What’s The Story Behind The Loops Exhibition at Sunny Bank Mills in Leeds?

If you’ve ever wondered what happens when artists from different countries, cultures and creative styles decide to build one huge artwork together — then you’re going to want to hear about Loops. It’s not just a cool-sounding name. It’s an international textile exhibition currently showing at Sunny Bank Mills in Farsley (yep, that’s between Leeds and Bradford) and it’s bringing a truly fresh take on art, collaboration and cloth.

Whether you’re an art lover, a fan of textiles or just someone curious about how people create things together from scratch, this one’s worth a look. It’s on until 6th July 2025, and it’s totally free.

An artwork made by six artists, across two countries, and miles apart

You know how group projects at school can be absolute chaos? Now imagine trying to do one with six people, split between the UK and Netherlands, who all have completely different artistic styles. Sounds wild, right?

But that’s exactly what happened with Loops.

The exhibition brings together artists Gea van Eck, Hanneke van Broekhoven and Monika Loster from the Netherlands with Andi Walker, Hannah Robson and Jane Claire Wilson from Yorkshire. And together, they created a single massive textile-based artwork, even though they live hundreds of miles apart.

It’s all about cycles, circles and how things are constantly changing and returning — whether that’s in nature, in communities or in how we work with others. It’s also about how tricky, but rewarding, it is to really collaborate with other people, especially when everyone brings something different to the table.

Loops isn’t just a title — it’s the whole idea

So why call it Loops?

One of the artists, Monika Loster, explains it beautifully. She’s originally from Poland but now lives in Amsterdam, and she’s been working with fibres like hemp, tree bark, and rope to create large, touchable sculptures.

Monika first visited Sunny Bank Mills in 2023, thanks to a residency supported by LEEDS 2023, and said she was drawn in by the connections — between people, between ideas, and between past and future.

“I was drawn to loops of interconnection; how individual actions feed back into a larger whole,” she said. “By layering textile elements into mesh structures, I wanted to show how one action leads to another — how people and materials influence each other.”

She also described the finished piece as “an immersive artist’s playground,” which sounds way more fun than your average gallery show.

Exploring cloth, community, and conversations

Andi Walker, a Leeds-based artist and performer, had a different take on the project — but one that fits right in.

They’re fascinated by garments, fabric, and the way clothes shape how we move through the world. One of Andi’s pieces in the show is an “unmade suit” — a clever nod to the Mills’ past as a place that made top-quality suiting fabric, even if it never made the actual clothes.

“The unmade suit symbolises untapped potential,” Andi explained. “It captures the tension between creation and absence, structure and fluidity.”

Andi also talked about how meaningful it was to share ideas with the other artists — to let those different voices bounce off each other and create something bigger than any of them could’ve made alone.

“Collaboration is at the heart of this project. It’s a celebration of creative exchange and artistic growth.”

Why this matters (even if you're not an "art person")

Now, maybe you’re not someone who usually goes to art exhibitions. But Loops isn’t some posh, intimidating gallery thing. It’s in a converted mill that used to make cloth, and the people running it really want the local community — that’s you — to feel part of what’s happening.

Sunny Bank Mills itself has this brilliant mix of history and modern creativity. You’ve got artists’ studios, a Textile Archive, small independent businesses, and now a gallery that’s managed to pull off its first ever international exhibition. Not bad for a place tucked between Leeds and Bradford.

Anna Turzynski, the Arts Director there, summed it up:

“It’s highly unusual to have six artists creating one singular artwork. I believe the result is remarkable and has totally transformed the Gallery.”

She’s also hopeful that Loops is just the beginning — with more international and collaborative shows in the pipeline.

Plan your visit: what to know before you go

Here’s what you need to know if you fancy seeing Loops in person:

• Where: Sunny Bank Mills Gallery, Sandsgate Building, Farsley, LS28 5UJ
• When: Now until 6th July 2025
• Opening times:
  • Tuesday–Saturday: 10am–4pm
  • Sunday: 12pm–4pm
  • Closed Mondays
• Entry: Free (yep, really)
• More info: sunnybankmills.co.uk/loops

TL;DR — Here’s why Loops is worth a look

• It’s a massive textile installation built by six international artists
• Themes include collaboration, cycles, and the hidden power of cloth
• The work is immersive, thoughtful, and sometimes even playful
• It’s part of the fabric (pun intended) of Leeds’ art and textile history
• It’s free, open until 6th July, and dead easy to visit

Go see it. You don’t need to know anything about textiles. Just be curious.

Have you ever worked on something creative with someone totally different from you?