Saltaire Arts Trail returns for 2022 with homes and businesses at the World Heritage Site being transformed into creative spaces

The annual Saltaire Arts Trail returns for 2022 and from drawing in the park to crazy golf installations, this year’s line up welcomes artists, families and enthusiasts. Local homes, businesses, windows and creative spaces will form the ‘Open Village’ where local and visiting artists will showcase their work.

After running under Covid regulations for the last couple of years the Arts Trail follows on from the success of last year’s Window Gallery Trail and the popular Open Houses, which has been a key part of the Arts Trail since it began in 2006.

Saltaire was built from 1851 by Titus Salt, an industrialist in the woollen industry. He built neat stone houses in rows, wash-houses, a hospital, an institute for recreation and education, library, reading room, concert hall, billiard room, science lab and gym. The village had a school for the children of the workers, almshouses, allotments, a park and a boathouse.

It was quite the contrast from the slums or nearby Braford. Salts Mill followed in 1853 and closed in 1986 but has since been renovated to form art gallery and boutique shopping spaces

All these areas are now integral to this year’s event where homes, businesses, windows and creative spaces form the Open Village.

This includes accomplished artist and Saltaire Art School founder, Nina Hunter who opening up her stunning riverside residence to the public for the very first time.

Ms Hunter is showcasing nine of her brand new feminine paintings in the 250-year-old mill-converted apartment which she lives and works from. Also an accomplished pianist, this brand new collection was created for Nina’s solo art exhibition and piano recital which took place in London last month.

She said: “I’m excited to be able to share my work with the Saltaire visitors for the first time and in this special location, I feel it is a valuable addition to the Saltaire Arts Trail events.”

After having being held for two years online only, the Saltaire Makers Fair is back live in Victoria Hall, with over 65 exhibitors across three rooms, in a showcase of fresh, contemporary art, craft and design for sale or commission.

Some further highlights are My Crazy Family Golf, a participative project made by Lisa Watts and her father, Gordon Watts. Visitors play five holes of crazy golf but the idea is to inspire them to reflect on their own family relationships, care and significance of personal interactions.

Bingley Camera Club also opens a new exhibitions to coincide with the festival. ‘Our Changing Environment’ opens on Saturday and will run until September, featuring 53 photographs taken by more than 30 photographers challenged to capture their impressions of the way in which our environment is changing around us.

Paul Brown, President of Bingley Camera Club says: “Our club members have really enjoyed getting out and about to take photos for this exhibition. The images on display provide food for thought on the different ways people interpret environmental change which is taking place at such an unprecedented pace in 2022. We are very grateful to the Holding Space Gallery for offering to host this exhibition for local people and visitors to Saltaire and the Dandelion Cafe to enjoy”.