A FREE exhibition will look into the heritage of Salts Mill where it will also be displayed as part of the Saltaire Arts Trail.

In Felt by Claire Tindale, shown at the roof space at Salts Mill between May 29 and June 6, wool is used as the central material to explore the industrial heritage of the mill and surrounding village.

At the heart of the installation, occupying the industrial scale of the temporary gallery space, is a village of hundreds of small hand-crafted houses.

The houses have been carefully sculpted using special needle-felting techniques to a design developed by Tindale and shared with members of the public through a series of workshops.

Contributing to the collective growth and development of the model village, the houses created by groups of workshop participants, from the local area, Manchester and further afield, sit alongside those created by the artist.

Felt explores the relationship between industry and home, the communities that develop and the supportive, symbiotic relationship that results.

Claire said: “I am looking forward to seeing the whole work coming together and fully assembled, for the first time, in the stunning roof space at Salts Mill. I feel very fortunate to have had access to the space, in order to inform and develop the installation.”

Information on the full programme for Saltaire Arts Trail can be found at the Saltaire Inspired website - saltaireinspired.org.uk – and trail guides are available to buy for £2 at various outlets in Saltaire and online in advance of the event, as well as throughout the Arts Trail week.

Felt will be open during the Saltaire Arts Trail between 11am and 4pm.