• Saturday 6th June – Sunday 30th August 2026
• Main Gallery
• In collaboration with Impressions Gallery

Costing the Earth aims to highlight the negative and damaging environmental effects of fast fashion on our planet and the small actions we can do to make a positive difference. 

Costing the Earth is a group show presenting artwork of artists Mandy Barker, Alice Fox, Hannah Lamb and Atiyya Mirza, amplifying different ways artists are tackling the climate crisis. The four artists work with recycled or sustainably sourced materials to create photographic images, sculpture and textile artworks.

The cornerstone to Costing the Earth is Mandy Barker’s Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Imperfections, a homage to the work of pioneering botanist and photographer Anna Atkins (1799-1871) using a Victorian photographic process. Through this body of work Barker hopes to raise awareness of fast fashion, synthetic clothes, and the harmful effect of microfibres in the oceans.

Mandy collected fragments of disregarded synthetic clothing from 121 beaches, from John o’ Groats to Land’s End, highlighting that no coastline is exempt from plastic pollution. The items found range from jackets to dressing-up outfits, football shirts to underwear, salvaged from beaches, rockpools and directly from the sea. The items are representative of millions of tonnes of clothes manufactured and discarded each year.

Mandy Barker says, “It is my intention that conversation around Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Imperfections will lead to action and a shift within the fashion industry, with the aim of achieving an impact that will go on to change the world.”

Alice Fox looks at technical innovation while also revisiting ancient and Indigenous technologies that could shape a more sustainable future. Alice’s artwork explores the idea of creating a safety net for the world, using different materials for net making, from repurposed polyester fabric to hand twisted string from allotment grown plant fibres.

Great Women Chilling, a playful textile piece by Atiyya Mirza, explores womanhood, empowerment, independence and identity, inspired by the women in Mirza’s family. Atiyya uses scrap fabrics she has collected over many years and found materials, exploring ways of working sustainabily when creating artwork.

Fragments of a Dress draws from the precious scraps of clothing associated with the Brontë family, especially Charlotte Brontë, in the collection at the Brontë Parsonage Museum. Hannah Lamb invited visitors to the museum to share stories about a significant item of clothing that they treasure, leaving a hand written note about the item and what it means to them. These touching and highly personal responses have been carefully embroidered onto silk organza, overlapping and layering a mesh of memories.

Hannah Lamb says, “Textiles and clothing can hold powerful memories, reminding us of people, places and special moments in our lives. Today, despite living in world of ‘fast-fashion’ and disposable attitudes to clothing, many of us still keep hold of things that help us to remember.”

The four artists have been invited to present existing work that reflects the exhibition’s broader vision of encouraging reuse, repurposing, and recycling.

Costing the Earth is an Impressions Gallery offsite exhibition in partnership with South Square Centre, part of Impression’s Summer of Sustainability.

Curated by Jane Hiley.

Image credit top: Gigartina Sunday, Photographs of British Algae, Cyanotype Imperfections © Mandy Barker

• Running: Friday 3rd July – Sunday 2nd August 2026
• The Gallery Upstairs
• Meet the artists  – 12-3pm,  4^th July 

Nicki Taylor – Analogue and Digital Photography 

Diane Jones – Textiles, Print and Embroidery 

Diane and Nicki first exhibited together in the Unit 9 gallery 13 years ago in 2013.

’13’ is a showcase of work created then and in the intervening years to the present day.

• Saturday 18th July – Sunday 6th September
• Plenty at the Square

Come to the cafe and see the new exhibition of work by Saima Kaur.

Saima is a Yorkshire based hand embroidery artist. Her visual language is informed by the imaginative beauty and diversity of Indian folk art. 

Her artworks for this exhibition are set in dreamspaces where women dance, play and express their innate power. The works invite the viewer to tap into their childlike imagination and enter places where everything is magical and full of possibilities.

Each artwork is a limited edition print of an original hand embroidery, signed and numbered by the artist. 

To discover more about Saima and her work, visit www.saimakaur.com

The cafe is open, Tues – Sun: 9.30am – 3.30pm
Monday – Closed

Please note – the cafe will be closed from 17th August to 2nd September

• Saturday 6th June – Sunday 30th August 2026
• Main Gallery
• In collaboration with Impressions Gallery

Costing the Earth aims to highlight the negative and damaging environmental effects of fast fashion on our planet and the small actions we can do to make a positive difference. 

