High Streets Reimagined: Haf Weighton Brings Monumental Textiles to Ruthin Craft Centre
Reimagining Welsh High Streets Through Textile Art
Ruthin Craft Centre will open a major new exhibition in January that turns the familiar geography of Welsh high streets into imagined, stitched landscapes. High Street, which runs from 24 January to 22 March 2026, presents new work by textile artist Haf Weighton, shown alongside a commissioned film by Syrian filmmaker and refugee, Noah Bakour.
From Sketchbooks to Stitched Landscapes
Weighton’s practice often begins with walking. Her stitched pieces evolve from concertina sketchbooks filled with rapid drawings and notes gathered during visits to towns across Wales. Yet the works in High Street are not faithful records of specific streets. Instead, they merge memories, textures and architectural fragments to form layered textile environments that feel both personal and collective.
“Imagined Spaces” Rooted in Real Experience
“As an artist and educator, the context behind my work is just as important to me as the finished piece. My concertina sketchbooks are central to this. Some are finished, some still in progress,” said Weighton. “The fabric pieces aren’t literal or geographically exact. They’re imagined spaces, intuitively pieced together from real walks, remembered shopfronts and everyday textures. I hope visitors will leave with a sense of having looked over my shoulder as I draw and stitch. I want each person to make their own connections and perhaps be inspired to pick up a needle or open a sketchbook.”
A Project Supported by Mentorship and Public Funding
The exhibition forms part of a two-year project supported by a Create grant from the Arts Council of Wales. During this period, Weighton has worked closely with mentors including Julia Griffiths Jones, Gill St John Griffiths and Nigel Hurlestone. Their guidance has helped shape the scale and ambition of the work on show.
A New Film Exploring Migration and Sanctuary
Alongside Weighton’s textiles, High Street features a new film by Bakour, who arrived in Wales seeking sanctuary in 2022. After completing an access course and Foundation Diploma in Art and Design with Weighton’s support, he has gone on to secure commissions from the National Library of Wales, National Museum of Wales and the Welsh Refugee Council. He is now developing a documentary for the BBC focusing on migration.
Events and Engagement
The exhibition opens with a talk by Weighton and curator Greg Parsons at 11.30am on 24 January, followed by an afternoon launch event featuring a performance from Moroccan queer singer and dancer Aouyb Boukhalfa. Ruthin Craft Centre will also host an educational programme tied to the themes of the exhibition, with details available directly from the venue.
The Artist Behind the Work
Based in Penarth, Weighton is a Welsh-speaking artist whose work has been shown at the Saatchi Gallery in London and Y Lle Celf at the National Eisteddfod. Her wider practice spans community projects, international workshops and arts-in-health initiatives with refugees, schools and cultural organisations across Wales.
Why This Exhibition Matters
High Street continues Ruthin Craft Centre’s commitment to presenting contemporary craft that reflects lived experience and diverse narratives. Through both the stitched work and Bakour’s film, the exhibition offers a view of Welsh public spaces shaped by movement, memory and belonging.
High Street runs from 24 January to 22 March 2026 at Ruthin Craft Centre. Admission is free.
