 18th October 2024

Exhibition Opening: 19th October 2024

Deinstall: tbc 31st December 2024

Debrief: 6th January 2025

How to Apply?

You can apply through CuratorSpace or by email. Please get in touch if you would like to make an application using video or audio.

Please tell us about what work you would like to include in the exhibition.

This can be new or existing work.

You can write about your work, record audio or a video.

Please include photos of your practice and any links to more information about you e.g. Instagram or website.

Please tell us how you have considered access and inclusion in your artwork.

Please tell us about any access requirements you would need us to put in place to enable you to take part in this project.

If you’re unsure, or would like to have a conversation about accessibility on this project before you apply, please email us on arts@sunnybankmills.co.uk or call us on 0113 256 3239

If you have any questions about your application, or would benefit from reading through it with someone, we will be running a drop-in surgery online on the following dates:

-         Weds 21st August 4:30pm – 5:30pm

-         Weds 28th August 12:30pm – 1:30pm 

Please contact us for the meeting link so we can send it to you in advance. Or you can email us on arts@sunnybankmills.co.uk.

Please let us know if you need any access support e.g. captioning or BSL interpretation to attend a drop-in session.

Alternative Formats:

• Video version (captioned) of this call out. 
• Easy Read version of the call-out 
• Audio version of the call out
• Translations into Polish and Urdu (Pakistani)

Sunny Bank Mills Gallery

Mid-way between Leeds and Bradford; 3000 square feet of light airy exhibition and performance space in a former textile mill. Also home to the Mills’ textile Museum & Archive, artists’ studios and a number of creative businesses including graphic designers, commercial photographers and more.

www.sunnybankmills.co.uk

FB: /sunnybankmillsgallery

X : @sunnybankmills

Instagram: @sunnybankmills

We are grateful to Arts Council England’s National Lottery Project Grants Fund for an award using public funding towards the LORE exhibition.