Costing the Earth is a group show presenting artwork of artists Mandy Barker, Alice Fox, Hannah Lamb and Atiyya Mirza, amplifying different ways artists are tackling the climate crisis. The four artists work with recycled or sustainably sourced materials to create photographic images, sculpture and textile artworks.

The cornerstone to Costing the Earth is Mandy Barker’s Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Imperfections, a homage to the work of pioneering botanist and photographer Anna Atkins (1799-1871) using a Victorian photographic process. Through this body of work Barker hopes to raise awareness of fast fashion, synthetic clothes, and the harmful effect of microfibres in the oceans.

Mandy collected fragments of disregarded synthetic clothing from 121 beaches, from John o’ Groats to Land’s End, highlighting that no coastline is exempt from plastic pollution. The items found range from jackets to dressing-up outfits, football shirts to underwear, salvaged from beaches, rockpools and directly from the sea. The items are representative of millions of tonnes of clothes manufactured and discarded each year.

Mandy Barker says, “It is my intention that conversation around Photographs of British Algae: Cyanotype Imperfections will lead to action and a shift within the fashion industry, with the aim of achieving an impact that will go on to change the world.”

Alice Fox looks at technical innovation while also revisiting ancient and Indigenous technologies that could shape a more sustainable future. Alice’s artwork explores the idea of creating a safety net for the world, using different materials for net making, from repurposed polyester fabric to hand twisted string from allotment grown plant fibres.

Great Women Chilling, a playful textile piece by Atiyya Mirza, explores womanhood, empowerment, independence and identity, inspired by the women in Mirza’s family. Atiyya uses scrap fabrics she has collected over many years and found materials, exploring ways of working sustainabily when creating artwork.

Fragments of a Dress draws from the precious scraps of clothing associated with the Brontë family, especially Charlotte Brontë, in the collection at the Brontë Parsonage Museum. Hannah Lamb invited visitors to the museum to share stories about a significant item of clothing that they treasure, leaving a hand written note about the item and what it means to them. These touching and highly personal responses have been carefully embroidered onto silk organza, overlapping and layering a mesh of memories.

Hannah Lamb says, “Textiles and clothing can hold powerful memories, reminding us of people, places and special moments in our lives. Today, despite living in world of ‘fast-fashion’ and disposable attitudes to clothing, many of us still keep hold of things that help us to remember.”

The four artists have been invited to present existing work that reflects the exhibition’s broader vision of encouraging reuse, repurposing, and recycling.

Costing the Earth is an Impressions Gallery offsite exhibition in partnership with South Square Centre, part of Impression’s Summer of Sustainability.

Curated by Jane Hiley.

Image credit top: Gigartina Sunday, Photographs of British Algae, Cyanotype Imperfections © Mandy Barker

• Running: Friday 3rd July – Sunday 2nd August 2026
• The Gallery Upstairs
• Meet the artists  – 12-3pm,  4^th July 

Nicki Taylor – Analogue and Digital Photography 

Diane Jones – Textiles, Print and Embroidery 

Diane and Nicki first exhibited together in the Unit 9 gallery 13 years ago in 2013.

’13’ is a showcase of work created then and in the intervening years to the present day.

• Saturday 18th July – Sunday 6th September
• Plenty at the Square

Come to the cafe and see the new exhibition of work by Saima Kaur.

Saima is a Yorkshire based hand embroidery artist. Her visual language is informed by the imaginative beauty and diversity of Indian folk art. 

Her artworks for this exhibition are set in dreamspaces where women dance, play and express their innate power. The works invite the viewer to tap into their childlike imagination and enter places where everything is magical and full of possibilities.

Each artwork is a limited edition print of an original hand embroidery, signed and numbered by the artist. 

To discover more about Saima and her work, visit www.saimakaur.com

The cafe is open, Tues – Sun: 9.30am – 3.30pm
Monday – Closed

Please note – the cafe will be closed from 17th August to 2nd September

• Running: Friday 7th August – Sunday 30th August 2026
• The Gallery Upstairs

A series of paintings by Richard Jack Mort covering abstracts and portraits mainly in acrylic. Richard uses the canvas as a three-dimensional object in space to be carved into and appliqued on. Investigating the use of colour in several idioms. To see more of Richard’s work head to painters-online.co.uk

• Wednesday 12 August
• South Square Centre, Thornton, BD13 3LD
• FREE, booking essential

Inspired by the exhibition Costing the Earth, discover the art of sustainable string making in this fun, eco-friendly introductory workshop with artist Alice Fox.

