Meet Millicent Sanders
Millie, a textile designer-maker from Bradford, shares her Venice Biennale experience.
Published: July 23, 2024
Author: Millicent Sanders
Hi, I’m Millie.
I’m a textile designer-maker living and working in Bradford.
After graduating from Central Saint Martins in 2021, I returned to West Yorkshire to start my own business and develop my artistic practice. I feel strongly connected to the textile trade and heritage in Bradford, especially being surrounded by all the mills and historic buildings.
I was chosen for this year’s Venice Fellowships Programme through Bradford 2025’s partnership with the British Council. The programme offers artists from across the UK an opportunity to spend a month at the Venice Biennale in Italy. As well as being an Ambassador of John Akomfrah’s British Pavilion exhibition, the programme involves creating a research project on the theme of this year’s wider exhibition: ‘Stranieri Ovunque – Foreigners Everywhere’.
My research project is ongoing and explores the connection between Bradford and Italy through textile migration. During my time in Venice, I collected stories of Italian migrants who travelled to work in textiles mills across Bradford after the Second World War. Their children and families are part of a large community of Italians currently living in Bradford District.
Many young women were recruited in Italy based on having ‘nimble fingers’ for textile work. They came to Bradford with only a handful of possessions, where they were given hostel accommodation and piecework (work for which the amount of pay depends on the number of things finished) across mills such as Ambler Mill, Illingworth Mill and Lister Mill.
At the British Pavilion, my role as an Ambassador was to answer questions and help visitors navigate the exhibition and the wider Biennale. My interactions with the public varied from basic queries to in-depth conversations about the artwork.
I formed great friendships with the other artists and some amazing people from other Pavilions in the Biennale – not forgetting the fabulous locals who led us to the best parts of Venice! We also met with the team from Iniva Arts for a study day and linked up with the lovely cohort of interns at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. It was a truly magical experience to be able to connect with interesting people from all over the world.
I spent my spare time exploring exhibitions, drawing and photographing the streets, and seeing the city by boat. In the evenings I went to soundscapes, techno raves, beach parties and street festivals! A highlight for me was returning to Venice by boat after an all-night beach party. Passing through the Grand Canal at dawn with no one around except the odd bin man was a surreal and beautiful experience.
I can say that I have never experienced a month so intensely filled with activity, culture, and lovely people. To anyone unsure about applying for the Venice Fellowships Programme: go for it! It is an incredible opportunity to spend time in Venice surrounded by people from all around the world. You will make many friends and even more memories.
Follow Millie on Instagram @millicentsanders or visit her website at www.millicentsanders.com/projects
