Capability, not disability: The Magic Show takes over Sunny Bank Mills

There’s a crochet blanket at Sunny Bank Mills made of more than 300 granny squares, stitched by makers from across the UK and around the world and brought together into a single piece. It belongs to an artist called Heather, and it’s a neat summary of what her exhibition is doing: gathering hundreds of hands, near and far, into something no one could have made alone. That blanket is one small part of The Magic Show, the most ambitious and joyful exhibition the Farsley mills has staged — and it’s on until 27 September, with free entry.

The show hands the Gallery over to disabled, neurodivergent and learning-disabled artists, and reimagines the space through paintings, sculpture, textiles, installations, ceramics and mixed-media work, each piece exploring what “magic” means to its maker. Everyday materials become extraordinary, familiar spaces are transformed, and imagination is given the run of the room. A specially curated shop alongside sells handmade artworks and gifts by the participating artists.

Six months in the making

What makes the exhibition unusual is how it was built. It’s a collaboration between three organisations — Sunny Bank Mills, Henshaws Arts and Crafts Centre in Knaresborough, and the Leeds-based charity Pyramid — and it’s the first time Henshaws and Pyramid have worked together. Rather than simply hanging finished work, the artists spent six months visiting one another’s studios, swapping creative processes and exploring the theme side by side. More than 40 art makers from Henshaws alone contributed. The result is a show built on genuine collaboration, mutual learning and, by all accounts, friendship.

“The Magic Show started as a small, speculative invitation to two groups of artists and has grown into a giant cultural shift here at Sunny Bank Mills,” says Anna Turzynski, the mills’ Arts Director. “I’m so excited for audiences to experience the Gallery reimagined by artists from Henshaws and Pyramid — especially during a time when we could all use some magic in our everyday lives.”

For Pyramid’s Alice Clayden, the value is in the connections the work has forged. “The Magic Show has provided a fantastic opportunity for our artists to connect, collaborate and build communities across borders,” she says, pointing to Heather’s blanket as an example of “the power of creativity to bring people together.” She’s also clear about the wider point: “It’s important that artists with learning disabilities and autism are given more meaningful platforms like this — to showcase and celebrate their talent in established and respected institutions.”

On equal terms

That’s the thread running through the whole exhibition — not a show about disability, but a show by artists who happen to be disabled, presented on the same footing as anyone else in a major contemporary gallery. Sharon Hockin, Workshop Leader at Henshaws, says her makers were “so excited to be asked,” and wishes there were far more opportunities like it.

The artists put it most directly of all. “We are a mixed group of disabled, visually impaired and neurodivergent artists,” says Debra, from Henshaws. “This is the best exhibition EVER. The collaboration has been a fantastic way to connect with other artists, and the exhibition will show what we can do. This show is about capability, not disability.”

If you go

The Magic Show runs until 27 September in the Gallery at the Sandsgate Building, Sunny Bank Mills, Farsley, LS28 5UJ. It’s open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am–4pm, closed Mondays, and entry is free. Expect creative workshops and performances from both Henshaws and Pyramid across the three months — well worth timing a visit around. Full details at sunnybankmills.co.uk.