Mary Linwood: Art, Stitch And Life

10th December - 22nd February

Leicester Museum & Art Gallery, 53 New Walk, Leicester, LE1 7EA

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A retrospective of the Leicester textile artist Mary Linwood.

Image detail of 'Woodpecker and Jay'

Leicester’s Mary Linwood was a celebrity artist in the early 1800s but has since been largely forgotten.

She created detailed embroidered versions of famous British paintings using a technique known as needle painting. Linwood was not only a talented artist but also an innovator and entrepreneur. Alongside running a successful school for young ladies in Leicester, she exhibited her embroidered works in touring exhibitions and established the first gallery in London to be run by a woman.

In her lifetime, she was supported by the wealthy and powerful, and was widely respected and well known. Since her death, however, she has been overlooked and undervalued.

This exhibition is the first retrospective of Mary Linwood’s work since 1945, featuring 14 embroidered works from the Leicester Museums collections. Alongside these historic pieces are new textile artworks by Ruth Singer, reflecting on Linwood’s life and legacy.

This exhibition will fascinate textile enthusiasts and anyone interested in Leicester’s rich but often forgotten histories.

Mary Linwood Events Programme

'Social Stitch Gathering' at Leicester Museum & Art Gallery

8th December

12th January

Artist Development Day

22nd January 2026

Hand Embroidery Masterclass with Ruth Singer

17th January 2026

Performances

11:00 to 16:30 - Wednesday 10th December

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11:00 to 16:30 - Thursday 11th December

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11:00 to 16:30 - Friday 12th December

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11:00 to 17:00 - Saturday 13th December

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11:00 to 17:00 - Sunday 14th December

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11:00 to 16:30 - Monday 15th December

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Leicester Museum & Art Gallery

53 New Walk

Leicester

LE1 7EA

The information included in the What's On Data has been supplied to Leicester City Council by Phylum Forge Limited t/a Data Thistle and is subject to changes. Users are advised to check with the venue or event organiser before relying in any way on the details published here. Leicester City Council and Phylum Forge Limited t/a Data Thistle are unable to accept responsibility for any loss or liability arising from any errors, omissions or inaccuracies in these listings.

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Mary Linwood: Art, Stitch And Life

Performances

11:00 to 16:30 - Wednesday 10th December

11:00 to 16:30 - Thursday 11th December

11:00 to 16:30 - Friday 12th December

11:00 to 17:00 - Saturday 13th December

11:00 to 17:00 - Sunday 14th December

11:00 to 16:30 - Monday 15th December

11:00 to 16:30 - Tuesday 16th December

11:00 to 16:30 - Wednesday 17th December

11:00 to 16:30 - Thursday 18th December

11:00 to 16:30 - Friday 19th December

11:00 to 17:00 - Saturday 20th December

11:00 to 17:00 - Sunday 21st December

11:00 to 16:30 - Monday 22nd December

11:00 to 16:30 - Tuesday 23rd December

11:00 to 16:30 - Wednesday 24th December

11:00 to 16:30 - Thursday 25th December

11:00 to 16:30 - Friday 26th December

11:00 to 17:00 - Saturday 27th December

11:00 to 17:00 - Sunday 28th December

11:00 to 16:30 - Monday 29th December

11:00 to 16:30 - Tuesday 30th December

11:00 to 16:30 - Wednesday 31st December

11:00 to 16:30 - Thursday 1st January

11:00 to 16:30 - Friday 2nd January

11:00 to 17:00 - Saturday 3rd January

11:00 to 17:00 - Sunday 4th January

11:00 to 16:30 - Monday 5th January

11:00 to 16:30 - Tuesday 6th January

11:00 to 16:30 - Wednesday 7th January

11:00 to 16:30 - Thursday 8th January

11:00 to 16:30 - Friday 9th January

11:00 to 17:00 - Saturday 10th January

11:00 to 17:00 - Sunday 11th January

11:00 to 16:30 - Monday 12th January

11:00 to 16:30 - Tuesday 13th January

11:00 to 16:30 - Wednesday 14th January

11:00 to 16:30 - Thursday 15th January

11:00 to 16:30 - Friday 16th January

11:00 to 17:00 - Saturday 17th January

11:00 to 17:00 - Sunday 18th January

11:00 to 16:30 - Monday 19th January

11:00 to 16:30 - Tuesday 20th January

11:00 to 16:30 - Wednesday 21st January

11:00 to 16:30 - Thursday 22nd January

11:00 to 16:30 - Friday 23rd January

11:00 to 17:00 - Saturday 24th January

11:00 to 17:00 - Sunday 25th January

11:00 to 16:30 - Monday 26th January

11:00 to 16:30 - Tuesday 27th January

11:00 to 16:30 - Wednesday 28th January

11:00 to 16:30 - Thursday 29th January

11:00 to 16:30 - Friday 30th January

11:00 to 17:00 - Saturday 31st January

11:00 to 17:00 - Sunday 1st February

11:00 to 16:30 - Monday 2nd February

11:00 to 16:30 - Tuesday 3rd February

11:00 to 16:30 - Wednesday 4th February

11:00 to 16:30 - Thursday 5th February

11:00 to 16:30 - Friday 6th February

11:00 to 17:00 - Saturday 7th February

11:00 to 17:00 - Sunday 8th February

11:00 to 16:30 - Monday 9th February

11:00 to 16:30 - Tuesday 10th February

11:00 to 16:30 - Wednesday 11th February

11:00 to 16:30 - Thursday 12th February

11:00 to 16:30 - Friday 13th February

11:00 to 17:00 - Saturday 14th February

11:00 to 17:00 - Sunday 15th February

11:00 to 16:30 - Monday 16th February

11:00 to 16:30 - Tuesday 17th February

11:00 to 16:30 - Wednesday 18th February

11:00 to 16:30 - Thursday 19th February

11:00 to 16:30 - Friday 20th February

11:00 to 17:00 - Saturday 21st February

11:00 to 17:00 - Sunday 22nd February

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