News from producers around Derbyshire

A group of Derby College students with their sights set on working in the travel and tourism industry have recently returned from Lapland where they gained valuable work experience at some of the area's top tourism venues.

The students are working towards their Level three Travel and Tourism and Aviation qualifications and joined the two-week trip to Kemi under the College's international study exchange programme funded by the European Union's Erasmus Plus programme.

Derby College’s residential accommodation for students who live at the Broomfield Hall campus has again been praised by Ofsted inspectors and graded ‘outstanding’.

Ofsted Inspectors visited last month – scrutinising the overall experiences and progress of young people, how well they are helped and protected and the effectiveness of leaders and managers.

Donut Creative Arts Studio (DCAS) and Fairplay in Chesterfield are hosting a creative family event on 16^th June called ‘The Big Family Fest’. The day will include lots of fantastic creative activities such as jewellery making, drumming workshops and face painting. There will be live music and performances from local groups/performers, food and refreshments plus stalls for local makers and vendors. It will be a great day for all and free to attend!

If you have any questions or would like a stall please contact Becky Parker on;

Award-winning author, illustrator and artist Laura Wall will make her debut appearance at Derby Book Festival this June, thanks to a Derby company which is sponsoring Laura and her children’s creation ‘Goose & Friends’ to help grow the brand within the UK and online worldwide.

‘Goose & Friends’ is now a series of 12 books for pre-school children – each taking the young reader on a fun journey with the lovable Goose character, his best friend Sophie and their pals as they discover the world around them.

Visitors to Croots Farm Shop and Café will get a close-up view of sheep shearing, lambs, a working blacksmith and Shire horses when it joins growers and producers up and down the country for Open Farm Sunday next month.

There will also be a barbecue, music, a bouncy castle, competitions raising money for MacMillan Cancer Care, farm machinery displays and butchery demonstrations in and around the shop based at Farnah House Farm, Wirksworth Road, near Duffield, between 11am and 3.30pm on Sunday June 10.

A partnership project involving Derby-based Sinfonia Viva, the Orchestra of the East Midlands, has won a prestigious RPS (Royal Philharmonic Society) Music Award – the highest recognition for live classical music in the UK.

The project entitled ‘Classically Yours’, involving Sinfonia Viva, Orchestras Live, East Riding Council and Manchester Camerata orchestra, has won the Audiences and Engagement category of the RPS Music Awards – recognising outstanding initiatives that engage new and existing audiences with classical music.

Derby’s Cathedral Quarter will be in a royal celebration mood on Saturday May 19 with a free street entertainment programme coinciding with the marriage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

CQ Saturdays Knickerbocker Glorious will take place in the Market Place between 11am and 3pm.

Billed as ‘A Right Royal Knees Up!’ – the day will feature music, dance and variety performances by top local artists.

Artcore May newsletter shines of exciting events and interesting stories to tell you from April and even more stimulating activities coming up in May!
Let us start the month welcoming, Katharina Fitz and Jess Price, the two artists selected for Re-Imagine the City residency.
We are delighted to be a part of the Derby Book Festival hosting the debut author evening with: Mahsuda Snaith, as well as on the Refugee week programme with "Long Journey home" exhibition.

Leonardo da Vinci: A Life in Drawing Introduction event - Wednesday 23 May 2018 - 5-7pm

Crossroads Derbyshire would like to welcome you to an evening of art appreciation, fine food and wine, hosted by Ghislaine and Michael Howard.

Ghislaine Howard was named as a Woman of The Year in 2008 for her contribution to art and society and is internationally recognised as a painter of powerful and expressive means, her works deal with the human condition charting and interpreting our shared human experience. Ghislaine’s husband Michael is an art historian and Lowry authority.