News from producers around Derbyshire

Placement students at a Derbyshire company convinced older colleagues across their workplace to pull on fancy dress and pose for the camera when they put together a 2020 works calendar in aid of the British Heart Foundation.

More than 130 members of staff at Lubrizol, in Hazelwood, answered the call for volunteers to attend a series of photo-shoots when the students took it upon themselves to compile a calendar for the first time in the company’s history.

Ann Thorsson, a writer originally from Derbyshire, is coming back to the county in February to give a series of workshops and readings.  She'll be delivering a FREE writing workshop at Alfreton Library on Monday, 17 February 2020 - 

The Aesthetica Creative Writing Award is now open for entries: https://www.aestheticamagazine.com/creative-writing-award/

If you’re a writer who is interested in researching Derbyshire then take advantage of a FREE Introduction to the Record Office session at Derbyshire Record Office in Matlock.  The sessions happen on a regular basis and can be booked online by visiting

Novelist Joanna Courtney will be in Belper on 17 March 2020 delivering an afternoon workshop on writing historical fiction, see here for details: 

The New Year will see this panto fighting fit cast ready to bring classic family pantomime to you all.  Hansel and Gretel be staged at New Mills Art Theatre on 31 January & 1, 2, 7, 8 February.

Tickets for Hansel and Gretel are on sale now – book early to get good seats in the beautifully refurbished Art Theatre.  Matinees at 2.15pm on 1^st, 2^nd, & 8^th February sell out very quickly.  Evening performances on 31st January, 7^th & 8^th February at 7.15pm.

Hansel and Gretel

Derby College Group (DCG) has retained its ‘Good’ grading from Ofsted following a two-day short inspection in December.

DCG was one of the first further education colleges in the East Midlands to be inspected under Ofsted’s new framework.

The team of five inspectors visited all of the group’s colleges: the Roundhouse, Joseph Wright Centre, Broomfield Hall and Ilkeston College with ‘deep dive’ focuses on Sport, Animal Care, adult Retail and Wholesale programmes and Construction apprenticeships.

The cast of Derby’s pantomime, Peter Pan, are getting behind a city-wide initiative to encourage children to improve their speech, language and communication skills.

Children who grow up to be confident communicators have more opportunities in life, and TALK Derby aims to give their parents and carers the skills to help them reach their full potential.

If you identify as Black, British and female, theatremaker Lauren Nicole Whitter invites you to take part in a fun free workshop to create your own piece of writing or short performance.

The workshop takes place on Wednesday 15 January 2020 (6-8pm) at The Maypole Theatre and Cafe Bar on Brook Street in Derby. There is no charge to take part.

At the workshop, Lauren will create a safe space for you to express yourself freely, share what theatre and stories mean to you, and take part in creative activities that spark off storytelling.

Derby will be Going Loco this summer as a 60^th anniversary celebration of the music of the Motor City heads for the railway city. Tickets are now on sale from Derby LIVE for the Magic of Motown 2020, which steams into Derby Arena on Friday 10 July.

This unstoppable show has been seen by over a million people, including Her Majesty the Queen at the Royal Variety Performance.