Working with repurposed materials, including paper, cloth and plastic, this workshop introduces the technique of cordage (string) making.

Combining basic techniques with an experimental approach, this workshop has an emphasis on process and will provide you with the skills to experiment further. 

Free, donations welcome.

Booking essential, 10 places available, book via Eventbrite;

BOOK NOW

All materials provided.

Suitable for ages 16+

The workshop will take place at South Square Centre.

Curated by Jane Hiley, Costing the Earth is an Impressions Gallery offsite exhibition in partnership with  South Square Centre. Part of Impressions’ Summer of Sustainability programme.

Image: Cordage samples made with paper, plastic and cloth © Alice Fox

Friday 21st August 2026, 10:30am – 12:30pm

FREE Kids Craft Drop-In invites you to come and play and get crafty!

We will set up a craft table full of paper, pencils, scissors, glue, cardboard, strings and more, all for you to build, make and create, and let your imagination run wild!

This is a great way for kids to take some time to play and make.

All materials are free. Suitable for all ages.

South Square is a charity, so a suggested donation of £3 helps us continue to offer free events and workshops like this.

Please note – a guardian / adult should be with the children at all times.

Please note – Plenty at the Square cafe is closed during this time. Feel free to bring your own refreshments.

Book your free place here

Accessibility:

The session will be in the community room, this is on the first floor. If anyone needs step free access we have a stair lift that can be used. Chairs will also be provided for anyone that would prefer to be seated during the session.

Location and access:

The session will be held in the upstairs community room at South Square Centre, Thornton Road, BD13 3LS.

A chairlift is accessible to the Community Room.

The centre can be accessed easily via public transport. There is free on street parking around the centre. There is an on-site vegetarian café, Plenty, where refreshments and lunch can be purchased.

Contact

Any questions please call South Square on 01274 834737 or email us at [email protected] , we will be happy to help you!

• Saturday 18th July – Sunday 6th September
• Plenty at the Square

Come to the cafe and see the new exhibition of work by Saima Kaur.

Saima is a Yorkshire based hand embroidery artist. Her visual language is informed by the imaginative beauty and diversity of Indian folk art. 

Her artworks for this exhibition are set in dreamspaces where women dance, play and express their innate power. The works invite the viewer to tap into their childlike imagination and enter places where everything is magical and full of possibilities.

Each artwork is a limited edition print of an original hand embroidery, signed and numbered by the artist. 

To discover more about Saima and her work, visit www.saimakaur.com

The cafe is open, Tues – Sun: 9.30am – 3.30pm
Monday – Closed

Please note – the cafe will be closed from 17th August to 2nd September

• Opening Friday 4th September 2026, 6pm – 9pm
• Exhibition open: Saturday 5th September – Sunday 1st November 2026
• Meet the Artist: Saturday 26th September 12pm – 2pm

Here, Somehow is the first solo show by Jenny Bratt, the winner of the Joan Day Bursary Award.

Here, Somehow is a celebration of the people, places, and quiet moments that shape everyday life in Armley, Leeds. Inspired by the neighbourhood and the people who call it home, Jenny Bratt’s paintings capture domestic scenes with warmth, curiosity, and affection. They are paintings of and for the community they emerge from.

In a place where you can’t go down the road without seeing someone you know, connections are woven into daily life. Bratt’s work reflects these networks of neighbours, conversations, whispered rumours, and chance encounters, revealing how communities are built through ordinary moments and enduring relationships. Her practice creates space for stories to be exchanged, recognised, and reflected in the quiet experiences that often go unnoticed.

The red-brick streets of Armley become more than a backdrop. They are places where lives unfold, where families make homes, and where the overlooked details of everyday experience become worthy of attention. These are the streets where people live when the polished suburbs are out of reach, yet they are rich with character and resilience.

