Sunny Bank Mills Print Festival 2026 returns for an annual celebration of Yorkshire creativity

Now a staple of the local arts calendar, the event transforms the historic 1912 Mill in Farsley into a vibrant hub for both established and emerging artists this weekend (March 7 and 8.)

But this isn’t just another ‘craft fair’ or ‘weekend market’ - far from it.

Instead, the festival is an immersive look at the ‘how’ behind the art, offering a rare chance to see the historic site's transformation into a massive, bustling gallery space.

Beyond the aesthetics, the festival plays a crucial role in the mill’s future; every visitor helps fund the site's ongoing Arts & Heritage programmes, ensuring that free exhibitions and family activities can continue to thrive in Leeds year-round.

What events and activities have been confirmed for the Sunny Bank Mills Print Festival 2026?

The festival offers a hands-on experience that goes far beyond a typical gallery visit, allowing you to see the machinery in motion and even try your hand at the craft. Some of this year’s highlights include:

• Creative Printmaking: Sessions include Lego Relief Printing, Lino Printing, and Polystyrene Relief Printing.
• Bookbinding & Illustration: Learn Coptic Sketchbook Making, Avocado Ink Notebook Making, or Comic Drawing.
• Free Drop-ins: Try your hand at Failed Print Collaging with Leeds Arts University or Sticker Making with the Hull Zine Library.
• Ironbridge Fine Arts Demonstrations: Watch talented professionals demonstrate various printmaking techniques live on the press. Visitors are even invited to "pull a free print" to take home.
• Open Studios: Peer inside the Spinning, Twisting, and Red Lane Mills to meet 48+ resident artists and makers in their own creative environments.
• The Studio Print Trail: A family-friendly activity where visitors follow a stamp trail through the studios; completing the trail earns you a unique, limited-edition print
• Textile Archive Pop-Up: Explore a special exhibition of Sunny Bank Mills-inspired prints created by Leeds Arts University Illustration students within the historic mill archive.
• Ones to Watch 2026: Visit the main Gallery to see the 13th annual exhibition showcasing the work of 36 emerging Yorkshire-based artists.

What vendors and artists are set to appear at the festival this weekend?

The festival's main attraction, The Print Fair, will feature an extensive lineup of over 60 stallholders per day in the 1912 Mill.

The roster changes slightly between Saturday and Sunday, offering a diverse range of local and national talent.

As of writing, according to the official Sunny Mills Bank Festival 2026 programme, the following names are scheduled to appear over the weekend:

• James Green
• Janis Goodman
• Julia Ogden
• The West Yorkshire Print Workshop
• Abi Prints
• Alicia Rose
• Alison Hardcastle
• Anachronalia
• BK Stationery
• Becky Mann
• Blue and Gold Botanics
• Bobbie Print
• Cath Brooke
• Chris Printed This
• Cherry-Mae Whitehead-Howse
• Concrete Nature
• Darya Savonina
• Edwina Kung
• Eiyia
• Ellie Way
• Emma & Sam Jackman
• Emma Grover
• Evelyn Polk
• Fizah Afzal
• Halina Isherwood
• Heather Dewick
• Hestan Isle Press
• HuPaLinocut
• Irina Lomash
• Izzie Hinton Smith

• Jamie Mills
• Jane Middleton
• Joanna Jowett
• Jon Mackay
• June Russell
• Kate Brooks
• Laura Knight Studio
• Ldmdesign
• Liz Harry
• LAU Fine Art
• Lost and Found Abstract
• Louise Traill Studio
• Madzillus
• MOLLY PUKES
• Niamh Spink
• Nicki T Photography
• OR8DESIGN
• Ounce Of Style
• Overlay Press
• Piierrote
• ploterre
• Polly Rose Morris
• Printing Stamps London
• Rachel Knowles
• Ruth Green
• Sarah Kirby
• Sarah Harris
• Seanna Doonan
• Tall Paul Kelly
• Tom Hardwick
• Wendy Roby

How much is entry to the Sunny Bank Mills Print Festival 2026, and what time should I head down?

The main festival events, including the Print Fair, Art Gallery, and Open Studios, run from 10am to 5pm on both March 7 and March 8. For those heading down to Farsley, entry to the main Print Fair located in the 1912 Mill is priced at £3.50 on the door.

There are several concessions in place to keep the event accessible, with free entry offered to all carers and children under the age of 12.

Additionally, Blue Badge holders are granted priority access to the fair, allowing them to enter without the need to queue.

While the Print Fair carries a small admission fee, many of the festival's other major attractions are completely free to attend; this includes entry to the Art Gallery to see the Ones to Watch 2026 exhibition, the Artists' Open Studios across the Spinning and Twisting Mills, and the family-friendly Studio Print Trail.

For those wishing to explore the site’s heritage, the Textile Archive and its pop-up student exhibition are open from 10am to 4pm and are accessible for a suggested £2 donation.