April 2017

Award-winning Derbyshire agency is celebrating again: Derby-based Gravity Digital named FSB’s Microbusiness of the Year (East Midlands)

Derbyshire-based digital marketing agency, Gravity Digital, is celebrating again today after being named the Federation of Small Businesses & Worldpay UK Microbusiness of the Year for the East Midlands. The five person strong firm will now wait to hear if they will scoop the National Award, when all the regional winners in the UK compete for the prestigious title, at a ceremony on May 10 2017.

The Lichfield Prize 2017 Call for entries is now open with prizes worth £1200

emporium, in association with Lichfield Festival invites emerging and established artists countrywide to participate in their annual visual arts competition.

Under the exhibition title Dreams and Extremes artists are invited to creatively interpret this year's competition theme which focuses on America; a land of hopes and dreams, and extremes of terrain and temperature, of colour, creed, culture and colonisation.

Jenson Button Trust Team Up with Barnardo’s For Annual Triathlon – Sunday July 23

The Jenson Button Trust Triathlon, which will be held for the third consecutive year in Derby this July, have announced their charity partner for the event as leading children’s charity, Barnardo’s.

More than 700 people are expected to enter the event at Markeaton Park on Sunday July 23 with hundreds more families joining the mini-triathlon during the lunchtime break.

Students Triumph in Farming Challenge

A team of Agriculture students at Derby College’s Broomfield Hall campus have won a bronze medal in the regional final of the annual Great Farm Challenge.

The competition is organised by Natural England’s Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) Team alongside Seven Trent Water, Anglian Water and the Environment Agency.

Paralympic Star Gears Up For Next Sporting Challenges

Paralympic, World and European swimming medallist Tim Reddish CBE is stepping up his training schedule ahead of two local events organised by Derby-based HUUB Events.

Mr Reddish is the former chair of the British Paralympic Association and has signed up for the Derby Spring Classic Sportive and the first Staunton Harold Triathlon.

Derby College Students Showcase Talents To Raise Charity Cash

Students on a range of vocational courses at Derby College have joined forces to raise nearly £400 for Derby Kids Camp, which provides holidays and activities for local children.

Business, Hair, Media and Make Up and Catering and Hospitality students at the Roundhouse collaborated to organise a fashion show at the Engine Shed restaurant.

Derby Theatre hosts Departure Lounge festival for a fifth year

Departure Lounge, on from Thursday 20 until Sunday 23 July, is a fantastic summer festival with a bumper line-up of shows, workshops and talks, and a hub for fresh and innovative performance. You’ll get your usual dose of Edinburgh previews, as well as tried and tested work, and a couple of brand new works-in-progress.

HUUB Academy Launch Supports Sporting Ambitions

A new club for budding youngsters and adults looking to enter their first triathlon has been launched in Derby.

The HUUB Academy is the brainchild of Dean Jackson the owner of triathlon wetsuit and kit company HUUB Design and long-established triathlon coach Hilary Johnson – the mother and coach of elite triathlete twins Tom and David Bishop.

Based at HUUB Design’s offices at the Park Bikeworks in Derby’s Cathedral Quarter, The HUUB Academy already has more than 20 junior and adult members and a weekly training programme.

Film Director Returns to Derby College

Derby-based film and television writer, director and producer Gurmit Samra returned to Derby College’s Joseph Wright Centre to inspire the next generation of industry professionals to follow their dreams.

Mr Samra was a lecturer at the College for seven years before pursuing his career in film and television full time.

Rangers’ Return Marks Launch of St Peters Quarter BID

The two St Peters Quarter Rangers will return to the area this week (w/c April 3) in the first stage of the St Peters Quarter Business Improvement District (BID) five-year programme.

Nikki Matthews and Dave Wilson were a familiar sight in the area during the previous St Peters Quarter BID programme but were one of the many services that were lost when the BID finished last September.

Following a successful re-ballot of local businesses, the new BID officially started on April 1 and the Rangers have been re-appointed by the BID Board.

Derbyshire Playwright Returns to London Stage

An award-winning Derbyshire playwright, who teaches Creative Writing at Derby College, is returning to the London stage with a new play exploring the broken lives of five prison inmates.

Tina Jay from West Hallam has adapted two of her previous short plays ‘Walking’ - which won the Kenneth Branagh Award for drama writing - and ‘Dog City’ to create ‘Held’. 

Cricketing Students Gear Up For National Finals

Members of the Andrew Flintoff Cricket Academy based at Derby College’s Broomfield campus have reach the national finals of a colleges’ indoor cricket competition.

The team recently won the East Midlands AoC Sport (Association of College’s) regional competition which was hosted by Derby College.

Exhibition by members of The Chesterfield Art Club.

Exhibition by members of The Chesterfield Art Club.

Sunday 30th April 11 am to 4 pm. Monday 1st May 10 am to 4.30

@ Ashover Village Hall, Milken Lane, S45 0BA.

Monday coincides with the Ashover  Village Festival.

