Jackie Haynes arrived in Manchester in 1986 to study Clothing at Hollings Faculty of Manchester Polytechnic, returning to education after a 20 year gap, completing a Masters degree in Textiles at Manchester Metropolitan University in 2014. By finding ways of re-purposing existing skills, she now runs an art practice alongside her design work. Prior to the MA, she founded and ran House of Haynes Fancy Dress Hire in 1995, also making bespoke costumes for performance artists and experimental theatre groups.  Now at Islington Mill, Salford, she designs and makes costumes, art objects and organises art events. She is particularly interested in art practice concerned with site, performativity, objects and conversation and is currently working on an art practice-based PhD, studying Kurt Schwitters’ legacy of Merz at University of Cumbria.