Bratt’s paintings invite us into secret scenes of daily life: fleeting encounters, familiar corners, and small narratives that might otherwise pass unnoticed. They evoke a sense of recognition without ever fully explaining themselves, leaving space for viewers to bring their own memories and experiences. They remind us that belonging is with the people we know, the places we return to, and the everyday moments that somehow become home.

On Saturday 26 September, join us at South Square to meet the artist herself, and South Square’s Programme and Gallery Manager, Domino Canton-Oakley. Together, they’ll share the story behind the exhibition, from how it came together to the ideas and inspirations behind Jenny’s work.

This free drop-in event runs from 12pm–2pm, so come by anytime to take part.

• Opening Friday 4th September 2026, 6pm – 9pm
• Exhibition open: Saturday 5th September – Sunday 1st November 2026
• Meet the Artist: Saturday 26th September 12pm – 2pm

Here, Somehow is the first solo show by Jenny Bratt, the winner of the Joan Day Bursary Award.

Here, Somehow is a celebration of the people, places, and quiet moments that shape everyday life in Armley, Leeds. Inspired by the neighbourhood and the people who call it home, Jenny Bratt’s paintings capture domestic scenes with warmth, curiosity, and affection. They are paintings of and for the community they emerge from.

In a place where you can’t go down the road without seeing someone you know, connections are woven into daily life. Bratt’s work reflects these networks of neighbours, conversations, whispered rumours, and chance encounters, revealing how communities are built through ordinary moments and enduring relationships. Her practice creates space for stories to be exchanged, recognised, and reflected in the quiet experiences that often go unnoticed.

The red-brick streets of Armley become more than a backdrop. They are places where lives unfold, where families make homes, and where the overlooked details of everyday experience become worthy of attention. These are the streets where people live when the polished suburbs are out of reach, yet they are rich with character and resilience.

Bratt’s paintings invite us into secret scenes of daily life: fleeting encounters, familiar corners, and small narratives that might otherwise pass unnoticed. They evoke a sense of recognition without ever fully explaining themselves, leaving space for viewers to bring their own memories and experiences. They remind us that belonging is with the people we know, the places we return to, and the everyday moments that somehow become home.

On Saturday 26 September, join us at South Square to meet the artist herself, and South Square’s Programme and Gallery Manager, Domino Canton-Oakley. Together, they’ll share the story behind the exhibition, from how it came together to the ideas and inspirations behind Jenny’s work.

This free drop-in event runs from 12pm–2pm, so come by anytime to take part.

• Opening Friday 4th September 2026, 6pm – 9pm
• Exhibition open: Saturday 5th September – Sunday 1st November 2026
• Meet the Artist: Saturday 26th September 12pm – 2pm

Here, Somehow is the first solo show by Jenny Bratt, the winner of the Joan Day Bursary Award.

Here, Somehow is a celebration of the people, places, and quiet moments that shape everyday life in Armley, Leeds. Inspired by the neighbourhood and the people who call it home, Jenny Bratt’s paintings capture domestic scenes with warmth, curiosity, and affection. They are paintings of and for the community they emerge from.

In a place where you can’t go down the road without seeing someone you know, connections are woven into daily life. Bratt’s work reflects these networks of neighbours, conversations, whispered rumours, and chance encounters, revealing how communities are built through ordinary moments and enduring relationships. Her practice creates space for stories to be exchanged, recognised, and reflected in the quiet experiences that often go unnoticed.

The red-brick streets of Armley become more than a backdrop. They are places where lives unfold, where families make homes, and where the overlooked details of everyday experience become worthy of attention. These are the streets where people live when the polished suburbs are out of reach, yet they are rich with character and resilience.

Bratt’s paintings invite us into secret scenes of daily life: fleeting encounters, familiar corners, and small narratives that might otherwise pass unnoticed. They evoke a sense of recognition without ever fully explaining themselves, leaving space for viewers to bring their own memories and experiences. They remind us that belonging is with the people we know, the places we return to, and the everyday moments that somehow become home.

On Saturday 26 September, join us at South Square to meet the artist herself, and South Square’s Programme and Gallery Manager, Domino Canton-Oakley. Together, they’ll share the story behind the exhibition, from how it came together to the ideas and inspirations behind Jenny’s work.

This free drop-in event runs from 12pm–2pm, so come by anytime to take part.