Since then, the interiors of the buildings have been gradually renovated and converted for multiple uses, including the conversion of the engine house into living space,[2] by Campbell and architect David Britch.
These include artist Rachel Goodyear, band The Ting Tings, the "Sounds from the Other City" music festival, Video Jam collective, the experimental band Gnod, music festival Fat Out Fest and Islington Mill Art Academy (an experimental art education project founded in 2007).
In July 2014, Islington Mill announced the success of a three-year long capital funding application to Arts Council England for £1 million.
The funding forms part of a larger £2.2 million project to safeguard the future of Islington Mill with a programme of major building improvements to include new artist-in-residence facilities and the renovation of a further 4,000 square feet (370 m2) of unused space.
The funding will be used to purchase and renovate an adjacent site building called New Islington Mill to house artist studios, and to distribute training and grants for creatives and small businesses based in Salford.
The development of this site as a creative destination for Salford is described as 'The Other City', named after the long-running music festival that is operated from Islington Mill.