Organizer Information
Farfield Mill is a restored Victorian woollen mill, originally built in 1837 by Joseph Dover, on the River Clough near Sedbergh, Cumbria, on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. The mill operated as a working textile mill until 1992, and was rescued and restored by the Sedbergh & District Buildings Preservation Trust in the late 1990s before reopening in 2001 as an arts and heritage centre. It is owned and run by Farfield Mill Limited, a charitable Community Benefit Society, with a mission centred on preserving the mill's textile heritage while providing a hub for creative enterprise. Today the four-storey site houses around 18 artist studios, a craft gallery, heritage displays including working Dobcross looms, and a changing programme of art and craft exhibitions, alongside a tea room overlooking the river.
Title & Description
Deck the Mill – A Handmade Christmas Tree Decorations Exhibition
Farfield Mill is inviting artists and makers to submit work for Deck the Mill, an exhibition of beautifully crafted, original decorations designed to hang on a Christmas tree. The organizer welcomes handmade decorations across a wide range of mediums, including ceramics, fused glass, felting, woven stars, paper art, wood, willow, metalwork, and textiles, and is open to traditional, contemporary, colourful, or minimalist styles. The exhibition is intended to showcase work that visitors can purchase as unique, treasured decorations to hang on their own trees for years to come.
Theme
Handmade Christmas tree decorations, in any medium, designed for hanging and lasting use as heirloom-style festive pieces.
Categories
- Craft
- Ceramic
- Fiber/Textile Art
- Sculpture
- Papermaking
- Design
- Visual Arts
Eligibility
- Open to artists and makers aged 18 or over.
- Entries must be the original work of the submitting artist.
- All work must be designed as a Christmas tree decoration suitable for hanging on a
Christmas tree.
Program Benefits & Awards
- Inclusion in a professionally curated exhibition
- The opportunity to sell submitted work
- Promotion through Farfield Mill's website, social media, and marketing
- Exposure to the thousands of festive visitors the Mill attracts during the Christmas season
- Association with what the organizer describes as one of Cumbria's favourite Christmas shopping destinations
Application Fee
None
How to Apply?
Online Application
Key Dates
- Application Deadline: 1 October 2026
- Artists Notified: By 9 October 2026
- Delivery of Selected Work: By Friday, 23 October 2026
- Exhibition Dates: 4 November – 20 December 2026
Location
Farfield Mill, Garsdale Road, Sedbergh, Cumbria, United Kingdom
Additional Details
Each decoration must be priced at one of the following fixed price points: £5, £10, £15, £20, £25, £30, £35, £40, £45, or £50
Farfield Mill's commission on this exhibition is 35% plus VAT on any sale made. Decorations must be priced at one of the ten fixed price points listed above (Application Requirements) rather than freely priced