Derbyshire Makes announces a packed programme of free activities happening throughout the county this year. Derbyshire Makes aims to celebrate making in all its forms and shine a spotlight on the county’s extraordinary making heritage and creative and cultural industries.
Derbyshire County Council secured £780,000 in Arts Council England Place Partnership funding, which uses money from the National Lottery to deliver the three-year cultural programme, Derbyshire Makes.
Launching with a free Festival taking place in six Hub locations over five weeks, starting in Chesterfield on Friday 28th March. The Festival opens with the Derbyshire Makes Creative Heritage Conference and ends in Swadlincote on Sunday 27th April. The conference is followed by two days of free, drop-in activities across the town centre inspired by Chesterfield’s heritage of making, programmed by Junction Arts. Clothes-Wise will be running workshops finding innovative ways to transform old materials, visitors can Meet the Maker and try traditional heritage skills at West Studios, drop into the Artisan Market, and see the unveiling of a new public art commission, Kaleidoscope by Lucie Maycock.
The Festival moves onto Heanor from Saturday 5th – Sunday 6th April and focuses on the power of everyday making in our local communities, celebrating all things handmade, DIY and sharing skills for now and the future. MakeShift is creating a programme of activities that will take place on the Market Place and in nearby high street venues. Drop in to the Community Living Room hosted by mischief makers Maison Foo Theatre to meet local makers, growers, sewers and shedders sharing their skills and stories, and pick up tips and materials to get making. The Makers’ Marquee hosts ‘Trash to Flash’ workshops with local artists and hands-on making workshops with Swanwick Men’s Shed and more. There will be free family friendly activities at Infinite Wellbeing Community Centre, a relaxed space hosted by Hubbub Theatre and pop-up performances programmed by Furthest From the Sea, all building towards a Big Community Skills Share on the final day - a chance to try something new and learn from your neighbours.
Next stop is Cromford Mills on Saturday 12th – Sunday 13th April with festival activities programmed by The Arkwright Society. Inspired by local folklore and the power of water, visitors will experience live performances led by local storytellers and a range of fun making activities. Listen to fables involving water spirits and mythical creatures, wander the arts and crafts stalls, and explore your creativity, from crafting magical fish to creating musical instruments.
Glossop hosts the Festival midweek on Tuesday 15th – Wednesday 16th April during the Easter school holidays with activities inspired by nature, programmed by High Peak Community Arts. The town, from the railway station to Norfolk Square will turn into a giant playground for families during the day and adults in the evening. Highlights include installations of the lost tales of Glossop with Creeping Toad, immersive audio tapestries from Clare Savory and spectacular puppetry on the miraculous story of the Swift from Fern Bartels and Deb Pitman. There will be a programme of workshops, including archaeologist Tim Campbell Green using exhibits from local museum and archive collections. Plus, film screenings from the Film Cuts Club, and 3D digital art where you can slip on a VR headset to enter their mind-boggling world or make your own creation.
The festival takes over Bolsover’s town centre on Saturday 19th – Sunday 20th April. Activities programmed by Junction Arts celebrate local craftsmanship. Make a buckle with artist Lise Bennett, or a banner with Ursula Rae, or a willow
sculpture with Maggie Cooper. There will be a display of the town’s community made lanterns from the Bolsover Lantern Parade, a Teenage Market, a film screening in the library and a display of work and workshops by the Creative Women’s Network at the Parish Rooms.
The festival ends in Swadlincote on Saturday 26th – Sunday 27th April with hands-on activities programmed by People Express. These include free workshops and demonstrations, from pottery and wood turning to letterpress printing, alongside a local Makers’ Market, exhibitions, and the ‘Swad Reet Good Art Trail’ in partnership with Swadlincote Festival of Words. The National Forest brings a special Forest Makers’ Market and artist and shoemaker Sasha Archer hosts ‘Treading Lightly’, a unique workshop exploring how we can reduce our carbon footprint.
As well as the annual spring festival, there are four year-round countywide programmes taking place throughout Derbyshire Makes developed and delivered by Local, one of the Derbyshire based agencies contracted to deliver Derbyshire Makes:
The Makory mobile activity space from Derby Museums will visit each town centre as part of the festival. Carefully selected exhibits relevant to each town will be on display from local heritage collections including never before seen items from Derby Museums and the Derbyshire Records Office. In each town an artist will lead free drop-in making workshops inspired by the exhibits.
Dare to Dream aims to spark people’s imagination and creativity, using art and craft to dream of a better future. Alex Murphy, High Peak based maker and former contestant on the BBC’s The Great British Sewing Bee is inviting everyone in Derbyshire to ‘fly the flag’ for their dreams, hopes and aspirations by repurposing and reinventing rags to create flags. Alex and Textiles artist Sue Reddish, also based in the High Peak, are recruiting a team of local artists to deliver flag-making workshops across the county including during the festival. Everyone will be encouraged to share their creations on social media and by uploading photos to an online exhibition. A selection will be chosen to contribute to a large-scale installation in year three of Derbyshire Makes.
Alex Murphy said: “Making, particularly with repurposed materials, is such an important part of my life. It’s a true privilege to share my skills and enthusiasm.”
MAKE Room invites communities to respond to the question – How can Nature reinvent us? Artists Cora Glasser and David Ball of Buxton based Glassball Studio - an interdisciplinary arts practice rooted in place-based research and collaborative making - are leading on MAKE Room. They are working with communities who are passionate about nature and the environment to build creative spaces for conversations where anyone can join in events, walks, talks and workshops. Each MAKE Room responds to its environment, using local materials and knowledge to form temporary spaces for exploration and reflection. MAKE Room will grow a network of ideas and materials, dissolving boundaries between art, ecology and everyday life. Glassball Studio is bringing artists, makers and local communities together to create spaces that reflect local cultures, materials and histories. MAKE Room will be popping up at some of the festival Hub locations.
Women Who Make celebrates the power of women to make, inspire and transform, a curated seasonal programme of monthly gatherings offering a space for inspiration, learning and mutual support. The programme will feature a hybrid talks series exploring innovations in making and design, storytelling through different mediums, art for social impact and exploring how local heritage can influence modern making. Other events include guided walks and outdoor activities covering public art, foraging and nature, hill walking and architecture and photography and urban sketching. Women Who Make will also provide behind-the-scenes insights into the creative process with guided tours of artists’ studios, maker spaces, factories and artisan workshops.
Councillor Barry Lewis, Leader of Derbyshire County Council said:
“It’s great to see the range of activities and events planned across communities for our first ever Derbyshire Makes festival, inspired by our proud history of making. We’re keen to ensure that as many people as possible can get involved in making in all its forms and celebrate our heritage as well as the role making plays in Derbyshire now and in the future.”
Peter Knott, Midlands Area Director at Arts Council England said:
“It’s wonderful to see the Derbyshire Makes programme taking shape and celebrating the county’s rich history of creativity and craftsmanship.
Creativity and culture have the power to bring people together, spark joy, and strengthen our connection to the places we call home. We’re proud to support this inspiring programme through our National Lottery Place Partnership Fund, and we’re looking forward to seeing communities come together to explore their creativity, share skills, and celebrate local talent.”
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