The Birley - artist studios & project space

House of Haynes Costumes at
Birley Studios, Preston, PR1 2QE

From 8th May - 30th May


Exhibition — Workshops — Archive

🔵 Do you run a community group?
🔵 Are you part of a community group?
🔵 Would you like to hold a group session FOR FREE at Birley Studios in the centre of Preston?
🔵 Would your group enjoy access to House of Haynes Costumes during your session?

Contact Jackie Haynes to find out more:
[email protected]

General exhibition opening times TBC

More about the exhibition:

The Spot & The Cross: Exhibition—Workshops—Archive addresses the past, present and future of the House of Haynes collection of individually-made costumes, presented in the context of contemporary art and artistic research, with works in each of the Birley’s three exhibition rooms relating to the other.

The exhibition presents the costumes as a living artefact of aesthetic value, emphasised by placing the costumes high up when we are more accustomed to racked clothing on hangers being within reach and at our immediate disposal (see images 1 & 2).

Image: The Conga, Narratives (2023) Group exhibition with Venture Arts at The Lowry, Salford Quays.

Preserved 
Fabric print (2025)
 
 
Preston Corporation Chrysanthemum House (1921)
Oil on canvas 
Albert Woods 

Only 3 weeks left to see our exhibition 'Artist-Led' in The Harris

Free entry, featuring work by 6 of our studio members

The Losses
Concertina book with screen printed pages and painted clay fragments; glazed mixed media drawing on brown paper (2020)
Heather Ross

Manchester Riots (09/08/2011)
Bowl (2011)
Ana Rosa Hopkins

This is your last month to see 'Artist-Led' by 6 of our The Birley members in The Harris

The exhibition runs until the 3rd May, but this won't be the last of us you'll see in this space 👀

Photo by Simon Critchley

Only 2 weeks left to see our current exhibition 'Carbon Synthesis: Spatial Dissonance'

We're open today until 4pm and then again 11am - 4pm on Friday and Saturday 👋

Donna Franklin | | |

Next up: Carbon Synthesis: Spatial Dissonance
Donna Franklin | |

Private View on Friday 20th March 5-7pm (to celebrate the Vernal Equinox which is a traditional celebration for the beginning of Spring in Finland)

🗓️ We'll be open 14th March - 12th April, 11am - 4pm every Thursday, Friday and Saturday

-

“First came the Wind, then Reindeer, then Humans” Leena Valkeapää (2024)

The Carbon Synthesis project evolved during 2020, three artists Dr Donna Franklin (AU), Tracy Hill (UK), Dr Sarah Robinson (AU) shared collaborative conversations exploring how creative arts practice can reveal invisible narratives and innovative ways of witnessing climate change.

SOLU / Bioart Society | Carbon Synthesis
SOLU / Bioart Society | Ars Bioarctica open call for 2025–2026
Carbon Synthesis: Spatial Dissonance
THE BIRLEY
14 March - 11 April 2026

(KILPISJÄRVI BIOLOGICAL STATION)

Come along to hear from Birley artists Kathryn and Heather 🙌

🗣️ Join Birley artists Kathryn Poole and Heather Ross for an inspiring conversation about their pieces currently on display in the Artist Led exhibition located on the second floor.

🗓️ Thursday, 19 February (6pm - 7.30pm)
🎟️ Free

🔗 Book your place: https://bit.ly/45gDpH4

Did you catch us on ITV Granada Reports tonight? The team came down to interview our studio members and local school children for their involvement in current exhibition 'Mysterious Beasts' 🐴🎨

Watch the interview here:

Primary school children swap classroom for professional art gallery - Latest From ITV News Watch the latest from ITV News - A group of schoolchildren aged between 9 and 12 have had their artwork displayed in a professional gallery in an effort to encourage kids to be creative.

We can't wait to open our next exhibition 'Mysterious Beasts' soon. Please note we won't be open tomorrow (Friday 12th Dec) anymore but we'll be ready to show you around the stable from Saturday 13th December 11am - 4pm 🐴

The exhibition features art by children from and Lea Community Primary School

Coordinated by with the help of and

Open 11am - 4pm on:

- Saturday 13th December

- Thursday 18th, Friday 19th & Saturday 20th December

Birley St, Preston, PR1 2QE

Final chance to see 'Fast Food Slow Food' by

Open 11am - 4pm
📍 Birley St, Preston, PR1 2QE

Coming soon, new art by children from and Lea Community Primary School 🐎

Studio member has been coordinating this project, working with other studio artists and to support primary school children to create art for their upcoming exhibition

Open 11am - 4pm on:

- Friday 12th & Saturday 13th December
- Thursday 18th, Friday 19th & Saturday 20th December

📍 Birley St, Preston, PR1 2QE (next to )

Make sure you visit us to see all the amazing artwork produced by both schools 🐴

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