Contact Julie  Nixon 01246 237291

 

Festival and Events Artist Commission

People Express, a participatory arts organisation working in and across South Derbyshire are looking to commission an artist(s) for the following events:

Festival of Transport- Sunday 14 May 2017

Swadlincote’s annual transport festival attracts audiences of 3000. It is a free family event with classic cars, vans, motorcycles, trucks, etc taking over the whole of the town for one day.

Event Theme: Transport

 

National Playday- Wednesday 2nd August 2017

In Tents and Purposes

In Tents and Purposes

Performed by Alys Metcalf and Roxy Dunn

Thu 4 May, 7:30pm

Derby LIVE’s Guildhall Theatre

 

Derby LIVE is proud to announce that In Tents and Purposes starring Alys Metcalf and Roxy Dunn, will be visiting the Derby LIVE’s Guildhall Theatre.

A symposium about Harold Pinter and his work

Derby Theatre Upper Foyer

Thursday 23 March, 5.30pm – 7pm

FREE of charge 

 

As part of Derby Theatre’s Unwrapped programme, a free scheme which enables audiences to gain a more in-depth look into the theatre-making process, the Theatre will host Pinter Unwrapped, a symposium to discuss the works of Harold Pinter, on Thursday 23 March from 5.30pm until 7pm.  

OYSTERBAND ANNOUNCED AS FRIDAY NIGHT HEADLINER FOR DERBY FOLK FESTIVAL 2017

Derby LIVE is pleased to announce that Oysterband will be joining this year’s Derby Folk Festival as the headline evening act for Friday 6 October

Derby Folk Festival is jointly produced by Derby City Council’s Derby LIVE and Derbyshire-based PR Promotions.

Oysterband’s appearance at this year’s festival will be part of their 40th Celebration Special, with the band performing classic songs from every era of their long and mighty career.

Search on for artists for 2017 Wirksworth Festival

Do you want to showcase your work to over 4,000 people in one place? The annual Art & Architecture Trail, part of the Wirksworth Festival, may be right up your street and applications for artists to exhibit at this year’s Festival are now open. 

Artists Need Homes! Applications Open for 2017 Buxton Art Trail

The popular Buxton Art Trail is returning this July with organisers hoping for plenty of applications from artists and venues before the closing date of April 30th 2017.

The popular Buxton Art Trail will take place during the middle weekend of the Buxton Festival Fringe on Saturday July 15 and Sunday July 16 with painters, printmakers, illustrators, photographers and craftspeople, both professional and amateur, exhibiting in their homes and studios as well as in the homes and business premises of people who are generous enough to offer spaces.

Bla Bla Bla play Buxton on Saturday 6 May 7.30pm

Returning for another night of live music from some of the area’s top local bands is Bla Bla Bla. Buxton Local Artists’ new line-up features everything from rock and blues to a cappella and folk.

Topping the bill during this concert is Route 66 – probably the most enduring band Buxton has ever produced. Formed in 1989, they have played over 1,000 gigs up and down the country, keeping British RnB well and truly alive.

Psychedlic “space rockers” Hawkwind will be in concert at Buxton Opera House in May.

Psychedlic “space rockers” Hawkwind will be in concert at Buxton Opera House in May.

Formed in 1969 by former busker Dave Brock, the group has seen numerous line-ups throughout the years, but Brock has remained firmly at the helm. Following Hawkwind’s performance at the first Glastonbury Festival, they are widely acknowledged with creating the “space rock” genre of music.

Hedgehog Release Planned At Derby College

Animal Care learners at Derby College’s Broomfield Hall are preparing to release three hedgehogs back into the wild (Tuesday April 25) having spent the winter looking after them.

The three hedgehogs, which learners have named Frosty, Autumn and Fall, were all found locally last Autumn and were too small and under-nourished to hibernate.

Croots Farm Shop helps put Great British family businesses on the map

Derbyshire farm shop Croots is hosting a visit from the Family Business Road Trip 2017.

On April 24th, Family Business United begins its annual tour of some of the UK’s most successful family businesses with the launch of The Family Business Road Trip 2017 in the South West – with plans to visit Croots Farm Shop the following month.

Cycling Royalty Crowned at Spring Sportive

Around 700 cyclists of all ages and experience completed the annual Cycle Derby Spring Classic Sportive on Sunday (April 23) – including the event’s first King and Queen of the Mountain.

The Sportive, organised by Cycle Derby and HUUB Events, started and finished at Markeaton Park and included three different distances on picturesque routes around South Derbyshire and East Staffordshire.

Voluntary Arts Briefing Notes are now back on the ADUK Website

Voluntary Arts have been revising and updating a series of briefing notes on a range of different subjects, ranging from Event & Festival Management and checklist, to how to write a press release or what you need to know for data protection. 

Written by experienced authors, they provide a wonderful toolkit for the arts development sector. 

Have a browse and start downloading now at http://artsdevelopmentuk.org/voluntary-arts-briefings-links/.