How Sunny Bank Mills went from textile mill to top arts and culture hub in a decade

They have recently welcomed their 100th business on site and there are now 500,000 visits to the mill annually.

The two cornerstones of the cultural regeneration are the art gallery, which has a programme of exhibitions and events supporting established and emerging regional artists, and the mill’s historical archive, one of the most important and substantial in the UK – its significance has been recognised by grants from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England.

“It was a big decision when we stopped manufacturing and I think what we were very focused on and sure about was that we wanted to secure a sustainable future for Sunny Bank Mills,” says John. “Once that decision had been made it was about how we could achieve that.

"The cultural side was always our intention – we were a creative place when we were manufacturing textiles. The business had been in the family for 150 years during which time it had made and lost money; it was about finding a way to continue. We looked at lots of possibilities – we wanted to make sure we did the best for our employees and at the same time create an asset to the community for the future.”

In the past ten years the gallery at Sunny Bank Mills has hosted 75 exhibitions supporting over a thousand artists and makers, introduced creative events such as an annual Ones to Watch exhibition showcasing the work of recent art school graduates who have either studied in or are from Yorkshire, a regular print fair, vintage fairs and a hugely successful Christmas market.

“It started in quite a low-key way,” says William. “My mother is a visual artist and I grew up watching how difficult it was for artists to make a living out of exhibiting their work and selling it. I was very conscious that Leeds at that time didn’t have very much to offer in the visual arts scene. We had a lot of empty space and it is filled with natural light, because the textile process required it, so we had these lovely light spaces which work well for displaying artworks.”

It was the appointment in 2013 of two key team members that really set things in motion on the Sunny Bank Mills’ arts and culture offer, with creative director Jane Kay, who runs and programmes the art gallery, and heritage director Rachel Moaby, who is in charge of the archive, both coming on board that year.

“Jane had lots of energy and ideas that were parallel to ours,” says William. “John and I had a lot on our plate so we welcomed Jane with open arms and so much credit has got to go to her – she planned and developed the visual arts programme. She came from a legal background so this was a whole new career for her and her enthusiasm and drive has created the gallery and the 25 artists’ studios we now have here.” From modest beginnings Kay has shaped the gallery into a fully curated independent art space with a range of exciting exhibitions as well as events and workshops to encourage others to explore their own creativity.

Similarly, it is the energy and commitment of heritage director Rachel Moaby that has enhanced the archive, a valuable resource charting the mill’s history and the stories of the people who worked there.

“When we sold the business, the family were keen that we kept hold of the archive, otherwise it might have ended up in a skip,” says William. “In the beginning John and I were spending a day a week going through it, trying to sort it out and look after it. Then Rachel came along and the archive now has accreditation as a community archive and hopefully, we will eventually have full museum accreditation.” Moaby, who had previously worked as a nurse before taking an MA in Fine Art and Museum Studies, now has two colleagues working alongside her and a team of 20 volunteers. She is developing the educational potential of the collection with a series of schools workshops and making it accessible to undergraduate, MA and PhD students working on research projects.

Part of Sunny Bank Mills’ success has been the generosity with which the Gaunts have approached the venture – they have been open to new ideas and suggestions and have worked alongside and in partnership with the local community.

“It is an important relationship,” says John. “Looking back over ten years, the community and the arts successes have been one and the same thing. The community have knocked on the door, wanting us to engage, we just had to open the doors, so the two have worked hand in hand over the years. You can’t make a success without creative opportunity as well as commercial opportunity. We always say, if you have an idea, come and see us.”

The 500-seat live performance space The Old Woollen also came about through that generosity of spirit.

When events company Trouble at Mill approached them with their idea, John and William gave them the space to run with it.

“We are fortunate enough to be able to say to people ‘have a go’ and give them an opportunity,” says William. “It has been amazing, and incredibly satisfying, to see what people have made happen.”

What started out as a pop-up is now a permanent venue with an extensive, vibrant and diverse programme of music, comedy and talks, attracting some big names to Farsley including comedian Arthur Smith, national treasure Gyles Brandreth, historian and broadcaster Lucy Worsley and writer and DJ Mark Radcliffe.

“Creative placemaking uses the power of art and culture to reinvigorate our mill community and its spaces,” says John. “Both the art gallery and the Old Woollen enable Sunny Bank Mills to thrive as a proper cultural community and not simply as a business centre.”

While this year they are celebrating and reflecting on the success of the past decade, the Gaunts are also looking to the future. “I am very gratified by what we have achieved already but we want to keep the momentum going and we are full of ideas and ambitions,” says William. “We would like to build on the cultural offer here and we do have some very exciting plans but they are going to take a while to develop so people will have to watch this space.”

Given the Gaunts’ track record whatever those plans are, they are likely to be worth the wait.

Ones to Watch exhibition runs at Sunny Bank Mills gallery until April 30. For more details about exhibitions visit sunnybankmills.co.uk and for information about live performance visit theoldwollen.co.uk