Discover the inspiring early years of The Tapestry in Liverpool’s Fabric District—how bold ideas, local talent, and community spirit turned an overlooked space into a thriving creative hub.

A New Beginning in the Fabric District

On 4th February 2018, The Tapestry officially opened its doors—and with it, a wave of regeneration began in what is now known as Liverpool’s Fabric District. This creative space, carved from four old warehouses, quickly became the catalyst for cultural and business transformation in the area.

The first tenants to move in were MD Productions—a local performing arts company that set the tone by throwing a huge launch event. Known for nurturing young talent, MD turned the opening night into a live audition for their “Blank Canvas” programme. Crowds stretched around Kempston and Constance Streets. It was standing-room-only until Gary Millar and Steve McFarlane, who were then building out the Fashion Hub, opened their unfinished venue to host MD Productions for a spontaneous performance.

Building Momentum: Community Takes Root

Momentum quickly grew. The Fashion Hub was next to open on the ground floor, adding a bar and a 500-person capacity event space. This space has hosted many landmark moments, including the launch of the Fabric District Vision and early arts and music festivals, which helped define the area’s creative identity.

Gary and Steve's early investment and belief in the project helped put The Tapestry on the map as a welcoming, multifaceted community hub.

Later, Easter of 2018, DoES Liverpool—a collective of makers and technologists—relocated from The Gostin Building to the first floor of The Tapestry. Their contribution to the building’s early success was huge. From printing 3D prosthetic hands to hosting synth meetups and tech hackathons, DoES quickly turned the space into a hive of innovation.

Art on the Upper Floors

While the ground-level businesses were thriving, creativity also blossomed above. Even before completion, The Tapestry hosted Jayne Lawless’s Dead Pigeon Gallery, followed by Not Just Collective, student exhibitions, and pop-ups supported by Professor John Hyatt’s FabArt and GildArt strategies.

Then came Scale Liverpool and No Face Tattoo, who transformed the second floor into two of the most distinctive spaces.

This spirit of co-creation and personalisation was at the heart of the founder’s vision.

As Atul Bansal of Sheila Bird Studio said during those early days, The Tapestry’s job was

“to curate what happens in the space"

—and its tenants brought it to life in their own beautiful, individual ways.

What’s Next?

Stay tuned for Part 9 of this series, where we’ll dive into how The Tapestry weathered Covid, transformed its spaces, and helped welcome in a new wave of independent businesses.