Looking Ahead: HOUSE COLLECTIVE comes to Mill Tye Gallery this October

Mill Tye Gallery
7 hours ago
2 min read

There is something quietly exciting happening behind the scenes ahead of our October programme at Mill Tye Gallery.

Over the past year, a group of young people from across Suffolk have been meeting regularly through HOUSE COLLECTIVE, a creative programme developed by Gainsborough's House in partnership this season with Suffolk Wildlife Trust. Together they have explored the landscapes, traditions and communities of East Anglia, asking how creativity can help us better understand the places we live and the futures we want to build.

Rather than following the methods of a conventional panel, the collective has spent time learning directly from artists, makers, craftspeople and environmental practitioners. They've experimented with photography, ceramics, drawing, printmaking and creative writing, while also exploring food, foraging, sustainability and traditional skills.

What makes the project particularly inspiring is its philosophy. HOUSE COLLECTIVE believes that heritage isn't simply something to preserve behind glass—it is something to experience, question and carry forward. Their work celebrates local culture while encouraging thoughtful conversations about caring for our environment and supporting our communities.

As preparations continue for their weekend takeover of Mill Tye Gallery, the collective is busy creating new work for display alongside a series of participatory activities that invite visitors to become part of the experience.

Over the weekend of 10–11 October, visitors will be able to explore an exhibition of photography, ceramics, watercolours and creative documentation developed throughout the programme. On Saturday afternoon, the collective will host a Community Supper Club celebrating seasonal ingredients, local food traditions and conversations around place and belonging. Throughout Sunday, visitors will be invited to take part in a drop-in screen-printing workshop, printing and taking home their own copy of the HOUSE COLLECTIVE Manifesto.

The event reflects many of the values we share at Mill Tye Gallery: a deep appreciation of landscape, creativity rooted in place, and the belief that art has the power to bring people together.

Over the coming weeks we'll be sharing more glimpses behind the scenes as preparations continue. In the meantime, we hope you'll enjoy this small preview of the creativity, collaboration and enthusiasm that HOUSE COLLECTIVE will be bringing to Mill Tye Gallery this October.

We look forward to welcoming them—and you—for what promises to be a thoughtful, inspiring and thoroughly enjoyable weekend.