Creative Skills Day - Ones to Watch 2026

The Mills' first official Creative Skills Day cooincides with Ones to Watch 2026. The exhibition returns to the Gallery for its thirteenth year in 2026, showcasing some of the most exciting emerging talent Yorkshire has to offer, bringing together work by artists from across disciplines, from painting to sculpture, film, photography, ceramics, design and more.

The Skills Day is a new addition to our existing Ones to Watch programme, which aims to support young and emerging talent through workshop opportunities, studio residencies and experience working with a professional independent gallery.

The event is open to post-GCSE to PhD level students, recent graduates, self taught artists, and those hoping to kickstart their creative career.

PLEASE NOTE - Under 18s must be accompanied by a paying adult. As capacity is limited, free carer tickets are reserved for those with a registered Carer/Personal Assistant.

Topics of the day:

• How to photograph your work
• How to price your work
• Diversifying your practice (workshops, markets ect)
• How to market your work (curating an online presence)
• Setting up as a freelancer (landing jobs, self assessment tax, invoicing)

Running Times:

• 11:00 – doors open, teas and coffee
• 11:15 - Opening (15 min)
• 11:30 - Masterclass 1 (45 min)
• 12:15 – Tutorial - How to Photograph Your Work (30 min)
• 12:45 - Break/Tour (60 min)
• 13:45 - Masterclass 2 (45 min)
• 14:30 - Break (10 min)
• 14:40 – Masterclass 3 (45 min)
• 15:25 – Tutorial – How to Price Your Work (20 min)
• 15:45 - Closing Q & A
• 16:00 – Finish

SPEAKERS & FACILITATORS TBA

Food & Drink

A pop up bar will be open, selling a range of soft drinks and offering free teas and coffees. There are many independent food & drink businesses across the site of Sunny Bank Mills which can be visited during the 12:45 lunch break.

Accessibility

The Old Woollen has step free access directly into the venue. Immediately outside the entrance is a car park, which includes accessible parking bays.

The Old Woollen one accessible toilet. In common with all toilet provision for this historic building, this is situated a short distance from the venue, in the block next to the Gallery. This is step-free, though there is a small lip to get into the building itself. On the day, if you ask a member of our bar staff they will provide a key for this and show you the direction.

The Old Woollen, Gallery, and businesses site-wide welcome assistance dogs.

Please contact us ahead of time if you have any access requirements you'd like us to be aware of, or if you require BSL interpretation or a hearing loop for this event.

A massive thank you to Opera North and Arts Together Creative Careers for supporting this event.

Arts Together Creative Careers is a new freelancer collective based in Leeds. Creative Careers is a unique network of creative arts and community organisations, with members ranging from the national to the hyper-local, facilitating workshops, Q and A's and many other networking and training events.

For more information: About - Creative Careers - Arts Together or Instagram.

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Host or Publisher Sunny Bank Mills Gallery