Animate
Monday 13 – Thursday 16 July 2026
Hillscourt Hotel and Venue, Rose Hill, Rednal, Birmingham B45 8RS
Since our inception, the Summer School has been the highlight of our year — and it is open to everyone. Whether you are a regular attendee or joining us for the first time, it offers a rare opportunity to step away from a busy world and dedicate uninterrupted time to your creative textile practice.
This residential experience is a “melting pot of ideas”, bringing together some of the country’s finest textile tutors. Working in a communal studio environment, you will benefit from diverse perspectives, foster new friendships, and experience the collective energy of makers working side-by-side.
In this supportive and encouraging atmosphere, you can:
- Immerse yourself fully without the distractions of everyday life.
- Overcome creative blocks through tutor guidance and group discussion.
- Explore new techniques for recording and developing your concepts.
- Widen your horizons and discover fresh directions for your work.
Join our community of makers to review, reflect, and have fun in the process.
The Theme: Animate
The 2026 Summer School uses ‘Animate’ as the springboard for the creative process. You will explore captivating figurative and floral symbolism, create vibrant collages, and delve into the fascinating use of lines and shapes to suggest movement. These dynamic explorations will enrich your textile practice, provided with gentle encouragement and expert support.
Courses
Each year, we offer the chance to work with one of three tutors over four days. You must select your preferred tutor at registration and will work exclusively with them for the duration of the course. There is a maximum of 44 students across the three groups.
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Summer School booking details, terms and conditions (PDF)
Online booking form. You will be asked to confirm that you have read and agree to all terms and conditions when you complete the booking form online.
Come Dance With Me | Siân Martin
In this workshop, you will explore dynamic methods — such as zoetropes and flick books — to inspire new ways of conveying movement within your textile practice. We shall consider rhythm and changing patterns, providing plenty of ideas for translation onto cloth using drawn and hand-stitched marks.
The works of Eadweard Muybridge and M.C. Escher continue to inspire my own creative thinking and will serve as our starting point. We will study these masters to understand their methods and expand our own personal ideas. You will develop lines and shapes that suggest animation; come and have fun immersing yourself in these explorations.
Sumptuous Articulated Colour | Ruth Issett
This course is packed with colour, utilising paint, collage, fabric compositions, and stitch. A vibrant, inspirational floral still life will be the starting point, alongside detailed colour observations and mixing. By recording differing palettes, students will investigate and create a number of personal colour collections.
We will investigate transparent, translucent, and opaque surface qualities of both paper and fabric to give light and depth to the work. From this research, you will selectively build compositions, exploring a variety of interpretations which can be further embellished with stitch.
Floral Figures | Vivienne Beaumont
Explore the exciting fusion of figurative art and floral symbolism! If you are looking to add a figurative dimension to your work, this workshop is for you. We will combine drawing, print, collage, and stitch, primarily using the sewing machine.
You will playfully explore faces, proportions, and composition, drawing inspiration from historical and contemporary art, with a particular focus on medieval millefleur tapestries. This workshop provides fresh approaches to telling your stories in textile art. While the emphasis is on machine embroidery (experience is preferable), hand stitch is a welcome option.
Booking and logistics
Costs
- £780 Resident: Full board, ensuite bedroom, tuition fee.
- £800 International: Full board, ensuite bedroom, tuition fee.
- £625 Non-resident: Includes lunch, evening meal, tuition fee.
The Venue
Hillscourt is a delightful venue set in 25 acres of beautiful grounds. The Victorian house dates back to 1897 and is located in leafy South Birmingham. It is easily accessible via the M5 and M42, with ample free parking. The nearest train station is Longbridge.
Key Dates
- Balance Payment Due: 28 March 2026.
- Arrival: Monday 13 July, 2:00pm.
- Departure: Thursday 16 July, after afternoon tea.
How to book
Please use our online booking form to make your booking once you have read through the booking details.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can I check in? We request that rooms be ready by 2:00pm. If there is a delay beyond our control, you are welcome to take your workshop materials to the studios between 1:00pm and 2:00pm to get settled.
Do we have access to the studios in the evenings? Yes. On Monday evening there is a taught session. On Tuesday, tutors typically hold a presentation. On Wednesday, the studio remains open for your continued use.
What if I need to cancel? Please refer to our full Terms & Conditions on the booking page (PDF). Cancellations must be notified by email. Refunds are tiered based on how close to the start date the cancellation occurs and whether the place can be filled.
I still have a question For any other queries about the Summer School please contact email hidden; JavaScript is required