Open Call: Forgotten Fleece - A Scottish Touring Exhibition of Textile Arts

Ardbeag Crafts and Creation Mill CIC are excited to present a unique and innovative touring exhibition that will showcase the work of 10-15 Scottish textile artists and crafters, focusing on the value and versatility of waste fleece.

Combining craft and storytelling, the project will be a celebration of Scotland’s textile heritage, and a mission to raise awareness about the inherent value of Scottish wool, which has become an underappreciated and undervalued resource.

Launching at Creation Mill in Langholm in June 2025, this exhibition will tour various locations across Scotland, bringing together artists, farmers, storytellers and local communities in a shared effort to elevate Scottish fleece as a sustainable and naturally beautiful material.

Concept & Purpose:

This exhibition is designed to achieve two primary goals:

Promoting the value of natural fleece – Fleece, whether from sheep or alpaca, is a practical, luxurious and eco-friendly material that deserves a larger presence in contemporary crafts and markets. By showcasing art and textiles made from “waste” fleece and byproducts of the textile industry, we want to demonstrate its value and versatility while contributing to the environmental conversation.

Supporting Scottish farmers and the fleece industry – Due to global market changes, fleece has become increasingly undervalued, often seen as a waste product of sheep farming rather than a resource in itself. This exhibition aims to foster a renewed appreciation for fleece by celebrating its potential through art and craft and helping to create a viable grassroots market that supports the agricultural communities that produce it.

Open to anyone over 16 years old born, living or studying in Scotland. Works entered may be by individuals or collaborations, who may enter a single piece or a collection for consideration.

Free to enter. Entries close on February 28th, 2025.

Works are to be made using “waste” or “unwanted” organic fleece, or any waste byproduct of fleece processing such as selvedges and end of yarn cones. Works can be wearables, wall hangings, rugs, or any other wool-based creations.

The subject matter may be as realistic, abstract or fantastical as you choose, as long as it carries a message about the intrinsic value of fleece.

Creative writers will weave a short “Forgotten Fleece Tale”, for each piece, which will be presented alongside the work during the exhibition. These stories will add an extra dimension to each piece, highlighting the value of fleece as a material throughout history.

Applications will be reviewed and participants will be selected by our curators, who are looking to compile a varied and inspiring collection of works that demonstrate the viability and wonder of waste wool as an eco-friendly material.

The successful artists will participate in a launch exhibition at the brand-new Creation Mill Studios Langholm, from 2-30 June 2025, with a preview taking place on 1 June. 

The intention is for this exhibition to tour exhibition spaces across Scotland, and the curators are currently identifying subsequent exhibition sites.

Exhibition curators: Creation Mill CIC, Ardbeag Crafts, Jodi Shadforth(Wensleydale: A Handcrafted History Exhibition).

Email forgottenfleecetales@gmail.com for an application form.