Genre Fluid, the self-confessed ‘not quite a poetry show, not quite a comedy show’, has been named best solo show at this year’s Morecambe Fringe Digital Festival.

Written by Derby based spoken word artist Dan Webber, ‘Genre Fluid’ is a study into labels in the arts, in everyday life and in the LGBTQ+ community.

The show has toured extensively since 2019, being performed at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Reading Fringe Festival and The Leicester Comedy Festival and was about to begin a second run of tour dates when the Coronavirus pandemic hit.

Derbyshire author Leonie Martin is offering a choice of four September dates on Zoom for her latest Writing for Wellbeing workshop on the theme of Kindness. All four workshops will include the same engaging writing activities and an opportunity to share your work within a safe and relaxing ‘virtual’ space.You’ll need access to Zoom along with writing materials. Early booking is advised as the number of places has been reduced to suit the online environment. To choose a date and book your place, please click on the link below: 

Help us to raise £1000 to support our Hubbub at Home programme to enable online arts access for learning disabled people in the East Midlands.

Sunday 9 August is Book Lovers Day, and to mark the occasion Derby Libraries are launching a competition to find the city’s favourite book.

One of the effects of the lockdown has been a surge in reading, with Derby Libraries seeing a massive increase in free loans of eBooks and Audiobooks. In April, there were 6,044 downloads of eBooks and Audiobooks by members, compared to 3,242 downloads during the same month in 2019. High street book retailers Waterstones also saw a 400% increase in book sales during lockdown.

Deadline - 23rd August 2020

“If you don’t control your mind, someone else will” - Barbara Kruger

Don't miss this opportunity to take part in FORMAT21: CONTROL and send us your projects and curatorial ideas based around your interpretation of control.

Do it before August 23rd to take advantage of the Early Bird offer of €17.

To find out more about how to submit, discover who is on the international jury and read about the amazing awards and benefits available to successful applicants click on the banner.
 

A mobile phones recycling initiative has been further expanded to help a local charity help more young people and families affected by child exploitation.

Mobile phone and tablet accessory and services retailer Yoo Kase at East Midlands Designer Outlet near Alfreton is now collecting disused handsets and unclaimed phones from the centre’s lost property.

These are then recycled by Sinfin-based Century Mobile and proceeds donated to Safe and Sound’s Butterfly Appeal which was commended as fundraising project of the year in the recent East Midlands Charity Awards.

Family-owned Wathall’s funeral directors Wathall’s have produced a free booklet to encourage people to talk calmly and openly to their families about death and document their funeral wishes to ease the burden on their loved ones.

The initiative has been spearheaded by Helen Wathall MBE who is the fifth generation of her family to run the company which has offices in Derby, Alvaston, Ashbourne, Borrowash and Burton-on-Trent.

I've just launched a writing development programme for UK-based 16-25-year-olds in partnership with RADA and the Royal Society of Chemistry.

In remembrance of what would have been the much loved late Matlock wildlife artist Pollyanna Pickering’s 78^th birthday, the Born Free Foundation are honouring her by naming a rescued cheetah cub in her memory.

Pollyanna was word renowned for her paintings of endangered species sketched from life during expeditions which took her to some of the most remote and inhospitable parts of the world.  She acted as a Patron of The Born Free Foundation for many years, and was always delighted when her artwork could help to raise funds for a cause so close to her heart.

Despite ongoing social restrictions, local friendly society Derbyshire Peak Oddfellows has revealed big plans for its annual Friendship Month celebrations.   

The group, based at Saltergate, Chesterfield, is a non-profit membership organisation which holds regular social events in the Derbyshire Peak District area.

Friendship Month, held in September, is an annual celebration designed to encourage anyone interested in meeting new people locally to give one of their special no-obligation social events a try.